Work-Life Balance: What is it?

Switching off after work and consciously organising as well as enjoying our free time – that is how many of us imagine the perfect end of the day. And with a successful work-life balance, that is exactly the case. However, reality often looks different: Overtime, stress and pressure to perform determine many people's everyday working lives. Real recreation active and self-determined leisure time activities are often neglected. But what can you do when your work-life balance is out of balance? And what exactly is the meaning of work-life balance?

Enough time for yourself: This is what a good work-life balance is all about

The definition sounds quite simple at first: having a good work-life balance means that your professional and private life are balanced and do not interfere with each other. In concrete terms, this means: compatibility of family and work, as well as enough time and energy for activities with friends and hobbies.

But what is "enough"? Only you can decide on your own. There are no concrete standards or guidelines. Whether and when the relationship between work and free time is balanced is always a subjective feeling - and depends not only on the quantity, but also on the quality of free time. For example, someone who enjoys their work can usually enjoy their free time more consciously than someone who is constantly stressed by their job - even if both work the same amount of hours a day. This is especially crucial if you have a full-time job. The fewer free hours you have in a day or week, the more important it is that you can wind down and switch off during this time.

A good work-life balance not only includes sufficient free time, but also the right work environment. If you are free to organise your working hours as you wish, you will have a more positive attitude towards your job, be able to switch off better in your free time and organise your private life more consciously.

At yoummday, you work when, as much and where you want. As a self-employed talent in customer service, you work 100% from home and create your own shift schedule. This way, you can organise your work and leisure time by yourself and flexibly adapt it to your respective life situation.

It is about your well-being: This is why work-life balance is so important

A good work-life balance is not a luxury - but a prerequisite for a conscious and healthy lifestyle. Due to the fact that those who are stressed by their job need more time to recover, and are less able to enjoy it or use it for themselves, dissatisfaction and an unmotivated attitude towards work are the consequences. This condition, in turn, can have a devastating impact on private life. A negative and unbalanced mood often leads to family tension, which further distracts and stresses you at work. A vicious circle that can sometimes have serious consequences for one's own physical and mental health. It is not uncommon for a work-life balance that is out of joint to be the beginning of illnesses such as burnout or depression.

A successful work-life balance, on the other hand, has exactly the opposite effect: if you consciously organise and enjoy your free time, your satisfaction and mood rise automatically. You go to work refreshed and in a good mood - and since private matters have enough space in your free time, you can fully concentrate on your job during working hours. This automatically makes you motivated and productive, which in turn leads to better performance and positive feedback. This way you can end each working day successfully and satisfied and enjoy your free time without having to think about unfinished tasks or poor performance. This creates a healthy, harmonious working environment. At the same time you have more space for your family and friends, sports and hobbies, prevent illnesses and you are generally more satisfied with your work and life situation.

6 measures for a successful work-life balance

As already mentioned, there is no patent remedy for the right work-life balance. We and our needs are too different for that. Nevertheless, there are a few tips that can help you successfully balance your job and your free time.

1. Treat private and professional appointments equally

Today you have an important meeting that absolutely cannot be postponed - with your family or friends. Too often, we tend to put professional matters before personal appointments. But time with family and private contacts are important and should not be neglected regularly or even permanently. Therefore, treat personal meetings with the same priority as professional appointments.

2. Create a flexible and location-independent working framework

A good work-life balance requires not only a healthy working attitude, but also the right framework in which to develop. The more self-determined you are at work, the better you can balance your job with your private life. Yoummday offers you all the necessary prerequisites for this: 100 percent free and self-determined time management - independent of location in your home office. This way you can adapt your working hours to your individual life situation.

3. Make sure you have a good working atmosphere

In many cases, stress and bad mood are not only caused by an excessive workload - but also by misunderstandings and misguided communication. Make sure that your interactions with your professional contacts are friendly and respectful, while articulating your needs early and clearly.

4. Work in a structured way

If you work in a chaotic and disorganised way, you will quickly lose overview - and shortly afterwards your motivation. Therefore, make sure you have an orderly workplace and a structured daily routine. You can find out how to do this here.

5. Do not overtax yourself

Know your limits - and stick to them. Be clear about what you can and cannot do in a certain period of time and speak openly when something is too much for you. This is not a sign of weakness, on the contrary: it shows that you can assess your own capacities and abilities correctly and articulate them confidently. And this is perhaps the most important skill for maintaining your work-life balance in the long term. 6.

6. Keep moving

A good work-life balance does not only depend on your behaviour at work. The way you spend your free time also plays an important role. Make sure that you always have enough time in your day for exercise and a balanced diet: prepare a healthy breakfast before work, go for a run during your lunch break or do a yoga session after work – it is up to you how you keep fit.

Balance your life - with yoummday!

You want to do something for your work-life balance? Then start with the right working conditions! Become an independent talent in customer service at yoummday and benefit from a completely flexible schedule and a 100% home office guarantee! Curious? Then sign up today: free of charge and without obligation at yoummday.com.