21 Essential Work-Life Balance Tips You Wish You Knew Sooner

52% of workers^{1https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/04/05/indeed-study-shows-that-worker-burnout-is-at-frighteningly-high-levels-here-is-what-you-need-to-do-now/} reported feeling burnt out in 2021. 

If you feel like work has started to take over your life, you might feel physically exhausted, emotionally empty, and possibly apathetic.

In this article, we’ll give you many tips you can implement today to help boost your work-life balance.

What are the main challenges you face in achieving a healthy work-life balance?

• Excessive workload and unrealistic job demands.
• Difficulty disconnecting from work during personal time.
• Lack of support from supervisors or organizational culture.
• Need for more flexibility in work hours or remote work options.
• I haven’t faced significant challenges in achieving a work-life balance.

What is Work-Life Balance?

Work-life balance refers to the balance between professional responsibilities and personal life activities. It involves managing time and resources to fulfill job requirements while prioritizing health, fun, and family needs.

When you’re out of balance, you might be approaching burnout. Being burnt out is like using a tech device and never letting the battery level get above 30%. Except your phone works just as well at 30% as 100%. But when you’re burnt out, your 30% efforts are far less effective.

If you’ve ever been burnt out, you know it can feel something like this:

Here are some tips to help you regain balance and create a meaningful life outside work.

21 Tips to Achieve True Work-Life Balance

Before getting into any of the tips, here is a guide on battling burnout that could benefit you.

1. Solo adventure day

This tip is the #1 most important foundation of my self-care practice. 

For the past seven years, I’ve taken one day every week where I do no work and make no social plans. 

It’s just a day to do self-care, go on adventures, and have fun. Sometimes I go on hikes, sometimes I go dancing at clubs, sometimes I lay in bed. The point is to do whatever I need to rebalance that day. 

Give it a shot yourself and see if it helps you decompress.

Action Step: Plan a “Solo Adventure Day” sometime this month, where you visit a new place, try a new activity, or spend the day doing what you love, all by yourself. 

2. Task time capsule

Productivity guru Brian Tracy has a tactic of “eating the frog,” where you tackle the most challenging or least enjoyable task first thing in the day, which makes the rest of the day feel more manageable and productive.

If you don’t eat the frog, you might find your plate is piled up with tasks you’ve been avoiding.

It can feel daunting to get to these draining and tedious tasks. And the knowledge that they are waiting for you can be an energy drain in yourself.

Action Step: Write down tasks you dread doing, put them in a “capsule” (envelope, jar, etc.), and tackle one when you’re feeling particularly energetic.

3. Coworking club

Spending a day working in the same space as friends or family who are also working can create a sense of community and shared productivity, motivating and making work more enjoyable.

You can do this in person or over Zoom. 

I meet weekly over Zoom with my “productivity friend” to chat for a few minutes and then work for two hours. It’s a great way to stay in touch and to motivate each other. I look forward to it every week!

Action Step: Plan a “coworking day” some time this month with friends or family members who also have work to do.

4. Digital sunset 

Disconnecting from technology before bedtime can improve the quality of your sleep^{2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5669315/} and help you better separate work from personal time.

Discovering from the internet, media, and technology is also restorative. Even if for a short time.

Action Step: Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” mode and on airplane mode for the last hour of each night and the first hour of each day before work. 

This way, you can’t be reached, nor is there a temptation to hook back into work.

If you need more time, consider picking one day a week when you don’t use the internet.

5. Hobby hour

When was the last time you painted, sang, or played chess? Whatever your go-to activity, spending time with hobbies enriches your life, relieves stress, and adds a layer of fulfillment outside work. 

Action Step: Dedicate one hour this week to a hobby you love but never have time for. Block it in your calendar like an important meeting.

6. Walkie-talkie meetings

Combining physical activity with work responsibilities can enhance mood and productivity while giving you a break from a sedentary lifestyle.

Plus, studies suggest^{3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6888434/} that walking helps reduce stress and anxiety while improving memory. These results are boosted when those walks are in nature.

Action Step: Make some of your calls while taking a walk. Get fresh air and exercise while also ticking off a work task.

Consider setting up an exercise bike next to your desk to infuse more cardio into your workday.

7. Plan a weekend vacay.

There’s something about leaving home and immersing in a different environment that refreshes your energy and creativity.

Plus, if you do it on the weekend, you can avoid taking vacation days.

If you’re approaching burnout, the most restorative vacations will likely be ones with little stimulation (like spending time in nature) or ones where you don’t need to do any cleaning or cooking (like a retreat or a bed and breakfast).

Action Step: Plan a 2-day vacation for some weekend in the next month or two.

Consider a vacation that involves nature or a retreat where all the meals are taken care of.

8. Joy budget

If you struggle with feelings of financial scarcity, you might feel hesitant ever to spend money on yourself and enlivening experiences.

But the reality is that allocating funds specifically for enjoyable experiences can be a form of self-care!  

Action Step: Create a “fun budget” every month and make sure you spend a certain amount of money on experiences, not things. This can be as small as $20 a week. This can cover movies, theme park tickets, or even a small vacation if you can save enough.

9. Generosity budget

Setting aside money for acts of kindness benefits others and can boost your emotional well-being and sense of community connection. 

One Harvard Business School study^{4https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Norton_Michael_Spending%20money%20on%20others%20promotes%20happiness_ddd17e6e-fc21-438f-811e-62561cc97a18.pdf} found that giving money to other people lifted participants’ happiness more than if they spent it on themself (even if they predicted the opposite).

Action Step: Create a “Generosity Budget” each month to donate to a cause you care about, tip a service worker exceptionally well, or treat a friend. 

10. Email office hours

Setting specific times to manage your emails can drastically reduce the stress of constant notifications and help you regain control over your workday. This way, your emails won’t seep through every crack of your day.

Action Step: If it’s acceptable in your office, specify a one- or two-hour window in your email signature for when you’ll be checking emails, and stick to it. If this is too little, set aside 2 hours a day where you do NOT check email to at least dedicate 2 hours a day for deep work time.

Here’s productivity-meister Tim Ferriss explaining how well this tactic can work.

11. Lunch meditation

Taking a moment to express gratitude for your food and then eating the first three bites mindfully can enhance your eating experience and give you a mini-mental break during your workday.

Action Step: Before starting your meal, take five seconds to feel grateful that you have food to eat, for all the hands that went into each food item, and for the nourishment it provides. Then, fully enjoy your first three bites—savoring the taste, texture, and aroma.

Here’s a short video of the late Thich Nhat Hanh explaining how to eat mindfully.

12. Life-logging

Keeping a log of your daily activities can offer surprising insights into how you spend your time, allowing you to make data-driven decisions for a more balanced life.

This way, you can discern if you want to spend 7 hours of your weekly spare time on the dad jokes subReddit. (And no shade on Reddit. I love that site! But you get the point—the more you know about how you use your time, the more agency you can bring to it).

Action Step: Start a “Life Log” for one week, jotting down how you spend each hour. I’ve found the app Timeular to be easy and effective. Review the log at the end of the week to identify patterns and make adjustments for a better work-life balance.

The point isn’t to beat yourself up for not being productive enough—downtime is important! It’s more to get a clear assessment of your days.

13. Breathwork breaks

Studies have shown^{5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070/#:~:text=Evidence%20from%20diaphragmatic%20breathing%20studies,test%20performance%20in%20primary%20school} that deep breathing reduces stress and anxiety by activating the vagal nerve (a major nerve regulating heart rate, digestion, and many other involuntary functions). Try incorporating short breathwork sessions into your day to reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and act as a quick reset for your body and mind.

I had one stretch last year where I felt particularly burnt out. To get through it, I set a timer for, and I kid you not, every five minutes throughout my entire work day to take ten breaths and get back into my body. 

That level of interruption isn’t sustainable, but find a pace that could work for you.

Action Step: Schedule three slots tomorrow for 5-minute breathwork breaks. You can check out this list for some easy breathing activities.

14. Propose a flex day.

A flexible day in your workweek can provide the wiggle room you need to attend to personal matters, reducing the stress of fitting everything into a traditional 9-5 schedule.

Action Step: Negotiate with your employer for one flexible workday per week, where you can adjust your hours to suit personal obligations and self-care activities better.

15. Digital declutter 

Too many unread emails or unnecessary apps can create digital stress that spills over into your personal life.

Even a few minutes a day can go a long way!

Action Step: Schedule time each day for a “digital declutter.” Use this time to organize your emails, delete unused apps, clear your computer desktop, and organize your Google Drive.

16. Skill swap

Learning something new can be invigorating, especially if it’s outside your regular job description.

Learning a new skill isn’t just fun; it’s incredible for your brain and memory.

One compelling study^{6https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797613499592?papetoc=} assigned several hundred older adults to three groups. For fifteen hours a week for three months, one group actively learned a new skill (like knitting or Photoshop). One group did enjoyable activities in that time, like watching a movie or reminiscing with friends. And one group worked quietly at home, listened to the radio, or did easy puzzles. 

The group who learned a new skill had significant gains in their memory compared to the other groups, and some used their skill-learning to ward off dementia.

Action Step: This weekend, swap skills with a friend or family member—teach them a skill you have and let them teach you a hobby or skill they excel in.

17. Visual escape

Sometimes, a quick mental escape can help you recharge and refocus during a busy workday.

Action Step: Keep a folder of inspiring images, quotes, or short videos on your desktop for a 2-minute “visual escape” when you need a mental break.

You could also try Good News Network, which shares optimistic news.

18.  Unplugged lunch

Studies suggest^{7https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7744612/} that when people eat while using their phones, they eat more than their hunger level calls for.

Eating lunch without distractions can improve digestion and provide a meaningful pause in your workday. It can help you enjoy your food more, eat the right amount, and get a much-needed break from the internet.

Action Step: Commit to having an “unplugged lunch” at least once this week, where you eat without checking your phone, email, or watching videos.

19. Intentional daydreaming

This one has also been huge for me. Several years ago, I watched this instructional video on the “Do Nothing Meditation” from meditation master Shinzen. 

This practice helped me realize I had spent all my waking hours in “go mode.” Even when I was meditating, I was straining, focusing, and trying to get somewhere. Nowhere in my day was I making time to do nothing. This epiphany kickstarted my journey of learning how to rest.

Allowing your mind to wander intentionally can stimulate creativity and offer a break from mental fatigue.

Action Step: Allocate 5-10 minutes for “intentional daydreaming.” Close your eyes and let your mind wander. As Shinzen says, “If you notice the intention to control your attention, let go of that intention.”

We spend so much of our days controlling and dictating our minds. It can be nice to let it run free for a few moments.

20. Five senses reset

Engaging all your senses can quickly and effectively shift your mental state and reconnect with your body and mind of pleasure.

Action Step: Keep a “five senses reset” kit on your desk with items that engage each sense (e.g., essential oils for smell, a textured stone for touch). Use it for a quick sensory break when you need to refocus.

21.  Internet-free day

Stepping away from the constant buzz of the online world can provide a refreshing mental cleanse, making room for other enriching activities. 

The internet is so vastly stimulating; it can be nice to give it a rest for a day now and then.

Action Step: Choose one day a week or month to go “internet-free,” using the time to engage in offline hobbies, quality family time, or relax and recharge.

Why Does Work-Life Balance Matter?

If your work-life balance is out of whack, then you’ll probably relate to some of these pains:

• Fatigue. The dishes will feel like a massive task. Making simple decisions outside of work feels exhausting.
• Losing track of time. When work starts to gobble up your weekends and evenings, it might begin to feel like your entire life is on the work clock
• Relationships suffer. When you’re not working, you’re recovering from working. Your friendships are slowly decaying
• Declining health habits. You might not remember the last time you cooked. Sometimes, you skip meals. Sleep seems like a constant and necessary sacrifice. And who’s got time for exercise? Employees who say they are very often burnt out have a 23% higher risk of going to the emergency room
• Missing life moments. Maybe you missed a friend’s birthday, your child’s soccer game, or Mother’s Day. When work gets too big, it’s hard to keep track of the other stuff

But if you can manage the tricky task of dialing in your work-life balance, then you can look forward to the following:

• Feeling happy. When you achieve a balanced work-life routine, stress levels go down, and mental well-being improves
• Strong relationships. With more time on your hands, you can prioritize family and friends
• More productive. With more energy, you can accomplish tasks more effectively within a shorter time frame
• Feeling physically healthy. You can focus on exercise, nutrition, and sleep
• Personal and spiritual growth. Having more free time will enable you to spend more quality time with yourself

The 4 Biggest Challenges People Face When Trying to Achieve Worklife Balance

1. Difficulty saying “no”

It can be hard to say no. Many of us say yes to social plans we’re not excited about, agree to help a friend move when we don’t have time, and take on every work project that comes our way. 

If you never say no to others’ requests, it can be nearly impossible to say yes to yourself. The habit of saying yes to everything is a fast track to an overloaded schedule that leaves little time for self-care or family.

Actionable Tip: Try to respond to every offer (both personal and professional) with “Let me get back to you in the next 24 hours.” 

Try this for a week. Don’t say “yes” to anything right away. Take some time to reflect on if it’s something you have the capacity (and desire) to take on. 

2. Fear of missing out on work opportunities

It can be difficult to disconnect from work if you are afraid that doing so might cause you to miss opportunities. You might fear missing out on a new project, a promotion, or simply the chance to impress the boss.

Actionable Tip: Try making a “FOMO fund.”

Add money to this fund whenever you successfully ignore the urge to give into FOMO—like skipping an unnecessary work event to enjoy personal time. At the end of each month, use whatever money is in that fund to indulge in something that genuinely makes you happy and contributes to your work-life balance.

3. Feeling guilt over prioritizing self-care

The societal emphasis on productivity often generates guilt when taking time out for self-care, making it seem like an indulgence rather than a necessity.

Actionable Tip: Establish a “self-care swap” with a friend or family member where you both commit to taking an hour or two for self-care each week and hold each other accountable. Knowing someone else is also taking time for themselves can help diminish your feelings of guilt.

Often, we feel bad engaging in self-care because of low self-worth. If that’s the case, you might appreciate some of the tips in this article.

4. Addiction to being busy

Many equate busyness with productivity or self-worth, making stepping away from work or activities challenging to enjoy downtime or self-care.

Being overwhelmingly busy has become a badge of honor.

Actionable Tip: Reflect on the following questions:

• What do you get out of being busy?
• What are you afraid would happen if you stopped being busy?

Here’s a terrific 16.5-minute audio essay from Tim Kreider that picks apart the United States cultural busyness trap that so many Americans (and other nationalities) have fallen into.

Frequently Asked Questions About Work-Life Balance

Takeaways on Work-Life Balance

Finding the right work-life balance is crucial to building a healthy and happy life for yourself. But it can be hard. Especially if you struggle with any of the following:

• Difficulty saying “no”
• Fear of missing out on work opportunities
• Guilt over prioritizing self-care
• Addiction to being busy

But if you can put some of the tips into place from this article, you’ll be well on your way to creating a more spacious, more balanced, and less burnt-out life.

Best of luck on your work-life balance journey! If you’d like extra tips on time management, you might enjoy this article.