Learning to embrace work-life balance

Expats face a lot of challenges when moving to another country, especially for work. One of the challenges most often encountered is the ability to balance work and personal life. Expats often move for a better quality of life or to pursue their dreams. For some, once settled in the new country of residence work quickly overshadows their personal life and becomes the priority. The point of moving is to do well and keep doing well, after all.

This is in any case true. But is your work life really more important than your personal life? Arguably people would say that without a good job and a good income one can not lead as happy of a life(style). This idea of being successful resonates with the majority. In today’s culture the hustle and grind mentality is really prevalent, especially under the younger population. Don’t get us wrong, we completely support and commend hard work. Trust us, we are a bunch of hard worker ourselves. But we also know when it is time to take a breather and let loose. A good example of this would be our annual Song Festival party.

5 tips on balancing your work and life

We believe that everyone should have a balanced work and daily life. Keep in mind that the term work-life balance does not necessarily mean an equal division of the two. It simply means finding what works for you that is healthy in both aspects. Luckily you do not have to figure this out on your own. Undutchables is here to equip you with five tips on how you can find this balance at work and still make time to go out and enjoy a drink with that one friend that seems to have it all figured out.

1. Prioritize tasks and set reasonable goals

Having a lot to do at the time can definitely be stressful. Start of your day with a list containing the most important tasks. By setting realistic goals you can manage your time better and achieve a more balanced day.

2. Learn to say no

Remember that you are one person and that there is only so much that you can do. Do not take on more than you can handle and know your limits. If you are asked to do something that does not fit in your schedule, just say no as professionally as possible.

3. Leave work at work

You need to be able to distinguish your professional life from your personal life. Working at home ads more pressure to your already hectic day. If you are working at home during office hours, that is perfectly fine. However, avoid bringing work home after a long day at the office.

4. Ask for help

There is nothing wrong with asking your colleagues for a little help if you are swamped at work. The same goes for them. If they are able to, most of the times they will gladly help. Team-work is, after all, part of the job. Find yourself a strong support system and reach out when you need to.

5. Focus on having some ‘me’ time

When you are off take the time to do what you truly enjoy. Even if it is just 30 minutes of mindless relaxation. When you take some time for yourself you can recharge and reduce stress. Once you block down this time in your calendar, whether it be before or after work, keep yourself to it. Try not to sacrifice this time for work activities.

Life has the tendency to continuously challenge our ability to ‘stick to the schedule’. The busier we get, the easier it is to sway away from what we set ourselves to do. Just try to remember that as soon as you start feeling the pressure of work, take a step back and evaluate what can be changed. Find your own balance in life and don’t forget to make time to go out there and have some fun.