To get anywhere in this world, you need money. However, the kind of funds you need to survive on a regular basis only come from having a job. If you work full-time, that's taking up 40-plus hours per week. Highly demanding jobs or part-time positions might have you working nights and weekends. That doesn't leave you with many occasions to have a social life outside the office. It's even worse if you and your spouse both have time-consuming jobs.
In fact, a recent survey from EY reported that the work-life balance is harder to achieve than one may think. Nearly 50 percent of employees worldwide spend more than 40 hours per week in the office and 40 percent say their hours have increased in the last five years. Fitting both work and family into the day is even harder for millennials, the research showed. The younger generation is almost twice as likely to have a husband or wife working full time than their baby boomer predecessors. However, just because your free hours are limited doesn't mean you can't fit in everything you want to do. By considering the following items, you'll be able to manage both your job and your social life:
1. Define success in your own terms.
Some people measure their accomplishments by how far they've gotten in their careers, but that doesn't mean you have to. Various things rank at different levels on their scales of success. Their jobs could hold the No. 1 spot, but it may be something different. Take a moment to decide what is most important to you, Harvard Business Review suggested. Is it being home to eat dinner with your family or do you want to open an account at your bank with enough money to do whatever you want? Measure success in your own terms and not someone else's – your life and goals are different from other people's.
2. Don't bring your work to bed
For approximately eight to nine hours a day, you're focused on your job. This involves meetings, answering emails, talking with clients and managing a team. However, when it comes to the end of the day, all of this should remain in the office. With technology, such as tablets and smartphones, it's much easier to take your job responsibilities home with you. Just because you can doesn't mean you should, though. Always thinking about work can actually harm your productivity while at the office, Entrepreneur explained. When you have technology in the bedroom, you'll be wondering if you have another email or another message, which can lead to insomnia. Survey data showed that 76 percent of managers reported one of their biggest challenges was getting enough sleep, so doesn't it make sense to leave work actually at work?
3. Develop a support system
Regardless of whether you're at home or work, you need people behind you that will help you achieve your goals. Having someone with whom you can talk about problems or someone who will aid you in managing your schedule is important, according to HBR. You need to know that there are people that care about you and are willing to help you in any way possible in order for you to succeed. Trustworthy colleagues at work can ensure you leave the office on time and will provide support on projects. Family members need to understand that sometimes work trumps free time and should be willing to work around your schedule on occasion. While you should try to schedule your days to allow for time for each part of your life, you can't always make promises, but with the right support system, you won't have to make excuses.
Balancing your work and home lives can present problems, but it doesn't have to be a continuous issue. By thinking about what you want and discussing it with those you trust, you'll be able to figure out a plan.