Working full time is a commitment that will require a lot of your time and energy. However, if you are not taking care of yourself outside of work, then you will not be able to perform at your best when you are at work.
So, here are a few tips for making time for yourself when you work full time.
Track Your Hours – in and out of work!
Track the time you spend in the day on different tasks both during working hours and outside of them. By doing this, you will be able to see where you are wasting time on meaningless tasks and, therefore, where you can cut back to free up some time for other things. This means at work track how long you are spending on tasks and record them accurately.
At work, this helps you cut out unnecessary time spent on meaningless tasks and put that time towards productive work, helping you get through your workday more efficiently. At home, this will give you an accurate picture of how much time you have free in a day and allow you to plan tasks to fill that time with things you enjoy doing.
Take a Break
It is necessary to take breaks you are entitled to, including a full break at lunch. Likewise, frequent mini-breaks are significant. In the UK you are entitled to at least one continuous 20-minute break per day where you work over 8 hours. However, most employers will allow you smoke breaks and smaller 5 minutes breaks throughout the day as long as you are respectful and don’t take advantage.
Make sure you are using your breaks wisely. Eat lunch away from your desk, stretch your legs every so often, go grab a coffee or a snack and talk to people for a few minutes, check your emails or Facebook for a couple of minutes.
This will allow you some much needed time to refresh by pausing, enjoying a bit of fresh air and something to eat and drink or a little interaction with people.
Take Care of Your Health
Physical and mental health are extremely important things you keep on top of for anyone, but especially as a full-time worker. For example, if you are sitting at a desk five days a week for up to 8 hours a day, you may experience back, neck and muscle pain over time that requires attention. Or, you may start to deal with the effects of stress and fins that this is causing negative effects on your mental health.
This is why it is important that you regularly check in with your doctor. You can do this by speaking with your local NHS GP. However, you may experience waiting times for any treatments needed. If you would prefer to be seen sooner, you may consider investing in private health insurance so that you can access fast track appointments with a specialist who can help you much faster than the typical NHS waiting times.
Keep Your Work at Work
Each work has different demands, so if you want to make time for the things you enjoy, then you have to know where to draw the line between work and personal time.
This means leaving work at your designated time and not continuing to work when you get home. It means turning off your emails over the weekend, not taking work calls out of office hours and resisting the urge to do work tasks on weekends or after hours.
By doing this, you will ensure that you make time for yourself outside for work and keep a healthy work-life balance.
It can be difficult to work full time and find time to enjoy life. Full-time work puts a lot of pressure on your personal life. You can transform this pressure into inspiration and have better results by following the above tips.