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Striving for professional excellence while maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a challenge many young professionals face. To help navigate this, we've gathered 10 insightful practices and boundary-setting techniques from Founders, CEOs, and other professionals. From prioritizing ergonomics and setting work hours to working outside the home for clear boundaries, these tips offer a wealth of wisdom for achieving overall well-being.
Prioritize Ergonomics and Set Work Hours
Adopt an End-of-Day Ritual
Embrace the Power of Saying No
Implement a Time Blocking Practice
Adhere to a Clear Work and Exercise Schedule
Commit to an Evening Digital Detox
Leave Work Issues at the Workplace
Use a Default Calendar and Diversify Your Friend Circle
Carve Out Scheduled Disconnect Time
Work Outside the Home for Clear Boundaries
Prioritize Ergonomics and Set Work Hours
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance while striving for professional excellence is crucial. Practices that make a significant impact for me are prioritizing ergonomics and blocking time.
Forming an ergonomic workspace has helped me stay productive and comfortable during long work hours. Investing in an ergonomic chair, an adjustable desk, and proper lighting has made a world of difference. In fact, Ergo-Plus.com found that ergonomics significantly benefits the workplace by enhancing productivity by 25%.
Setting specific times to work and relax is essential. I establish clear boundaries by designating work hours and adhering to them religiously. Once work hours are over, I switch off from professional commitments and focus on personal well-being, whether it's spending time with family, pursuing a hobby, or simply relaxing.
By incorporating ergonomics and setting strict work-life boundaries, young professionals can achieve both career success and overall well-being.
Nick Opvital, Founder, Opvital
Adopt an End-of-Day Ritual
Having an end-of-the-day ritual has helped me transition from work to the rest of my day, especially while working remotely. For me, this includes taking 10 minutes at the end of the workday to jot down something I learned that day.
This ranges from new tricks in Excel to observations about my work style to insight I gained from a coworker. Not only does this moment of reflection help me track daily growth, but sometimes a new idea or a solution to a problem will crop up!
Once I've wrapped up for the day, I shut the door to my office space and don't reopen that door until my "commute" from my living space to my office space the next day.
Elizabel Riggs, Talent and Development Manager, Buildout
Embrace the Power of Saying No
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance while striving for professional excellence as a young professional is crucial. Personally, I've found great value in the power of saying "no."
Setting limits and declining excessive work requests is key. Recognizing when commitments become overwhelming is essential for well-being. Saying "no" isn't a sign of inadequacy, but a commitment to personal balance.
By establishing boundaries and refusing projects that could lead to burnout, I ensure I have time for both my career and personal life. This approach prevents exhaustion and helps me sustain a fulfilling, long-term career.
Saying "no" to excessive work requests allows me to identify and prioritize valuable opportunities. Selectively choosing projects that align with my interests, values, and goals lets me create a career that blends professional excellence with personal fulfillment, fostering a balanced work-life integration.
Meena Sehgal, Software Developer, Gleexa
Implement a Time Blocking Practice
Time blocking has helped me set boundaries for tasks and meetings. I dedicate Mondays to admin work because issues often arise over the weekend. Once it hits 5 pm or I finish everything on my to-do list my blocker tools kick in to tell me I am done.
That way I am not working late at night like I used to working in WordPress for 90+ hours a week. Time blocking frees up my time for all the important things I have to do on a daily basis. Setting boundaries for certain tasks and meeting with people for my podcast is important to keep a healthy work-life balance.
Jimmy Clare, Motivational Speaker, Autism Advocate, Founder, CrazyFitnessGuy
Adhere to a Clear Work and Exercise Schedule
1. A clear schedule of working hours: My working hours start at 10 in the morning and continue until 12. Then, I take a two-hour break and work until 6 in the evening. It's six to seven hours. I also take a brief break every one to one and a half hours to stretch.
2. Exercise, only in the morning: From the time I wake up (six to seven in the morning) until 10 o'clock, I devote time to personal hygiene and training (yoga, swimming, jogging in the fresh air). Morning exercise gives me a great energy boost for the whole day. I used to exercise in the evening, but it didn't have the desired effect.
3. Recovery: After 6 o'clock in the evening, forget about work and dedicate this time to self-improvement, spending time with your family, or simply giving yourself a break.
Every hour of your time must be used efficiently. You will achieve the maximum effect in both work and personal life only if your inner balance is normal.
Iana Varshavska, Digital Marketer and Yoga Therapist, Yanva
Commit to an Evening Digital Detox
Every evening, I commit to a digital detox, completely disconnecting from all my electronic devices for at least an hour before bed. This practice is a bridge from my professional world to my personal space, a clear boundary that supports my mental health and balance.
Being away from notifications and emails, I notice how my stress reduces, and my attention shifts toward being more present with my family and for myself. It’s a practical, tangible action that ensures my personal life receives the same attention and quality as my work.
Bayu Prihandito, Certified Psychology Expert, Life Coach, and Founder, Life Architekture
Leave Work Issues at the Workplace
As a young professional, maintaining a healthy work-life balance while striving for professional excellence has been crucial for my overall well-being. One personal practice I've found effective is adhering to the principle of not bringing work-related issues home.
This means mentally separating work and personal life. By leaving work matters at the workplace, I can fully devote myself to my family and unwind from professional responsibilities.
Another helpful technique is addressing work-related tasks before leaving the office. By doing this, I can tie up loose ends and plan for the next workday, reducing the likelihood of work-related thoughts intruding during my leisure time. This approach has significantly improved my ability to recharge and maintain a healthier work-life balance.
Martin Potocki, CEO, Jobera
Use a Default Calendar and Diversify Your Friend Circle
To balance professional excellence and a healthy work-life balance, I've adopted a few practices that have significantly improved my overall well-being.
A default calendar helps me allocate my time efficiently, ensuring that I put my best effort into work tasks in a timely manner. This structured approach keeps me from getting too absorbed in distractions and helps me maintain focus on important projects.
Off the clock, I've discovered the value of having friends who share my interests but approach life with a more relaxed perspective. While I thrive on meaningful conversations, I realized that constantly surrounding myself with intense individuals can hinder my ability to unwind and relax.
By dedicating a portion of my free time to friends who prioritize hobbies and leisure activities, I've found it easier to detach from work-related stress and create a healthier work-life balance.
Anna Thiele, Leadership Strategist, Deliberate Directions
Carve Out Scheduled Disconnect Time
As a real estate broker and business owner, maintaining a healthy work-life balance while striving for professional excellence is a continuous journey. One practice that has significantly improved my overall well-being is scheduled disconnect time. I carve out specific periods in my day, usually in the evenings, to completely disconnect from work-related emails, calls, and tasks.
During this time, I prioritize activities that recharge me mentally and physically, such as spending quality time with my family, pursuing personal hobbies, or simply relaxing. This boundary-setting technique not only helps me avoid burnout but also allows me to return to work with renewed focus and energy.
Achieving professional excellence doesn't have to come at the expense of your well-being. Setting boundaries and prioritizing personal time is not a sign of weakness, but a smart strategy for long-term success.
Ritika Asrani, Owner and Head Broker, St Maarten Real Estate
Work Outside the Home for Clear Boundaries
I suffered a lot working from home because I would try to multitask with work, housework, and errands—running a quick load of laundry between tasks, making lunch from scratch, and putting on a face mask while waiting for a URL to load. It became so much that I lacked priorities and tried to do it all on a standard workday.
As a busy Type A personality, I've now prioritized working outside of the home to create a distinct boundary between my work time and my leisure time. I now invest in coworking spaces wherever I am living so that when I enter the coworking space, I'm officially in work mode and when I leave, I pack up my laptop in my backpack and am officially "off the clock" until tomorrow and can dive into whatever task I want.
Kristine Thorndyke, Founder, Test Prep Nerds
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