For the majority of us, trying to find the balance between working, having a family and home life can be difficult. Add in time for yourself and fun and it can feel overwhelming. We are all looking for the right balance but may be falling short in some areas.

Finding the right work-life balance that works for your life is essential. These are just a few of the consequences you may face if you can’t find a balance that works for you.

Poor Health – Stress can take a huge toll on your body. Your immune system won’t work as well and you may find yourself getting sick more frequently.

Exhaustion – Feeling fatigued can lead to sleep problems and lack of concentration This can lead to a mental and/or physical burnout (check out our blog on Burnout to learn some tips on how to avoid this).

Relationships can suffer: Personal relationships with your family and friends may end up taking a back seat to your business if you are always working. People may stop including you for events and outings which can lead to feelings of resentment and loneliness.

The good news? There are things you can do so that you don’t have to sacrifice one area of your life for another. Learning to set limits and boundaries for your work and home life will be crucial in creating a good balance.

Create set working hours: and stick to them. Choose times that work for your family and try not to work outside of that set time. Set an alarm if you need to ensure you are staying within your working time. It’s important that you have specific times that you are working and time that is spent for yourself, with family and friends.

Take breaks: Give yourself moments through the day where you unplug, disconnect, and step away in order to clear your head. When you give yourself some time to recharge you will end up being more productive.

Learn to say no: This is huge and often the most difficult for people. Overcommitting and saying yes to everything will burn you out and run you thin. This is so important for both business and your personal life. If you’re one to say yes to everything this one will be the hardest but the most important part to practice.

Disconnect: It’s not only okay but highly recommended to take a day or days every week to turn off your technology and have some time off. Set aside at least one day a week where you do not work at all and can spend the day with those you love or even on your own.

Let go of the idea of “perfect”: We need to accept that perfect does not exist. There is no perfect plan to balance life. Find a plan that works best for you and your life. If it has to change from time to time, make room and account for that. Things come up in life and you need to be ready for it.

Delegate: If you have too much on your plate and it’s impossible to get it done, it’s time to delegate. We aren’t meant to do it all ourselves. Ask for help so you can have more balance in your life. Outsourcing tasks and things you don’t need to be doing can help free up time, ease stress, and give you room in your day for other things.

As with any big change you make, start small and build from there. If you try to change everything at once it will become too overwhelming and you will find yourself back in the same spot. Start with small changes that can add more freedom to your day and build on that.

How do you best manage your work/life balance?