Swati Banerjee

A Happy Medium: How to Achieve Work-Life Balance Working in a corporate environment can be exciting and invigorating. All day, you have the opportunity to test your knowledge, use your skills, and further the development of the company for which you work and your career, as well. However, as any career woman knows, it can often be hard to find a work-life balance when so much time is spent at the office. Chasing after your corporate dreams is admirable and encouraged; however, be sure to take time for yourself, as well. Here are some tips on achieving a work-life balance. Take Ten Every day during work, you should take a ten minute break. You should do this at least twice a day, but at the very least, once. Go outside, have some tea, do whatever it is you like to do, but get out of the office and just be. Don't think about work, deadlines, or anything stressful. These mini-escapes can help to re-center you, keep you focused on your wellbeing, and help keep you sane during stressful days and weeks. Stay Active Find a way to stay active. Being active is one of the best ways to ensure a long and healthy life. Taking the stairs at work is great, but make sure you are finding some time during the day to go for a walk, a run, a bike ride, or whatever it is you enjoy doing. Even if you just take a 20-minute walk when you get home or early in the morning, it's important. Take Your Time Take time for yourself every day. Whether it's reading a great book in the evening, going to see a play on the weekend, or enjoying a spa day, do something for you every day. It can be as simple as enjoying a cup of hot cocoa or it can be elaborate, but taking time just for you is very important. This is particularly true if you have a family, as well. At work you are working for your boss and helping your co-workers, at home you are working to help keep everyone happy, but taking a few minutes each day for you is essential. Don't Stress Whatever happens during the day, remember that this is a job and you are only human. Sometimes, corporate pressure can become very intense. Deadlines are looming, projects have glitches, and demands can sometimes be entirely unreasonable. Regardless of what happens, don't let yourself get caught up in the stress. Approach everything with a sense of calm, understanding that you can only do what you can do. Past that, let the chips fall where they may. As long as you are giving your best effort to everything you do, you will succeed. Following the above tips can help you achieve a work-life balance in a corporate environment. Many times, people can fall into a work-work balance instead of a work-life balance, and this can become dangerous. You must take time for yourself and keep yourself grounded, ensuring not to stress over things you can't control, and making sure that your health and quality of life is not seriously compromised. Also, don't forget those vacation days! Take them and use them, they are there for a reason.