Regardless of your profession, it can be difficult to separate your work life from your personal life, but having a healthy separation between the two can be beneficial on both fronts. It’s undoubtedly easier to concentrate at work and enjoy your personal time when you make the effort to ensure that your life is properly balanced. While everyone’s situation is unique, here are a few helpful tips to effectively maintain a healthy work and life balance.

Prioritize

When it comes to making your life more efficient, it’s important to understand which aspects of your life take priority, which ones add unnecessary stress, and which ones help you maintain a positive mind-set. To do this, make a list of all your responsibilities both personal and professional, and sort them into the aforementioned categories. Next, assess your lists and note the aspects/habits/activities that you feel are unproductive or add unnecessary stress to your life. Consequently, those may be the elements of your life that can be reduced or phased out in order to make room for the positive and productive. That being said, it’s equally important to make time for interests that are fun or cathartic. Having an activity to look forward to after work, no matter how small, can be motivating and also a great way to recharge.

Learn to say no

It’s important to remember that it is absolutely okay to say no to certain personal requests if you’ve already got a full plate. For example, if a friend asks you to help plan a birthday party during the middle of a large work project, don’t feel pressured into accepting more responsibility than necessary. It’s certainly a kind gesture to offer a helping hand, but if you choose to, first make sure your own responsibilities are accounted for.

Get active

After a long day, physical activity might be the last thing on your mind. However, research has consistently shown that getting up and moving a little bit each day can help with everything from alertness, stress relief, and even sleep quality. Many jobs are completed from a desk, so getting up and moving can be a great way to counteract fatigue. Whether it be a quick walk or a yoga class, there are plenty of ways to stay active, de-stress, and relax after a long day.

Inquire about a more flexible schedule

Depending on your career and employer, there may be a chance to add a bit of flexibility to your schedule with your supervisor’s permission. For example, some companies allow their employees to work remotely, telecommute, or rearrange their schedules from time to time. While this may not be the case with all employers, it’s still smart to ask your supervisor or human resources manager about emergency flexibility. Having this information in your back pocket can provide peace of mind if an unexpected personal issue comes up. This way, you’ll be able to manage your particular personal situation knowing you have the support of your employer.