Ways to create boundaries for a work-life balance

In modern society, it can be difficult to maintain a work-life balance between our professional lives and our personal lives and have boundaries. But it is an essential part of life to ensure we stay healthy and avoid burnout.

Having a work-life balance is one of the most important things we can have to help ourselves daily. But it is also one of the toughest things to accomplish. Trust me, I know.

Recently, it was the Japanese Grand Prix for Formula 1 and living in the UK meant the track action started at 3:30am most days. As a sports journalist, I was awake for all the sessions for three days on the trot.

On top of that, my university modules had just begun. I was still getting acquainted with what the courses entailed as well as battling COVID-19, which had invaded our household once again.

So I've had a lot going on and it's had a negative effect on me because I have burnt myself out.

I always advocate for a work-life balance and setting yourself boundaries, but I'm not that great at actually implementing what I preach. However, I'm going to start.

So, here are some ways to implement boundaries into your life to achieve that work-life balance, decrease your stress levels and hopefully, avoid burning out.

No-phone day

Since mobile phones were invented, people have relied more and more on those devices to help them live. With smartphones, such as iPhones and Android phones, it is so much easier to have everything you need and want at your fingertips.

We can read the latest news, see what our family, friends and celebrities are up to, check our emails, watch a programme on Netflix, spend hours on TikTok, buy new clothes and so much more all from our phones.

But having access to our phones all the time can be detrimental. As someone who relies on their phone for aspects of their job, I know how difficult it can be to switch off from our devices.

It is very easy to become addicted to checking your phone every ten minutes. Trust me, I know it is, but it is so much better for you and your mental health if every once in a while, you can break away from that.

The other day, I didn't have my phone on me for the whole day. I left it somewhere in the house and didn't need to check it. I wasn't in the middle of a conversation with someone, I wasn't expecting any important emails and I didn't need to post on social media for work.

And you know what?

It was liberating. So when you're struggling with a work-life balance, when things are getting too much, maybe have a no-phone day. Have one day a week - or fortnight - where you leave your phone in a drawer and turn it off. Out of sight, out of mind as they say.

Turn off notifications

If having a no-phone day sounds daunting and not that plausible for you, then turning off notifications could be the next best thing.

A friend of mine on LinkedIn recently shared a post about how turning off notifications for everything over the weekend really helped her create boundaries between work and play.

With smartphones, we can get notifications for all sorts of things, it isn't just messages. We can get them when there's a new episode of our favourite podcast, when a colleague or a client sends you an email and even when there are new stories on Apple News.

Notifications can be for everything but having them light up your phone screen all the time - and remain in your notifications centre if you don't look at them right away - can have a detrimental effect on mental health and our moods generally.

But if you turn notifications off for a couple of days - apart from the essentials (e.g. if a family member is going away and they may contact you) - then it can help cleanse your mind, and it can help you destress and focus on things away from work.

Having just one day a week, or perhaps just a few hours, where you're not constantly looking at your phone, has more benefits than we all probably realise.

Schedule in downtime

In the digital age, I think one of the more challenging things to do is to set aside time for ourselves. This is especially difficult because a lot of people can work from their phones, or at least check emails etc.

But if there's one thing I've learnt from constantly working is to take breaks. If someone asks me when do I take breaks from work, my usual answer is when I go to bed. And that's true.

My downtime for myself is usually once I'm ready for bed and from nine in the evening onwards. But whilst I enjoy reading and listening to music at that time, it isn't that good for me in the long run because it impacts my sleep.

So, I'm learning to schedule downtime where I do something fun and enjoyable away from work. This not only gives me a break and gives my mind a rest, but it means that when I return to work, I can be more efficient in tackling the tasks I have to do.

And I know it's easy to say, I'll have a break tomorrow or I won't work all the time over the weekend, but unless you schedule in time for yourself, it probably won't happen. So, schedule it in, and don't be afraid to prioritise yourself.

Even if a friend asks you to go out for the evening, if you don't want to or would rather stay in, saying you're busy is okay - it's not a copout, it is a valid reason because it can make all the difference.

Lower cortisol levels

I recently saw a TikTok video about how cortisol levels have a huge impact on our bodies and daily lives. Now, cortisol is the stress hormone and when you're feeling stressed, the levels of cortisol increase.

And when you're stressed, things can feel out of control; it can take a toll on your health and you may feel guilty if you don't work or accomplish the things that you think need to be accomplished.

But if you try to lower your cortisol levels, you'll feel better generally and less bogged down by everything on your to-do list. It's easy to say, reduce your cortisol levels, but it's not as easy to do.

So, some ways you can lower your cortisol levels are:

• Get adequate sleep - at least seven to eight hours a night

• Practice gratitude and journaling

• Go outside for walks or for a coffee to be among nature

• Take deep breaths and practice somatic movements

Use the Eisenhower Matrix

I first heard of the Eisenhower Matrix back when I was studying at Sixth Form, but my sister recently reminded me of it.

Essentially, the Eisenhower Matrix is how you categorise different tasks in levels of urgency and importance. Doing this with work tasks, but also things you need to do in your personal life, can help you create those boundaries and ensure you have more of a balance and aren't overdoing it.

So, what is the Eisenhower Matrix?

The Eisenhower Matrix categorises tasks into four different sections:

• Important and urgent

• Important but not urgent

• Not important but urgent

• Not important and not urgent

The idea is that you group your tasks on your to-do list into one of these categories. Then, depending on what category the task is in, depends on what you do with it.

If it's in the 'Important and Urgent' section, then the tasks usually have a deadline or consequences if they're not completed ASAP. So those tasks are marked as 'DO'. The jobs in the 'Important but not urgent' section are ones that need to be done, but not necessarily straight away, so you want to schedule them.

Moving onto the 'Not important but urgent' tasks. These ones you can afford to delegate with. They need to be done urgently, but it doesn't have to be you who does them. And then finally, the 'Not important and not urgent' tasks are ones you can forget about. Delete them from your mind.

Structuring your to-do list this way will help make your day more efficient because you'll be wiser when it comes to spending your time. It will also help you create those boundaries between life and work creating a more harmonious balance where you don't get too stressed.

So hopefully, these five tips can help you create a better work-life balance so you can avoid burning yourself out. If you have any more tips to create boundaries, let me know in the comments below.

Until next time...