November 20, 2016, by Siobhan
Is There Really Such Thing as a “Work Life Balance”?
“You just need to find a work life balance”. Oh. Right. OK. Thank you buzz feed for your wonderful, insightful advice. Those nine words have saved me from the whirlwind of essays, parties, reading and lack of sleep that sums up my new life as a fresher. I wish. We’re always told that all we have to do is split our time equally between studying and socialising to ensure our well-being and happiness. But when it feels less like a simple splitting of priorities and more like a circus balancing act, finding that happy medium seems impossible. So, is there really such thing as a work life balance? And if so, how do we find it?
Even when were swamped with essays, have a reading list longer than the Mississippi river and under eye bags that Chanel would be jealous of, it is possible to feel content with both your work and social life. To be honest, we all just need a little reality check. We’re all students, and sleepless nights, hungover days and fast approaching deadlines are all part of the all-inclusive, £9000 a year university deal we’ve signed up to. It takes a while to adjust to the lifestyle, and you realise very quickly than 24 hours in a day is just not enough sometimes! It’s okay to feel like you’re out of control or slipping behind or not socialising enough, we all do. Here’s some helpful tips on trying to find that seemingly unattainable “Work Life Balance”…
- Plan. And More Plan.
Treat yourself to a weekly planner or diary and USE IT! Instead of setting to do lists for the day, make a plan for your entire week, giving yourself small, achievable tasks for the days ahead. Writing a list of huge tasks for a single day isn’t achievable and will make you feel worse when you haven’t crossed off every single thing. Changing to a weekly plan will give you a bit more scope on how much you can actually achieve in a day and also gives you breathing breaks; if something doesn’t get done, tomorrow is a new day…
- Allot Time Just For You.
Remember that even though you’re here at uni to study, your leisure time is just as important as the hours spent toiling in the library. If you know you’re going to have a busy day, cut out a section in the evening to paint your nails, have a long shower or watch some telly. It gives your brain a break from everything else going on and most importantly gives you a few moments entirely to yourself. Me time is time well spent!
- Listen To Yourself.
If you’re sitting at your desk, staring at the laptop screen enjoying the feeling of your eyes straying out of focus, just take a break. Your body is telling you to stop. Listen to it! Have a quick scroll on your phone, ring home or go for a quick walk to clear your head. You might find that you’re ready to crack on again, but if you’re not then that’s okay too. The work you were doing will still be there tomorrow.
These simple but important tips will hopefully help you to realise that it’s okay to take a break, it’s okay to give time to yourself, and that work is not always your priority. Enjoying yourself and socialising are so crucial to being able to cope with everything that uni throws at you. So take time to look after yourself, to devote time to just you and you’ll find that essay you were agonising over really isn’t so difficult.
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