5 Tips for Balancing Your Work and Home Life

Work takes up a large amount of our daily lives, and on some days I spend more time with my co-workers than I do with my family.  Which I am sorry to say isn't always a positive for me.  As we think about the importance of having a job it is easy to fall into a routine where you are spending more and more time at work.  Perhaps so that we can get that next promotion, make the next sale or meet our goals to get a bonus.  Whatever the reason work can take away from time you could spend with your family.  So what are some things that we can do to improve our work life balance?  Here are a few tips based on things that I have tried:

1. Go into the office early - If you feel the need to work extra hours, try to do it in the morning rather than staying late.  Hopefully this will help you to avoid missing those important family meals, activities and so on.
2. Have lunch with your wife - We have to eat right?  Why not make it a time when you get away from your desk and get to see your wife.  My wife and I meet on a pretty regular basis for lunch and I enjoy that time in the middle of my day.
3. Don't bring work home - I know this may not be the easiest but I really try not to bring work home in the evenings or on weekends and if I do I reserve it for when the kids and my wife are asleep or have other plans.
4. Turn off the work cell - Smart phones as convenient as they can be for your professional career can be very intrusive into the home life.  Don't be someone that is checking email at the dinner table or in the middle of a conversation with your wife and kids.
5. Manage your time wisely - Both at work and at home it is important to effectively manage your time.  Make sure you are getting to the priority tasks and events both at home and work.  Maybe a list of things you need to do will help, or using a day planner for both work and home.

Balancing your work and home life is not easy, but it is important.  As parents and spouses we need our families to know that they are important to us, and that often comes in the form of time, don't be absent from your home life.  The health effects can't be ignored either, I am not a doctor but increased stress from poor work and home life balance can have a negative effect on you.

What ways to you balance your work and home life?  Would love to hear input from