By Syed Shabaz
Most people blame hectic jobs for stopping them from spending time with friends and families or from getting enough exercise. But if you plan well, you can retrieve those priceless hours by these painless tricks.
1. The afternoon break workout
Combining lunch with a 30-minute workout is the best way to utilize the one hour break you get during your office hours. “From professionals to students, working out during a lunch break is growing in popularity, and it really is a fun and easy way to get more physical activity into your life,” says Craig Valency, a personal trainer. But is a lunch-hour workout really effective? And is it really possible to exercise and still have time to eat, shower, and get back to work — all within 60 minutes? “It is going to take a little bit of planning and some coordination, but not only can it be done, it’s often easier than you think,” says Mari Croze, a personal trainer at the Central Michigan State University Fitness Center.
2. Relinquish
“Achieving work/life balance means doing both in moderation,” says Dr Sameer Malhotra, HOD (psychiatry & psychotherapy), Fortis Hospital, New Delhi. Work stress cannot be balanced by stuffing more into your social life, so take a day holiday once in month and pencil in some yoga or meditation. Many researches have shown that this reduces stress and improves one’s alertness.
3. Adopting it right
Teleworking and mobile working can be beneficial for both employees and employers. According to Allen Elkin, “Using the phone more efficiently is key to getting through your workload.”
4. Quit Mindless Surfing
The uSamp survey found that Web surfing was responsible for 3 percent of workplace distractions causing many lost hours. When we abandon Internet surfing, we tend to become more productive in processing the work. This way we can finish our work an hour earlier and use it wisely.
5. Revive dead time
We find ourselves with plenty of dead time from few minutes to hours when we are away from work or home at places like airports, hotels etc. So, we need to use this time wisely by not doing random things. Have a plan for tasks that need to be completed.
6. Have on the ball
Self-improvement could help your rationality as much as your career. Investing in your career through education gives a sense of control in your private and work lives. Over 80 percent of the people who took up professional courses reported improved life satisfaction, with IT courses delivering the most positive impact. Even hobby classes are self-improvement tools. Make sure you find that Yoga coach!
7. Consider this
“It’s not as simple as ‘work’ and ‘life’, guarantees Dr Malhotra. Once a week, rate each of the following out of 10: physical environment, money, health, fun, relationship, career, growth, friends and personal growth. “Focus on the most deficient area, list what’s holding you back and plan to improve that situation.”
