Finding A Balance Between Work and Life

Even if you’re the biggest fan of change, change is hard. Adjusting to different scenarios in your life, that might potentially clash, is difficult and it will definitely take some time to get used to. One of the biggest challenges in my life, and in many others, is finding a balance between work and life.

I spent a year working as a freelance writer in a foreign country and after spending my whole life, working and living as the norm, this felt like a hard situation to handle. When I came back to Malta, I had every intention of keeping my freelance business going and, in fact, I still do. However, opportunities rose and I found myself working in a full-time job, freelance writing for various companies, trying to blog and never miss an event, trying to catch up with my friends and family and staying sane by finding time to go to the gym. It all got a little bit too much.

I wanted the TIME to do it all.

It took some time to adjust but what worked best for me is to step away from a few things to figure out what was really important to me. I took a short break from blogging to see if that’s what I really wanted to do. I still worked out regularly but I reduced my gym sessions because I simply couldn’t find the time to work out that often with my lifestyle. It turns out that when you step away from the things you enjoy doing, you would WANT to find time for them. I started to lack and miss the things I parted from but now I could think and look at them with a clearer mind.

I missed blogging because it is my outlet for creativity. I missed working out so much not because I want that beach body BUT because by working out in the morning, it helps me start my day right, and by going to the gym in the evenings, I get to relieve that stress, even if it’s just for those 45mins!

So, how do you find a balance between work and life? My advice is to figure out what’s important in your life and make time for them. BUT – and here’s the most important thing. Don’t stress yourself too much if you cannot do it all. Remember that if you’re not enjoying it – it’s time to change it or ditch it.

Find time for your loved ones because, at the end, when the going gets tough, they’re the ones who are going to be there for you NOT WORK. And when work gets stressful, remember that we work to live and we don’t live to work. Working hard is important but living a happy life is what will make you feel good.