Establishing A Good Work-Life Balance Is Key For Maintaining Healthy Relationships
Whether we like it or not, working is a major part of being an adult, but it isn't all of it. You could be amazing at your job — and might actually like it — but when you start focusing all of your attention on work, you throw off the work-life balance, which can seriously affect your relationship. A work-life balance isn't just about making sure you have time to celebrate your partner's birthday and meet your deadline. When there's an even balance between the two, your productivity improves, as well as your physical and mental health.
You'll notice significant growth in your relationship as well; however, when your work-life balance is thrown off, it can cause a strain in your relationship, and in some cases, it may put an end to it altogether. In order to maintain a healthy connection with your partner, it's up to you to establish a good work-life balance.
Set healthy boundaries
The first step in creating an equal work-life balance is setting boundaries in your work-life. This involves having an honest discussion with your boss about your availability, and agreeing on when you can and cannot be reached. If you work from home, it's good to set boundaries with your partner as well. This means allotting a specific amount of time to work, then putting it out of sight and out of mind when you're done. Let your partner know they have your full attention.
As difficult as it is, it's important to keep your focus on the task at hand. Limit distractions at all costs, which means putting your phone on silent and keeping it somewhere you won't be tempted to look at until your work is done. By giving all your attention to your job during your allotted time, you're able to finish whatever it is a lot faster. Remember, work smarter, not longer.
Discuss your goals
This is a crucial part of establishing a good work-life balance. Take the time to sit down and discuss your goals for your relationship. It's important the two of you are on the same page so you can work towards those goals. Perhaps, you'd like the two of you to move in together within the next six months. Communicate that to your partner to see how they feel about your decision. Maybe they'd like to get engaged within the next year. Setting goals for yourselves will help determine how much work you want to take on.
If you're dedicating all of your time to your job, constantly taking on new projects and positions, this means you're spending way less time with your person, and they may start to lose interest in the relationship. If you want to move in together, get engaged, or take another big step together, keep both of your goals in mind.
Set aside time to spend together
No matter your goals, spending time together is crucial for maintaining a healthy relationship. One of the best ways to do this is by designating one day of the week as a date night. This way, no matter how busy each of you is, you know you'll have this time to spend together, just the two of you. Be sure to switch things up every now and then. Sure, going out to dinner is nice, but it can become a bit stale after a while. Try something new together, like taking a cooking class. Do some research for fun activities in your area.
If the two of you have weekends off, take advantage of it. If the weather is nice, go for a bike ride or challenge each other to a game of mini golf — whatever it is you two enjoy doing, as long as you're doing it with each other. You'll see how spending more time together really improves your relationship overall.
Keep venting to a minimum
Say your boss is constantly giving you more work but won't increase your pay, and you have an awesome job offer on the table but aren't sure what to do. Chances are you go to your partner for advice. This is a common occurrence. If you need help coming to a decision on a situation like this one, they're most likely the person you want to help sort things out. They may be great at weighing the pros and cons, or coming up with a plan to ask your boss for a promotion.
However, there is a point when venting goes from being productive to just plain negative. If you're always complaining about a coworker you can't stand, not only will your partner be annoyed, but you're bringing a ton of negative energy into the space, and that negativity can affect your relationship. When you come home from a long day, try to decompress and let that negativity out another way, like working out or listening to a chill playlist.
Regularly check in with each other
To maintain a healthy relationship and good work-life balance, it's important to regularly check in with your partner and how they're feeling. If stress from their job or your relationship has really been weighing on them, ask how they're doing emotionally. Make sure you have enough time for them to really open up. This isn't something you want to ask on your way out the door. If they've been feeling like you two are growing apart, you want to allow enough time to discuss how you can fix it.
Maybe you feel the same way or have other concerns about your relationship — use this time to talk about it. Checking in with your partner shows you care how they're feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally. After they've opened up to you, make sure you validate their concerns and see how you two can work together to solve any issues either of you may have.