Lagom: The Work Life balance
Finding a good work life balance
Do you find yourself promising your family you’ll spend more time with them, but not being able to due to work commitments? Are you worried that your boss will think you’re just being lazy if you ask for some time off or a more flexible approach to work? Finding the right balance between your work life and your ‘me time’ can be an ongoing struggle, so let me share my top five Lagom inspired tips to help you make the changes you need to ensure a Lagom lifestyle.
Top five tips to create a Lagom work life balance
Lagom tip 1: Take time out during the work day
Take a tea or coffee break once in the morning and once in the afternoon, but make sure you step away from your work station to do this. It’s important for our brains to switch off, even if just for 15 minutes, to reboot. If your boss starts tutting about this, sit him or her down and explain how regular breaks increase your productivity. It’s also a great time to interact with colleagues and get ideas flowing. For extra Lagom, throw in a cinnamon bun or slice of cake once a week!
Lagom tip 2. Leave work on time
If you take regular breaks throughout the day, your productivity will increase and therefore you will get tasks done on time. Learn to value your free time as much as your work time and ensure as soon as it’s time to leave, leave!
Lagom tip 3. Have one or two worry free evenings a week
Give yourself one evening a week, say Friday, when you have an effort free evening and enjoy downtime. Sure, you might cook every night during the week, but use a Friday evening to enjoy stress free food, pop on some comfy pyjama bottoms, light those candles and do what it is that relaxes you and frees your mind. Watch a film as a family, with easy shop bought tacos or invite your best friend round for a glass of fizz or a cup of tea and catch up over nibbles. Most importantly, create a Hygge atmosphere by lighting candles and making the place warm. The key here is simplicity and relaxation.
Lagom tip 4. Share the workload
How equal is your relationship? From childcare duties to household chores, sharing domestic tasks equally can contribute to happier parents and happier kids, according to Lagom. Throw out that age old notion of ‘blue’ and ‘pink’ tasks and make sure everyone mucks in. Dads/boyfriends should help with the laundry, housework and cooking, as should the mums/girlfriends help with the bins, painting or DIY. Working together decreases stress for all and makes for a happier household.
Lagom tip 5. Me time – Don’t forget about you!
With children, spouses, friends and family demanding your time, most of you may be shouting ‘What me time?!’
Balancing work, family and commitments can be time consuming, but it’s so important to find time out for yourself. I have done this by using part of my lunch break to take a walk every single day. Not only does this clear my head from the stresses of the work day, but it is also the time when my creative juices start to flow, and my ideas are formed. This very blog was the culmination of many lunchtime walks!
Don’t get enough time during lunch? Then give up one tv show a week or social media session and replace it with an art class, an hour of swimming or learn a musical instrument. Or simply take an hour and read a book. Use your time creatively and you will see increased focus and a boost in energy.
Try implementing the above over the next few weeks and see the difference.
Stay tuned next week for my favourite Lagom tips – Eating!
Other posts that may excite you:
Lagom: the Swedish art of balanced living
Beyond mainstream: Five indie lifestyle magazines for inspiration
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