Everyone has career aspirations, whether they’re ever realised or not. Most of us want to achieve something in our jobs, but it could also be that the job you’re in right now is not the one you envisaged you’d have.

Workplace stress is a huge deal, but so is a total lack of job satisfaction. Do you like your job? Think about that question carefully. Do you work too much, or maybe not enough?

You see, in many ways, the key to job satisfaction isn’t necessarily in the job you do and what you dream of, it’s about your attitude to work overall.

Do you live to work, or do you work to live?

It’s important to get this question right because what it gives you is a perfect home and work-life balance. This is something we should all be striving towards.

Whilst you shouldn’t simply see your job as something you have to do in order to obtain money, you also shouldn’t see it as something that takes over every single second of your life. You have to find the middle ground, the balance, if you will.

Sometimes it can be oh-so-easy for the scales to tip in either direction. You might be going through a rough patch at work and you’re simply lacking motivation, or you might be so overwhelmed with work that you just can’t switch off when you leave the office. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, it’s time to take action.

Top 5 Ways to Achieve The Perfect Home And Work-Life Balance

1. Always leave work on time – Are you guilty of staying late occasionally? Stop right now! It doesn’t make you look conscientious, it makes you look like you can’t cope! When the clock strikes 5, or whatever time you’re due to leave, make sure you go, regardless of any nagging “just five more minutes” thoughts.
2. Avoid social media connections with not-so-close colleagues – If you have a very close friend who also happens to be a colleague, connect with them on social media. If however, you find your timeline littered with people from work you really don’t speak to, it’s time to press delete and allow your mind to be free of work when you’re chilling at home.
3. Do not talk about work! – When you’ve had a bad day it’s totally normal to go home and want to vent. That’s fine, but after ten minutes you need to close your mouth on anything work-related and turn your mode to the home setting. It can be hard to switch between work you and home you, but it’s vital that you master this, if you want to enjoy the time you have with friends and family, without work issues edging into your mind and encroaching on your time.
4. Never check your work emails – Never sync your inbox with your phone or another mobile device, because that means you’re going to be checking emails when you’re out of the office. Bad move. When you leave work, work is done for the day! Even if an urgent email did come in at 2 am, what are you going to do about it? Nothing! You’re simply going to toss and turn and get no sleep, making yourself ultra-unproductive the next day.
5. Develop a full life away from work – Do you have hobbies? Do you regularly go to the gym or out walking? Do you have a large circle of friends? It’s time to expand your horizons and make your life away from work as exciting and fulfiling as possible. When you do that, work is the last thing on your mind when you’re not in the office!

This is a balance which is vital for your overall health and wellbeing, your mental health and your happiness. Being too far in either direction causes stress; stress because you’re not enjoying your downtime and you’re exhausted as a result, and stress because you’re becoming overwhelmed at work simply because you’re unproductive.

Right your balance and watch everything changed for the better!