Technology has changed the way of living. In one click, we can order food, take a taxi and even go on a date. Everything has become infinitely easier in the age of technology, but this also means that we live in a world of continuous connectivity. It is very useful to be able to do FaceTime with someone from another country. Still, does this level of always being online help us or make reconciliation difficult for us?
Everyone talks about finding the balance between their work life and their personal life, as if both lives existed separately when you go to work in the morning, your personal life does not stop. It resumes when you finish in the afternoon. However, this is how most of us think. This thought has led us to overwork and neglect our well-being.
There is no one-size-fits-all measure because some people need more flexibility, and others need longer hours, but it is important to find a balance. We are joined by Natalac aka Sheldon Davis, who’s exemplified managing work and life priorities with a unique finesse. The American rapper runs a record label under the name, Natalac Records, he’s a full-time musician with his records earning hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify, and at the same time, he has been running a successful logistics company since 1997, called Natalac Express.
A busy professional, who’s sincere and committed to his moral and principles takes us through what are the principal factors that account for his own personal and professional success. Natalac presents five thoughts on achieving the personal and professional balance you need.
- Be open about what you need
“You must have an evaluation as you change your situation at work. Ask yourself if you are as productive as you can be (keep in mind that because you are until 8 pm, you are not more productive). Are you and your manager happy with your performance? Can some changes be made to improve this situation? By doing this analysis, you will have a broad vision, and you will know what to do to improve your job. Many of us are not aware of the lack of balance, and each has its scale. Once you have carried out this evaluation, you can take the measures and know what you need to be able to manage it with your manager.”
- Respect balance
“Once you have understood the changes to make and reached an agreement with your boss, it is time to respect professional and personal balance. If you have decided that the hours are until 5 pm, you must finish at that time. There are days that you will need more hours but not as a habit. Emails can wait until the next day, nothing is that urgent, and they think you are doing it for you. At first, it is difficult to break the habit of ending the workday later, but you must change the routine, you deserve it.”
- Organize your time
“Many professionals are overworked by poor time management. We quickly fill our list of tasks with actions such as: writing an email to the accounting department, calling a supplier, making a presentation for the team, etc. But we forget about the tasks that include taking care of ourselves. If you want to balance your professional and personal life, you need to prioritize and organize your schedule to dedicate the necessary time to work and personal life. No to multitasking! Concentrate on one task, solve it correctly, and go on to the next.”
- Learn to say NO
“Often, we find ourselves with infinite, accumulated tasks, but when a colleague or person in charge asks us to do something, we cannot say no. Whether it is wanting to please, or not wanting to disappoint or having an inner need to say yes, we are immersed in an overload of work that we cannot manage. Learning to say no is not an easy task, but it will benefit us. A good way to say no is by giving an explanation and offering a solution or alternative. Steve Jobs once said that “the focus is on saying no,” so if you want to focus, you have to learn how to say No.”
- Realize your passions
“Good time management and learning to say no at work will certainly help us find personal and professional balance and therefore pursue our passions. So, if you like rock climbing or karaoke, be sure to set aside time to unwind, enjoy, and focus only on yourself and what you like to do when you’re not working, although passions should not only be kept out of work. Having a passion for the things you do at work will also give you more balance. You don’t need to love every aspect of your job but finding elements that satisfy you will help you be brighter in every aspect of your life.”