We all know the importance of creating a good work / life balance when it comes to living a healthy and happy life.  Technology has made many people accessible 24/7 and they are constantly at work, regularly checking emails, social media, their websites, apps etc, during what is supposed to be their down time.  To give you a few ideas how tech can help you to develop a better balance, here are 5 things you can do:

  1. Cut down on your use of social media.

Many people now seem to be addicted to Social Media and struggle to go even an hour without checking in on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope etc.   Social media is not a bad thing at all, but if you are checking in too often it can start to have a damaging effect on your quality leisure and family time.  If you think you are using social media too much, you could start off by setting yourself some rules, e.g. – don’t check in on a Sunday, don’t use social media out of work hours or if the temptation is too much, remove social media apps from your smartphone and only check in when you are on your desktop or laptop.  One tech tool that you could use is www.rescuetime.com – this software can monitor your social media activity and let you know when you are being over-active.

  1. Manage your inbox

Managing your inbox correctly is really important if you want to create or maintain a work / life balance.  The big no no, is having notifications on your computer and smartphone set for when you receive an incoming email.  This is one of the most disruptive things you can do.  It’s really hard to maintain focus on anything at home or in the office if you are constantly looking at your incoming emails.  I appreciate that some people do need to be on call as part of their job – it is possible to set up a coded inbox system that can determine which messages are flagged as urgent and for you to be notified of these ones only.

  1. Wear a fitness tracker

Wearable fitness trackers are great for helping you to monitor many activities that directly affect your work / life balance.  They can track your sleep cycles and help you to determine the best time for you to wake up and they can track your activity levels throughout the day.  You can set yourself some simple daily goals and be notified when you have achieved them; for example how many steps you have taken or calories you have burnt during the day.  They can also send you alerts when you are idle at your desk and haven’t moved around for a few hours, or when you are idle sat watching the TV for too long.

  1. Home working

Modern tech now gives many people the opportunity to work from home. Avoiding that wasted time travelling to and from work every day in the car and also giving you extra time to spend with your family.  Home working can give you a sense of freedom and independence and can for many people be a less stressful and more productive environment.  The key to success with home working is to keep your focus on the jobs that need to get done and also to be organised.  Google chat and Google hangouts are great for staying in touch with your co-workers both one to one or in group settings.

  1. Plan your dream holiday

Get that dream holiday planned out, even if you are not likely to take it for the next couple of years.  Visualisation is a powerful and much underused technique.  Being able to visualise your dream holiday before you take it can help to reduce stress levels and give you something to really look forward to.  You can plan your dream trip in seconds using www.touristeye.com