One year into lockdown, it’s no secret that our daily lives – from the way we work to the way we socialize – have been impacted, possibly forever. Without notice, we were forced to find new and innovative ways to stay motivated and productive. We at Relevance International have taken the hard lessons learned over the past year to reflect and resume harmony as best we can. Here are some of our takeaways for finding better balance day to day.
Digital Detox
In today’s day and age, technology is a way to stay connected to the world, communicate with friends and family members from afar, stay informed on headlines and get a dose of entertainment. Over the last year, our collective screen time drastically increased as we searched for ways to stay connected and amused while social distancing. In many ways technology helped us through the challenges of 2020, proving to become an even more integral part of our lives. Many learned how to operate as a dispersed workforce and socialize through a screen – blurring the lines between work and play.
Roughly 78 percent of people share concern over the impact that increased screen time will have. Knowing how much and how often you use it can provide valuable insight into your ability to find balance in the amount of screen time consumed. Although it seems impossible when almost every aspect of life is maintained through a screen these days, it’s important to take breaks from our devices whenever possible.
Restoring Synergies
The pandemic blurred many lines for achieving work-life balance as many living rooms became offices and kitchen tables became desks. While we all want to succeed throughout the workday, it can be hard to shift your mindset to enjoy life, family and friends when there isn’t always a physical separation between the two. Sometimes it is just not feasible to follow the 9 to 5 model, but we find it important to guard personal down time when possible to maintain both physical and mental well-being.
Many studies have shown that through achieving work-life balance, employee performance and efficiency increases. During the evolving definition of the term “work-life balance” throughout the last year, roughly 35 percent say they have not been able to establish clear personal and professional boundaries in a recent study by CNBC. Though it may look different for everyone, at Relevance we have learned to reassess the meaning of a balanced lifestyle and have adopted new habits to harness inner potential and achieve highest performance – both inside and outside of the office. Though it may look different for everyone, the solution can be as simple as creating a to-do list every morning to establish an efficient work environment or moving your desk to a room with a door you can close. Creating the environment on and off paper that works best for you promotes motivation on the clock so when it comes time, we can step away from the office mindset, and can truly be present outside of work no matter where we are.
Strong Coffee, Strong Routine
How you spend your morning sets the tone for the day. From the moment you wake up, you might be flooded with tasks, emails and things to do. We know we aren’t the only ones who have hit the snooze button an extra time or two, poured an extra strong cup of coffee and headed straight into our day without time to set daily goals and intentions.
Successful people benefit from strong morning routines. From Oprah to Bill Gates – each leader has a curated morning routine that increases creativity and productivity throughout the day. The co-founders of My Morning Routine, Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander, have extensively studied over 300 morning rituals, and have proven that a combination of going to bed earlier – the average being 10:57 pm – waking up earlier – 6:24 am – and not hitting the snooze button can be vital in determining the course of a person’s day.
At Relevance, we hold each other accountable and communicate about our priorities each morning to set us up for success, build confidence and trust, and increase productivity as a team. Developing healthy habits like this reduces overall stress, boost energy levels and ensures more time to spend with friends and family members.
Coworkers to Camaraderie
According to a study performed by Great Place to Work, employees rate their workplace by three qualities – trust in the people they work for, pride in what they do and camaraderie with their colleagues.
Employees are the heartbeat of every company. When one vessel is not working, the workflow becomes out of balance and is challenged to work together to beat as one unit. Believe it or not, our coworkers are often people that we spend the most time with throughout the week. While it’s easy to strictly talk about work, it’s important to also get to know one another on a personal level as well. Taking the time to schedule happy hours or lunches can keep everyone connected and thriving, instill trust and promote better communication in our work and lives overall. In a year that impacted so many, we are raising our glasses to one another to celebrate the friendships, the growth and the tenacity as our world continues to evolve.
