#balancingworklife #healthyeating #workoutstruggles #maintainingrelationships #selfcarestruggles #mentalhealth #timemanagement
Do you ever find yourself wondering, “How am I supposed to work a 9-5, eat healthy, workout, have hobbies, maintain my relationships, and get enough sleep?” 🤔 Trust me, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle with finding the balance between work, health, relationships, and self-care. But fear not – I’m here to help you navigate through the chaos and find ways to make it all work seamlessly in your life.
## The Struggle is Real
I completely understand the struggle of trying to juggle a full-time job, staying healthy, exercising, pursuing hobbies, spending time with loved ones, and still managing to get a good night’s sleep. It can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone in feeling this way.
### Understanding Your Energy Levels
One of the key factors in managing your busy schedule is understanding your energy levels. If you find yourself feeling exhausted and drained all the time, it’s crucial to identify the root cause of your low energy levels. Factors such as lack of quality sleep, poor nutrition, stress, and medical conditions like ADHD can all play a role in your energy levels.
#### Tips to Boost Your Energy:
1. Ensure you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
2. Incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your diet to fuel your body.
3. Manage stress through relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
4. Consult with a healthcare professional to address any underlying medical conditions affecting your energy levels.
### Prioritizing Your Time
Time management is another essential aspect of balancing all areas of your life effectively. By prioritizing tasks and activities based on importance and urgency, you can allocate your time and energy more efficiently.
#### Time Management Tips:
– Create a daily or weekly schedule to map out your tasks and commitments.
– Use productivity tools or apps to help you stay organized and focused.
– Delegate tasks when possible to free up time for activities that matter most to you.
### Finding Work-Life Balance
With the rise of remote work opportunities, many individuals struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Working from home can blur the lines between work and personal life, making it challenging to switch off and relax.
#### Remote Work Tips:
– Establish a designated workspace at home to create a separation between work and leisure.
– Set boundaries with your working hours to prevent overworking and burnout.
– Take regular breaks throughout the day to refresh your mind and prevent fatigue.
### Nurturing Relationships
Maintaining strong relationships with friends, family, and partners is important for your overall well-being. However, finding time to connect with loved ones can be challenging when you have a busy schedule.
#### Relationship Building Tips:
– Schedule regular quality time with your loved ones to strengthen your bonds.
– Communicate openly and honestly about your commitments and limitations.
– Prioritize activities that bring joy and fulfillment to your relationships.
### Self-Care and Hobbies
Taking care of yourself should be a top priority in your daily routine. Whether it’s indulging in a hobby you love or practicing self-care activities, making time for yourself is essential for your mental and emotional well-being.
#### Self-Care Ideas:
– Dedicate time each day for self-care rituals like meditation, journaling, or a relaxing bath.
– Explore hobbies that bring you joy and allow you to express your creativity.
– Practice mindfulness and gratitude to enhance your overall sense of well-being.
## In Conclusion
Balancing work, health, relationships, and self-care is a constant juggling act, but with the right strategies and mindset, you can create a harmonious routine that supports your overall well-being. Remember to listen to your body, prioritize your time effectively, and nurture your relationships and personal interests along the way. By finding a balance that works for you, you can lead a fulfilling and purposeful life despite the everyday challenges. Stay positive, stay focused, and most importantly, stay true to yourself. You’ve got this! 💪🌟
Now go out there and conquer your day with confidence and grace! ✨ #worklifebalance #selfcare #timemanagement #healthyliving
If you’re really only working a 40 or so hour workweek and you don’t have kids it seems like there’d be plenty of time? That means for close to a third of a day (and 2/3 of a weekend day) you’re neither sleeping nor working?
That’s the fun part.. you aren’t! We are not designed to live like this, the system has been designed to keep us in the perfect balance of exhausted, busy, and comfortable so we can’t find the time to organise and rebel.
It’s interesting to observe the perspective shift through generations regarding work-life balance. Though full-time work has been the standard, it’s worth noting that the nature of jobs and the mental demands they place on people have evolved significantly. With the digital age ushering in an ‘always-on’ culture, true downtime has become scarce. Plus, hobbies, upskiling, and personal life maintenance can consume those seemingly ‘free’ hours quite quickly. It’s not about lamenting a 40-hour workweek, but rather advocating for quality of life within it.
It’s possible if you’re single without children. I wonder where parents get the time of day to do anything?!
You only get 3 of those. Chose wisely
It’s not possible with executive dysfunction. I’ve read the other posts about how people don’t complain although they have far more duties, children, etc. But you can’t compare that, if these people have no problems with executive function and are able to make proper plans and execute these plans. You need structure, get up, get ready, go to work, go home, cook, wash and clean, use defined time for hobbies, get to bed at a reasonable time…all of that requires planning and structuring to an amount that doesn’t come with adhd. I think it’s very insulting to just say “well others are able to do it, so don’t complain”. Of course others are able to do it, but they don’t have adhd.
I chose a job nearby my house. I don’t need a car. I want a car. I also chose a job that has exercise in it. So I get paid to exercise.i don’t do it on my own time.
Driving to work would add 15 to 30 minutes travel time one way. So add an extra hour total to each day for my own free time for not commuting. Thats 5 hours of my own time per week. 20 hours every month. This also has other benefits. I eat lunch at home so I save money and eat healthier. I can spend time with my kids if they are home and my wife when she is home on my lunch break and 15 min breaks. I sleep in because I don’t have to prep my car like remove snow off the windshield, etc. I just walk to work. I could in theory wake up 15 minutes before my shift if I had to.
One time I was walking by my apt at work and was able to watch one of my kids ride her bike without training wheels for the first time. Something I would of missed if I had been commuting far away. Or would of just gotten pictures. But instead I was physically there watching her with my wife.
I have 4 kids by the way. I have plenty of personal time to do hobbies. The kids are older so they hang out together or play on their phones. It gives my wife and I time to do things for ourselves. We are considered 108% below poverty level and I feel like I have enough.
I think of budgeting time the same way I budget money. Every dollar I save is a dollar I don’t have to work for. Every minute I save to myself is a minute I can have to decompress.
Really everything benefits from a job near my house. Even if I had to take a pay cut I would. I remember driving to work only 20 minutes away and I was miserable. I don’t even want to work 40 hours. I would be glad if the work week went to 32 hours. In my opinion, no amount of money can make you happier. Time is limited. Time passes fast. You can’t ever get that time back. Time is precious. Save every bit of it.
You answered your own question in the first sentence… stop staying until 6. Find remote work, dont do a minute of overtime ever, prioritize yourself. Reduce commute times for everything possible, get robots to help with cleaning and hire a cleaning person once a month for the tough stuff.
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You haven’t even mentioned caring for kids here? Step up! /s
Drugs and vitamins. Drugs so I sleep quickly. Vitamins for consistent energy, B vitamins, I take all in one but it contains an excess of B vitamins.
I swear. The ONLY reason I’m not in a relationship is because my daily schedule is fucked up and I feel I wont be able to give my 100 percent.
There is not enough time in the day to do everything
You have to accept that by doing one thing you sacrifice the time to do another (why do you think you often see people who are highly successful in their career that have also neglected their children)
It seems like you should evaluate the important things to you need to focus your time on
You don’t you pick 2/3 of it and focus on that
If you have adhd you only get 1/3 so choose wisely
ADHD meds also don’t work for me. I’ve tried everything over the years and the only thing that works is taking them one day on and one day off. Every other day I taken them and in those days it works. The second I take 2 days in a row it doesnt work anymore on day 2.
So half my life I’m productive functioning member of society and the other half I’m a vegetable who can’t get out of bed
It sucks balls but this way I get to have a quality of life half the time be it’s better than 0 of the time
If life were easy, everyone would do it, but the majority of people who have ever lived are now dead, so that should hit you in the feels.
Make working out a hobby. Boom two for one.
You can have a healthy home life, a healthy sleep schedule, or a healthy work life. You may only pick two out of the three.
Pick 2
Well buddy you can’t do all of them. You have to choose your days in witch what you do but from the Start you have to understand that your chores are your new hobby throughout the week and only on your day offs maybe you have time for your Hobbys.
Idk if you’re male or female but you can become a garbage man.. Depending where you work it’s part time hours with full time pay. You’ll have the free time to do other things.. It’s hard work but you’ll have a good “work/life balance”
**Idk if I should add that I got diagnosed with ADHD**
Yes. This makes a big difference and could speak you why you feel tired all the time. No easy answer just letting you know it absolutely makes a difference
You’re not. Life sucks
If you find the answer let me know, I’m in construction management so I go where the work is and currently that means waking up at 5:30am, leaving the house at 6am, working 7-4:30, and home between 6-7pm depending on traffic. I’m asleep by 9:30-10pm and I just don’t have the energy to wake up at 4am or work out at night after a 2hr commute. I would go to the gym right after work but I’m already down to just a couple hours with the wife
“I just get so tired easily” screams to me that there is an outside issue. Take a look in the mirror. Do you eat well? Are you overweight? Do you drink/smoke too often?
I do all of the things you mention that you wish you could do, but I still find myself with a few hours to spare every day. I think the only excuse to not do the things you mention is if you have children.
Welcome to Adult
You have to combine them. Workout with your friends. Pursue your personal projects on company time. Eat while you sleep.
I feel you man, I’m 22, moved out for the first time on my own with my girl 9 months ago. I started working full time and god damn I feel like shit lmao. For the amount of effort I put into doing a good job at work, the reward in literally minimal yet it takes up most of my time not to mention a zoom class I’m taking 3 nights a week.
I actually like my job, but is this what it’s going to be like for the next 50 years? The future is bright! CAUSE ITS ON FIRE
Throw kids in the mix and it’s even more impossible. I sacrifice sleep.
If u can get someone to help. Its harder for you because u are neurodivergent. Me and my partner has ADHD and autism. Separately we can’t never achieve all that u named. Together we manage. It takes adjustments tho.
I always tried to cook healthy but my adhd makes me forget about stuff and ingredients go bad, i end up not having anything to cook with and eat worse. I just accepted normal way of cooking is not gonna work for me and i buy mostly premade meals. Sure it costs little more but nothing goes bad so it evens out and less time is spend so win win.
For laundry I don’t fold it. I always forget anyway or I am too distracted so I just put bins in my closet and dump laundry there. I buy only stuff from the non wrinkly fabric, idk how u say that in English. Also I have drier, best purchase .Saves time and sanity.
I got job I can do remotely, so I spend only as much time as I need to there, no commute. My partner got job outside because they hate corporate and find a job in nature which helps them to relax even though it’s still a work and it has flexible schedule. So they aren’t ever late how they used to be.
My main point is, stop trying to achieve what u are expected to do and be. Made stuff to work for your brain, don’t care how it’s “supposed” to be done. Then u can make things that bothers u and take your time go away and have time for hobbies, social atuff ect.
Just start with one and be consistent. Eventually when you form the discipline you can tack on another, but the others will also start to fall in to place as well.
Simple: get a work from home job with little oversight that enables all of your worst ADHD tendencies, then when all of your monthly reports are coming up due, spend an entire week working 16 hour days catching up on everything you neglected, rinse and repeat.
That’s the fun part: you’re NOT. Balance is a personal journey. One that many of us are prioritizing in our lives, particularly since COVID.
Fully remote work was the game changer for me. Also don’t/wont have kids
– 6am: start work
– 2:30pm: finish work
– 3-4pm: gym (gym is 2 mins walk away)
– 4-4:30pm: shower
– 4:30pm-5:30pm: cook and eat dinner (alone or with partner) / go out to meet partner or friends
– 5:30pm-6pm: wash up
– 6-10pm: hobbies, chill with partner or friends at home or out
– 10-10:30pm: go to bed
On weekends I still wake up early – 7am latest then hit the gym right away. Do a bit of cleaning each week so it’s only 30 mins max. The rest of the weekend is my own free time
Here are some things that help me. I also have really bad adhd and executive dysfunction, so it helps me to bundle one activity with another. For example, since I rarely have the motivation to work out I instead choose to bike to work. It’s about 8 miles each way, and there is a gym at the office so I can shower off on arrival.
For food, crockpot meals and meal prep are your friend. You can cook a large quantity of food with minimal effort, and while it cooks you can do other tasks.
For chores, best thing you can do is make a schedule that breaks things down into the smallest task possible, or even to bundle them. For the former, start deciding things like “Tuesday morning I wipe down the kitchen, Wednesday evening I vacuum.” This helps with executive dysfunction because it makes things seem smaller and more manageable. For the latter, I like to do laundry once a week, and while the laundry is going I am cleaning. This sets your brain to thinking of the task as having a finite period so that you can keep yourself motivated. I will also add, your boyfriend should be spending time at your place sometimes if that is preventing you from keeping your home clean. This can also serve as motivation to clean because you don’t want them to see you living in filth.
Something else regarding the boyfriend, find hobbies you can do together or make some “me” time to enjoy your own hobbies. Giving up your own life to spend all your time with someone else isn’t healthy and can be a form of avoidance for other things.
The final thing I want to add is beware the “sit pit.” With executive dysfunction your brain adds in steps to tasks so something as simple as “take out the trash” suddenly expands to a six or seven step process. When you sit down it adds in the most challenging step of “I need to get up and do…” so never sit down when you are trying to be productive. It will derail you, and you will get very little done.
You can’t if everything is separate. it’s too much to cram in. That is the burden of executive dysfunction.
The good news is that if your career is your hobby, you’ll outperform all your peers. The bad news is that if it’s not, which it seems to be the case, you are left with no spoons.
To make up for this, try to get a job that is actually 9-5 with a lunch break. Schedule exercise as part of your commute to or from work. Get a friend who is your exercise partner. Make sure they have similar special interests so you can talk about hobbies while you exercise.
As for eating healthy, make double what you need so you can have leftovers during the week or for lunch. Learn to master on the go options that work for you. Keep less food in the fridge so options are less overwhelming and things don’t get forgotten.
Make sure you wait many years before having kids because your work satisfaction may change. Give yourself financial bandwidth beforehand so you can stay home or work less or change careers.
Good luck! Remember, your work output is way higher than others when you are in the zone, so learn to coast by when you aren’t.
I knew you had ADHD before you mentioned it! You’ll get better advice from the ADHD spicific forums and avenues than from your average Joe, turns out they can manage those things with some stress while we end up completely burning out more often than not! Can attest as a late diagnosed person nearing 40, don’t try to live a nonADHD life. That’s like asking for someone with type 1 diabetes to control their disability without insulin.
Try to look up Clutterbug on YouTube. She’s a professional organizer who also has ADHD and makes videos based on cleaning with adhd and things of that nature. She’s been helping me out a lot.