It can be hard to juggle both work and life without them colliding at multiple times during your week; however, studies show that people who have a healthy work/life balance are way more productive in the workplace than those who do not. It can be easy to become a slave to the grind but here are some ways that you can achieve balance.

1 | Take a Breather

You have vacation days, USE THEM! Whether you are going on a super luxe trip abroad or you just want to Netflix and Chill; take a mental health day when you know you need it. Although a relatively new “millennial” concept, mental health days are necessary to always put your best work forward. When you are burning out, you are more likely to make mistakes that could be costly.

2 | Don’t forget about your breaks

In every state whether salary or hourly there is laws around scheduled breaks around the hours that you work. In California, for an 8 hour shift, you receive two 15 minute breaks and one 30 minute lunch break. However for me, since leaving retail, I prefer to take a 1 hour lunch break and then two 5 minute personal moments where I can check my Facebook, respond to text messages or even step out and call my parents. I am completely guilty of not taking any of my breaks though, I get into a groove and just start cranking it out! However, you need to give yourself a gut check so you don’t burn out.

3 | Shut it down

When you’re on vacation, put up an away message and step away from the inbox. Unless it is a 911 emergency, you need to completely shut down in order to really take in your much deserved PTO.

4 | Speak up

When you know that something is going to conflict a personal appointment, speak up about it. I personally have an abnormal amount of doctors appointments and I have always been very open about them with my direct boss to make sure that we have an understanding. I don’t ever want to feel like I am compromising my health for my work and your employer shouldn’t force you to make that decision either. If you have something imperative in your life happening, speak out about it! You might be surprised at their open reaction for your honesty.

5 | Stick to your working hours

Whether you are a 9-5 or working 12’s, stick to your working hours. Time management is going to be key to making this successful by making sure the entirety of your work is completed during this duration. However as long as you stick to this 90% of the time your mental health won’t suffer. I have worked events that have been all day affairs and I have had projects on deadline that take up 10-12 hours; just balance your load in the best you can.

6 | Create a social calendar

This is my absolute fave! I always make sure my husband and I have something to look forward to on the weekends! It makes all the hard work and cups of coffee worth it! I also like to plan them in advance to keep me motivated to do my best work for my much deserved weekend.

7 | Find a good book

This dials back to taking your breaks. I keep my phone loaded with Kindle books so during my breaks I can let my mind venture off to some far off land or dive deep in a productivity book (currently reading: Balancing in Heels by K. Cav)

8 | Have an evening routine

Whether after your commute you shower first thing and slip into your jammies or you whip up some dinner, always have something you love to look forward to at the end of the day to separate out your work. My husband always goes to the gym, showers then watches TV; where as I finish chores, prepare dinner and relax (of course I shower right before bed). These little routines make it easier to feel present when I am at home.

9 | Schedule your week

My life is a crazy hectic clusterf%&(^% of a mess per usual with work, my blog, being a wife and a fur baby mama however, planning out my week is super helpful. Every Sunday I take an hour to coordinate our meals, plan out my blog posts, make sure I have all the materials prepared for our Monday morning meetings, etc. Once I have it all dialed in, I feel like the pressure of the universe has been lifted off my shoulders.

10 | Put your personal relationships first

This one can be tough because it is easy to put your paycheck first however, I have learned that at the end of the day your family and friends will always be there even when your paycheck is not. With this, I have always put my family and friends first. I love my job and I am so dedicated to it and the people I work with but when there is a family emergency or like last year, my husband needs back surgery, you need to be there. This could be a difficult line to draw in the sand but it is one that needs your utmost attention and your workplace’s understanding.