“What do you do when you’re not working?”
Ever faced this question? Perhaps unusual in a virtual assistant’s everyday routine but it is an important aspect of a career. Life is not all about work; neither is it about being a lackadaisical person. Work/life balance is a goal that most professionals and workers try to achieve. Some factors to consider in striving towards it are family and friends, meditation, and hobbies.
When thinking of time to relax, make sure to include family and friends. In challenging times, care and encouragement from them carry you through. Listen and pay attention to the conversation when at an outing, for example, at a brunch on a weekend. Turning off the proverbial cell phone would be appreciated and downtime can also mean leaving work half an hour early. Rest and relaxation are vital to humans.
Did you know that work could be used as meditation? The Zen Entrepreneur (http://venturevillage.eu/the-career-warrior-how-to-achieve-spiritual-and-business-bliss) says it “begins with being mindful at work and finding ways to really focus on a task and cutting other distractions during a period of time – and that’s really hard these days.” To recharge and reduce stress, stretch arms, stand, and walk around the office. Virtual assistants are constantly looking at computers and screen savers that have a calming effect are very helpful.
Hobbies have a way of making us feel good, taking our minds away from work. Focusing on a completely different task, such as knitting or crocheting that alters hand-eye coordination provides a mental downtime, so to speak. Hobbies generate creativity; they develop insight that spill over to the workplace.
All these factors work together to form a strong foundation from where work-life balance can be built. Awareness that we work to live and not live to work is possibly the best indication that work-life balance can be achieved.
When the question “What keeps you active when you’re not working?” comes up next time, make sure the answer is in the making or, at the very least, the search is on for one.
Written by Yoli P.- The Help