Work-life balance is a goal coveted by many but for few still achievable. With increasing competitiveness, professional commitments and demands, and social expectations, it can be difficult to find a balance that allows you to create both success in your profession and personal well-being and happiness in the other areas of your life. However, with a little effort and organisation, it is possible to intervene in one’s life to restore balance and create greater satisfaction and fulfilment.

To make this change, you can start by reflecting on what is important to you in your life. With this approach you can explore what your core values are and thus what makes you feel good. Once you have identified your values you can ask yourself what you really want to achieve in your personal life, thus identifying your priorities now. By clarifying your values and desires you will increase your awareness of who you are and what you want, and this can help you make conscious, more focused and aligned decisions. The key to balance is to devote your time and energy to what really matters to you.

Another important step in achieving greater work-life balance is to set clear boundaries between you, your needs and desires, and the outside world. For example, you might decide to set defined working hours and try to stick to them, you might decide not to take work home with you or to stop working after the set hours. What you should try to do is to define your own time, some space where you can relax and enjoy life, where you can do what you like and is important to you. This time should be just as important as working time.