Achieving work-life balance means spending a healthy amount of time at work, and then “leaving” your work-related tasks and thoughts at the door. On the other hand, employees that get to work and leave when it’s dark outside means their work-life balance might need to be checked.
But sometimes this is easier said than done, especially since some industries fluctuate with “busy seasons”. However, having too much “work” and not enough “life” can drastically impact your mental and physical health. No matter how much you love your job, separation is healthy.
Fortunately, your cell phone can be your ally in achieving work-life balance. After all, most people check their phones around eighty times a day or about every twelve minutes.
It should come as no surprise that numerous companies have created phone apps strictly to help professionals separate their life from their work. Here are some favorites.
See How You’re Spending Your Time
Apps like aTracker for iPhone and TimeTune for Android follow your daily routine and analyze how you spend your time. It realistically captures your activity, shedding light on where you need to make some adjustments.
Perhaps you learn that you spent nine hours working and only ten minutes eating. You can take this information and commit to giving yourself a longer break when it’s time to eat.
Separate Personal and Professional Tasks
If you’re biggest hurdle with being productive at work stems from your never-ending personal to-do list, then download Cozi. This app enables you to keep an organized dashboard of all things personal, like lists, calendars, journals, and more. What’s better is you can share it with family members, so everyone has a full picture of what needs to get done.
Understand Your Phone Activity
For iPhone users, if you want insight into how much time you’re spending on apps, the operating system provides that information. Just go to Settings, and then choose Screen Time.
To make the most of this feature, set allowances for specific business applications, like Outlook or your company’s messaging platform. You’ll get a notification that tells you that you’ve reached your daily limit.
Of course, you don’t want to set such an extensive time limit that it contradicts its purpose. Choose a realistic time frame for each app that ensures you get work done without overdoing it.
Let an App Take Your Calls
Small business owners probably have the hardest time maintaining a work-life balance because their company feels like it is their life. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs who run their business from their personal cell phones and don’t have a separate work phone.
The good news is these professionals can download a business phone app, like Ninja Number, that helps streamline all company communications. Rather than bogging down your texting inbox with personal and business-related messages, you can keep these conversations independent from each other.
This frees up space in the physical inbox, but it also frees up mental real estate that owners spend on making sure they take care of every business inquiry. They can rest assured that all messages and calls are answered or returned by quickly glancing through their Ninja Number dashboard.
One of the most frustrating parts about owning a business is having to answer to customers after hours – which destroys work-life balance. With Ninja Number, it answers your phone calls for you and gives customers the answers they need without you ever having to pick up the phone. As an automated system, it lets you customize how callers are greeted and at what point they should be sent to a real person, immensely cutting down on your phone time.
Do you want to cut down on after-hours calls? It’s time to sign up for Ninja Number. Not only do they guarantee to grow your business by better managing leads, but they also promise to help you achieve incredible work-life balance.
