“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life” - Dolly Parton

1Accept that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while others you might have more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day.

2Find a job that you love Although work is an expected societal norm, your career shouldn’t be restraining. Work isn’t just a way to make money; it should serve you both financially and emotionally. If you hate what you do, you aren’t going to be happy, plain and simple. You don’t need to love every aspect of your job, but it needs to be exciting enough that you don’t dread getting out of bed every single morning.

3Prioritize your health Prioritizing your health first and foremost will make you a better employee and person, You will miss less work, and when you are there, you will be happier and more productive.” Prioritizing your health doesn’t have to consist of radical or extreme activities. It can be as simple as daily meditation or exercise.

4Don’t be afraid to unplug We live in a connected world that never sleeps. Cutting ties with the outside world from time to time allows us to recover from weekly stress and gives us space for other thoughts and ideas to emerge. Unplugging can mean something simple like practicing meditation on your daily commute, or listening to your favorite music instead of checking work emails.

5Take a vacation Sometimes, truly unplugging means taking vacation time and shutting work completely off for a while With proper planning, you can take time away without worrying about burdening your colleagues or contending with a huge work load when you return.”

6Make time for yourself and your loved ones Realize that no one at your company is going to love you or appreciate you the way your loved ones do. Also [remember] that everyone is replaceable at work, and no matter how important you think your job is, the company will not miss a beat tomorrow if you are gone.”

7Set boundaries and work hours Set boundaries for yourself and your colleagues, to avoid overworking and burnout. When you leave the office, avoid thinking about upcoming projects or answering company emails.

8Set goals and priorities (and stick to them) Set achievable goals that you are passionate about, with respect to your career, health and relationships. Think about what tasks are most important for achieving a healthy worklife balance and prioritize them. Make your workday as productive as possible by implementing time management strategies, analyzing your to-do list and cutting out tasks that have little to no value.

When creating a work-life balance that works for you, take time to assess your own needs. Not everyone’s work-life balance looks the same, and not everyone divides their work and personal life directly in half

When Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi got her pivotal promotion, her mother cut off the announcement and sent her out to get milk instead The night she came home after being named to president, she wrote on LinkedIn, her parents happened to be visiting. HERE’S NOOYI DESCRIBING THAT NIGHT: “I’ll never forget coming home after being named President of PepsiCo back in 2001. My mother was visiting at the time. “’I’ve got great news for you,’ I shouted. She replied, ‘It can wait. We need you to go out and get some milk.’ “So I go out and get milk. And when I come back, I’m hopping mad. I say, ‘I had great news for you. I’ve just been named President of PepsiCo. And all you want me to do is go out and get milk.’ “Then she says, ‘Let me explain something to you. You may be President of PepsiCo. But when you step into this house, you’re a wife and mother first. Nobody can take that place. So leave that crown in the garage.’” No matter who we are, or what we do, nobody can take our place in our families,” Nooyi wrote. “Now, I’ll admit, I’ve found it’s rarely possible to be the kind of mother, wife, employee, and person you want to be - all at the same time. Often, you need to make a choice, and that’s especially true if you want to be CEO. There’s no way around it.”