You want to make a career on the one hand, but on the other hand you also want to pay enough attention to your partner. You want to be in a flow and pop, but you don't want to then ignore your partner all day. Finding that kind of balance is tough. It gets even spicier if you and your partner have a different pace of life and/or live together. But it's not impossible!
My work and life
For a few months now, my boyfriend and I have been living together. He is still studying and continues to earn his money by trading cryptos. He has classes at set times and otherwise spends a lot of time on those cryptos. His days are a little more flexible than mine because he can watch his classes back and I have quite a lot of meetings. He does work on setting up business concepts, but there's a lot less pressure behind it with him than with me. So I work a lot more. On top of that, he is Italian. In that culture, people do a lot more together and individualism is much less alive. After a few months, there are some things I've discovered that work for me, so I can be productive AND a good friend.
Why is a good work-life balance important?
It's not fair to your partner if all you do is work. You need rest. If you don't get your rest, you end up paying a price for it; burnout, low energy, cranky, no longer enjoying your work, etc. If you don't pay the price for that, someone else will. And so if you live with your partner, it's probably your partner. That one gets an irritable you and has to do all the household chores.
Of course, it can also be the other way around. Maybe you don't work that much and your partner works more. Even then it is important to find a healthy work-life balance, so that you can get the best out of yourself and support your partner.
Is your work-life balance out of balance? Then you are not only selling yourself short, but also the people around you. You don't take enough time for yourself or perhaps too much, preventing you from being the best version of yourself. And how do you get such a healthy work-life balance in cooperation with your partner? For that, I'm going to give you some tips now 😉
Do's for a good work-life balance
Indicate your limits
My boyfriend and I simply have a different idea of what a day looks like. I'm fine with having breakfast, lunch, dinner together and then doing something fun together in the evening. Then during the day we just do our own thing. He wants to do some more things together. I've tried this, but this just doesn't work for me. I need my own space.
In my opinion, a good work-life balance also consists of setting your boundaries. I just get cranky when I don't have enough of my own space and time. I work a little more focused and longer in a row, instead of having some "life" moments every time in between. Check carefully with yourself where your boundaries are and how you can protect them.
Communicate clearly and continue to do so
Along the same lines, it is important to keep communicating. Communicate your boundaries but also the things you like. For example, do you value having breakfast together every morning? Do you like to be left completely alone in the afternoon because then you have your focus time? Does your partner say something about the way you work or how you live your life but you don't agree? Then express this. This is important in any relationship, especially if you want to have a career and be a good partner and strive for a healthy work-life balance.
Explore and try different solutions
Are you too much on each other's lips while living together? Then there are several solutions. One of them I just mentioned is setting boundaries. This could mean, for example, that you only see each other during meals but otherwise leave each other alone. For another, it might work to find a co-working space. Then you can better separate work and personal life. Or you might set certain days when you have standard days off and do fun things together. See what works for you.
Yes, you can have it all!
It is possible to have a good relationship AND a good career and then also maintain a good household. However, a healthy work-life balance requires some work, especially if you live with your partner and have a glittering career ahead of you. It can't be perfect from day one. Keep working at it and track your progress, and it will all work out!
