Ever find yourself questioning how many more hours of work you could manage if you hooked yourself up to a caffeine I.V drip? Are your friends on the verge of reporting you as a missing person after you bailed on the 5th catch up in a row?

So many of us are torn between getting through their ever-increasing workloads and enjoying a great lifestyle, but as that kid in the taco commercial said: “Porque no los dos?”

For those of us who don’t speak Spanish (and somehow haven’t seen the Old El Paso commercial) this phrase means ‘why not both?’and whilst nothing can ever be perfect, we’re sharing four techniques team Flaunter use to put a little more life back into our work/life balances- hopefully, they help you out too.

Back away from the iPhone

This rule also applies to iPads, laptops, email alerts, work software and tablets (So no cheating on a technicality). When you get home, arrive in both body and mind by making a point of not accessing work files, replying to emails, or organising the next day through your smartphone. Even if you’re pseudo-chilling on your sofa, you’re not giving your brain the break it needs by keeping it constantly thinking about the office.
Bonus tip! Consider keeping your phone, laptop and TV out of your bedroom. Research shows that the simple act of making your bedroom a ‘sleep only’ space not only helps you fall asleep faster, but increase the quality of your sleep.

Hit the hard stuff as soon as you start work

As soon as you arrive at work for the day, sit down and spend 20 minutes working out which tasks you’ll need to complete before you leave the office that day. Next step: attack those tasks first. That way, when the end of the day rolls around, you’re less likely to need to stay back for hours.

Spend a couple of hours each week on meal prep

There’s nothing worse than coming home from a busy work day, opening the fridge and spending half an hour trying to cobble together something meal-adjacent from the 2 eggs, half a jar of jam and sad carrot lurking in your fridge. Investing an hour or two each week on cooking up even your lunches and dinners for the week will save you a bunch of time and thought over the remainder of the week, plus eating healthy will give you a bunch more energy.

Our fav? Cook up a giant batch of mince (or beans/lentils for my vegetarian brethren) combine with chopped vegetables, then portion it out with rice or pasta and serve with different sauces: Spag bol, Hoi-sin & chilli sauce, for example. Variety with barely any added effort!

Talk it out

If you need to leave work a little early for a family dinner, or wish you could have a slightly extended lunch break to do head to that doctor’s appointment you’ve been avoiding, say something to your boss. Employers are aware a lot of us are burning the candle at both ends, and economically, they want you to be a functional member of their team, not so frazzled that you’re a crying husk under your desk. Most will be open to helping you work your schedule in such a way that allows you a little breathing room where possible.

Image: Chanel SS12

4 Ways to Control Your Work/Life Balance