Finding balance in life is a challenging task alone, so creating a work-life balance can be a bit of a journey. Unfortunately, so many people battle with maintaining harmony between work and life, and when the stressors of social spheres and home life come into play, better practices must be the reaction.
Nathaniel Mell, the founder and CEO of a ceramic design and manufacturing studio named Felt+Fat is based in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. The busy nature of the city combined with his business’ success makes creating a work-life balance a necessity. Mell suggests these seven ways to help anyone trying to produce a work-life balance.
- Self-care
Practicing self-care is the number one thing to start with when creating a work-life balance. Failing to take care of emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing can result in depression, anxiety, or escaping from said issues through overworking. Putting health first will make both working and living a much more enjoyable experience.
- Better Time Management
Setting aside time with family or friends during the workweek can seem complicated when time management is out of the picture. Some of the biggest reasons people cannot find light in a work-life balance are poor time management and lack of boundaries on work hours. It is critical to balance time and use of time at work and in life to find overall balance.
- Imperfect is Perfect
Good news! It is impossible to find the perfect balance between work and life. Why? Life is unpredictable; we cannot anticipate moments at work or in life, and there are moments where we fall short of perfection due to human nature. Understanding that there is no labeled ideal harmony to achieve while finding balance, only realistic options, will cut frustrations during the creation process.
- Learn to Separate Work and Life
Establishing a mental separation between work and life is vital to learn how to divide the two. If work is constantly being brought home or time at work is spent socializing rather than being productive, then developing a balance between the two will be extremely difficult.
- Practice Healthy Transitions
After learning how to separate work and life, it is time to practice healthy transitions from one to the other daily. A healthy switch includes not being afraid to unplug from the rest of the world to master the task at hand. Learning how to detach for a while from everything, including social life, work, and other ties to the world helps cut stress and boost recovery, too.
- Find a Solid Support System
Sometimes, advocating for personal needs at work or in life can be a larger pill to swallow. It is good to build a solid support system that you see as a safe place to help fill in the need for accountability. Being held accountable for balancing work and life will build up personal confidence to take on responsibilities, like speaking up for self needs that you might not have practiced before.
- Prioritize Work-Life Balance
It is crucial to prioritize work-life balance the same way a responsible person prioritizes finances. People are more likely to succeed in their goal when that goal and its necessary steps are in the top things to address daily.
About Nathaniel Mell
Nathaniel Mell is the founder and CEO of Felt+Fat, a ceramic design and manufacturing studio serving both professional and at-home chefs. Nate Mell started the Philadelphia-based company in 2014 after graduating from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and working at the world-renowned Philadelphia Clay Studio.
