Nowadays, company culture matters. When Brightwork was founded by Amanda just two years ago, one of her core values was prioritizing – and genuinely caring about – each individual that joined her team. Work-life balance isn’t just something she just talks about, but she practices it herself and has created a place where her employees can too. If you’re struggling to find or create a company that upholds work-life balance, read on for tips to make it happen.

What Brings You Joy
Research indicates that you will spend the majority of your life at your job. To avoid burnout in your career, find what brings you joy personally. Why? You need to seek balance in your life in order for your work to be outstanding and to feel like you’re not slave to your job. Employees are at their best if they can enjoy life outside the office as well as during the workday.

Get Up Early
Not everyone is an early morning person, we get it. But, getting ahead of the day before the phones are ringing or your email inbox is dinging is key to not feeling overwhelmed. Take time to prioritize not only on your to-do list, but to reflect on your goals, both personal and at work. This step can help you focus on what is most important. In the quiet hours of the morning, investing in yourself is one of the best returns for your time.

Plan Your Week
Amanda encourages her employees to take time to plan. Before you leave the office on Friday or on Sunday night, plan your week out. Decide what times you plan to exercise, hold meetings, work on specific projects at the office, and more importantly, spend time with family and friends. You need to have a clear understanding and expectation of whether you are going to be drained by the week ahead or if you’ll have enough time to relax and have fun. Looking forward will give you time to make the necessary adjustments to avoid burnout.

Pursue Your Passions
Whether your interests lie in exercise, sports, traveling, cooking, reading or other opportunities, pursing how you like to spend your time outside of the workplace is key to overall happiness. When you decide to prioritize yourself, you’ll find a healthier life-balance overall. To achieve this type of lifestyle, look for firms that align with your values.

Lunch Breaks Aren’t Necessarily For Lunch
Plan to eat lunch at your desk while you work and turn your lunch hour into an opportunity to focus on your personal needs. Spend time at the gym, take a walk outside or listen to mediation. Utilize your time wisely to help you refresh your day. It’s okay to take a break.

Practice Gratitude
While striving to complete your goals, do you take a moment to reflect on what you already have? A study found that those who take time to write down what they’re grateful for find more fulfillment within their day. Consider adding this practice to your morning or evening routine to help focus on what you’re thankful for and what is important to you, and we guarantee it will improve your overall outlook.

Balancing Life
We cannot stress enough the importance of having a positive work-life balance. While it can be a struggle to hit the right note, it is essential to have an employer that supports and also pursues this lifestyle. At Brightwork, we offer Flex Fridays where fulltime employees can work from home. Not only does this allow the opportunity to get a few personal things done at home (like a load of laundry) while working, it provides the chance to complete projects that require all of your attention, without the distraction of coworkers.

Goals, Goals, Goals
At Brightwork, we encourage our employees to create personal and professional goals as we believe that personal growth leads to professional growth and vice versa. When it comes to your goals, find a quiet time to regularly review them, such as weekly. One tip is to journal or to have your goal written out somewhere that you’ll see it every day, to remind yourself of what you are working towards.

Don’t Let Your Fears Keep You Away From Your Purpose
You want to love what you do professionally in and outside the office. There is no need to feel trapped in your job because it currently pays your bills. Prioritize your needs, goals and wants early on, so your work-life balance stays in check.