There was a time (when Ms. Chatterback was but a young girl) that the border between work and personal life was pretty clear cut. Stores closed at 5pm and weren’t open on Sundays at all so that employees could spend the day with their families. Not so in today’s 24-7 world. Today businesses are connected to customers around the clock either in person or online. Even major holidays are not off limits. Nowhere is this more present than in the customer service industry.

Achieving work-life balance these days is a lot more complicated. But, it is not impossible.

Experts on staff at the Mayo clinic conclude ‘When your work life and personal life are out of balance, your stress level is likely to soar.’

When the chaos seems too much use these real-world strategies to reinstate your sense of peace and regain your balance:

Get more sleep – Being tired affects your ability to think clearly and you’ll be off your game which could lead to poor decisions and could even put you in a physically dangerous situation.

Spend time with friends and love ones – Working all the time can cost you big. Not in dollars but in relationships, friendships and missed opportunities. The one thing you can never get back is time. Work is important, but so are the people you care about.

Time management – At work add 15 minutes to all your appointments to ‘pad’ your time and give you some breathing room. At home decide what really needs to get done around the house today. Run you errands in batches or do 1 or 2 loads of laundry on a work-night rather than saving it up and spending your whole day off doing housework. Take that day-off and have some fun!

Take good care of yourself – Nourish your body and spirit with delicious, healthy food, hydrate, get enough rest and participate in a physical activity that you enjoy – often. Better yet get a friend to join you.

Leave work at work – With today’s ultra-connected world it’s easy to bring work with you wherever you go…evenings, vacations, etc. Avoid the temptation to do this at all costs. Be mindful of creating a barrier between work-time and home-time.

Just say no! – Don’t say you’ll take on anything whether work related or a personal/family obligation out of guilt.  Say yes only to those things that are meaningful and satisfying to you.

Rally the troops –   At work, buddy up with someone who can cover for you…and vice-versa. At home, get loved ones to pitch in – even if you have to ask them every time. Get together with friends and cook your weekday meals en mass then reheat during the week. Get creative. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Things go better when friends and family help each other out.