Seeking a healthy, work/life balance has been on my mind a lot this year, especially now we are slightly more comfortable. Many people find striking this balance incredibly hard, and if you are reading this feeling that the balance isn't quite right you are most certainly not alone.
So many people find themselves torn between the pressures of work and personal life. We need to earn a living, now more than ever with the cost of living soaring, but we also want quality time for our partners, family, friends and ourselves. As they say, you can't pour from an empty cup - so how can you ensure that cup remains full?
Love what you do, do what you love
I am incredibly fortunate that I am in a career that I absolutely love. Even with the current pandemic, it has been the toughest year imaginable. I could not imagine being in another career. Teaching is most definitely where I'm supposed to be and heading out to work every weekday never feels a chore.
o what about if you are in a job that you just don't love? It would be very easy for me to sit here and say, look for an alternative. For many, this can be an impossible task. Perhaps you could pinpoint what it is that you're not loving? Maybe you need a change of position? Do you want to work less and move to part-time? If you are really unhappy and you have been thinking of a change in direction, and have the means to do so, then see this as. your sign - go for it!
Money Streams
Not having to solely rely on one income can help to alleviate income stress. I'm fortunate that 10 years ago I set up this blog, which now creates a good income, even a passive income through advertisement. Of course, I have to dedicate time to this little section on the web. But it again boils down to doing what I love and being strict with my time. There are many ways that you could generate a passive income;
Put your photography to work on the web - Convert your photography into an income, especially if this is something you get enjoyment from.Write an ebook - If writing if your thing or you have valuable knowledge - then share it! It is so easy to self publish these days.
Get cashback from credit cards -There are credit cards that provide cash-back rewards ranging anywhere from 1% to 5% of the amount purchased. You're going to be out shopping and buying anyway, right?
Sell resources - As a teacher, we are constantly creating resources to support our students learning and these resources can help support other teachers. You can easily sell your resources on sites such at TES & Teachers Pay Teachers.
Create a blog - If you have a passion and a love of writing then why not blog? As I said previously, my blog now generates a nice steady income that helps pay for days out and holidays.
Of course, there are many more and they can all be completely personal to you and your circumstances and even your hobbies.
Make Money work for you
This is something that I think is so incredibly important, but something I knew very little about until recently. In my 20s I was an awful saver. Partly because there never seemed to be much leftover, but also because I was completely useless! I have recently turned to investing, which initially seemed incredibly daunting but after taking the plunge I was so happy to see great returns. Traditional savings accounts just never did anything with my money - except it sitting there. Now, with my investment account, I have almost doubled my savings. Of course, there is always a risk but there are some great resources out there to support you with your investment portfolio. There is also cryptocurrency, which I am currently looking into and whilst relatively new, can yield huge rewards - particularly as it is in its infancy. Sites like AQRU, can help you with reinvesting in crypto, and I am certainly going to be trying to create passive income from ethereum.
Set aside time for you
Another huge part of balance is ensuring that in your time outside of work it is filled with things that bring you joy. Whether that is spending time with family, exercising, making time for hobbies or even pottering around the garden - ensure you make time for it. I enjoy taking advantage of the slower pace of life when I'm outside of work and have written all about my love of slow mornings for busy mums here.
I would love to hear how others seek to find the perfect balance between work and life, so feel free to start a discussion below.
K Elizabeth xoxox
*Collaborative Post
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