Work Hard to Have More Fun

“Work hard and have fun.” It is likely that you have heard someone say this to excuse a weekend celebration after a long work week, and while that may occasionally be the case, there are some valid arguments for why it helps us lead a worthwhile lifedata-style.

Note: This article is based on the work of Hunter Meine, a graduate of Bering University (BYU-Idaho), who tells us about his experience in organizing time between work and rest.

A 2016 study of university students revealed that those who strive to work hard to achieve their goals also desire fun and entertainment and set aside time for it, in contrast to students who spend their time in social and entertainment clubs and put off their homework so they throw parties one after the other.

Instead, these students found great success and enjoyment by making a strong effort to pursue academic and recreational activities. You will enjoy more of your free time, be less stressed about work, and have more  time to spend with your loved ones when you put a lot of effort into working hard.

Important tips for achieving a balance between hard work and leisure

Here are some tips for achieving a work-fun balance:

1. Start Your Day Early

You will lose a lot of time you would have spent with your kids if you do not finish work until around 6 p.m. and they get home from school between 4 and 5 p.m. If you do not have kids, you lose out on time every day that you could be spending on hobbies or other enjoyable activities to relieve the stress from work. Getting your day started a little earlier is one simple solution to both of these issues.

Even though not everyone can rise early, the advantages of morning productivity are definitely worthwhile. For remote workers, getting up 15 minutes earlier than the kids during summer vacation may be the time when you get the most done throughout the day.  For those who commute to work every day, taking a little extra time to work out and eating a healthy breakfast will help you feel motivated and give you plenty of energy.

Naturally, having a good night's routine is essential for a productive morning. If you are used to staying up all night, you cannot expect to wake up energized and excited. Utilize your calendar to balance your daily and nightly schedules so that you get the sleep you require and can maintain a routine that is most conducive to your well-being.

2. Set Time to Work

Being able to distinguish between work and personal time is getting harder as more people choose to work from home.  The disadvantage of working from home is that there are more distractions than in an office environment, which can lead to more leisure time and less work time, so it is crucial to understand how to balance the two and keep them apart whenever possible.

If you have never tried it, set deadlines for yourself. Challenge yourself to finish that report by 3 p.m. rather than spending the entire day on it; this way, you will have more time to accomplish other tasks in the final two hours of your shift. Both office workers and remote workers who want to optimize their time can benefit from this strategy.

With deadlines, you will be less likely to put off tasks and spend hours getting them done. You will not have to take your laptop to your son's basketball game or send a few emails during family dinner.

3. Be Smart About Your Break Time

Working hard does not require skipping daily breaks; quite the opposite, in fact. Your mind and body can recover and maintain productivity over extended periods of time by taking regular, scheduled breaks.

The difficult task is to keep your breaks under control, as it can take more than 20 minutes to regain focus after just one distraction, which will cause your breaks to last longer than you had intended. Although distractions can occur at any time, your guard against them decreases during a break, making you more likely to fall into their trap.

While it is acceptable to browse social media or watch game highlights during your break, you should be cautious so that you do not lose control and end up losing a whole hour. Therefore, schedule your breaks in advance using your calendar so that you are aware of their start and end times in advance and do not forget yourself.

4. Stay Organized

If your workspace and workflows are unorganized, you will waste a lot of time and become less productive. You will only slow down as a result of the ten minutes you spend looking for a document or trying to create a password. These brief intervals add up quickly and can waste several hours of productive, valuable work time each week.

Start organizing your time. A calendar is undoubtedly the best tool for organizing your schedule and meetings. You will not experience an unexpected hitch in your plans if all deadlines, meeting times, and phone calls are properly scheduled.

Check out your work environment after that. Does your file system need to be updated because it is old? Do you frequently rely on memory to the point where you overlook crucial information? Look for solutions that will keep your business running smoothly without any hitches slowing you down.

5. Find the Reason

What motivates you to go to work each day? Is it for your family's support? Are you creating a resume and portfolio in an effort to land the job of your dreams? Whatever your "reason" may be, hold fast to it and use it as motivation to work hard every day.

Many people look forward to the weekend in the hopes of having some fun and relaxing.  However, this motive will not give them much more than that, as many people who adopt this mindset will end up dragging their feet until Thursday afternoon, accomplishing very little in the process.

Stick to the "reason" because it is more advantageous, and this way, you can enjoy your free time as much as everyone else without feeling guilty knowing that you have accomplished a lot while pursuing bigger goals than weekend trips. Utilize your calendar to find a balance between work and fun time so you can get your work done and fully appreciate your free time, as work and fun time should not compete with one another.”