Finding a positive balance between work and life isn’t always easy, but finding this balance is important for both employees and employers. For employees, it’s a matter of not feeling burned out and having sufficient time to enjoy the life they have worked to build. And for employers, studies show that companies benefit when employees feel that their work life and personal life are properly balanced – because employees feel more fulfilled on the job and correspondingly, are more productive.

Find good balance at work

Although your schedule may be filled with meetings and all those projects you must get done, trying to do everything yourself as quickly as possible will only overwhelm you. We encourage our employees to embrace the team environment that we have at Advance Financial. This means leaning on your team members by using their skills and expertise to help complete projects in the best way possible. This allows you to be more efficient at work, so you won’t need to bring work home with you.

Also, if you’re having an issue or you have questions, talk to your supervisors or fellow team members – don’t just carry the weight alone. Communication is key in our company culture because we want to make sure every employee gets the support they need to complete their jobs and maintain a positive attitude in the workplace.

Find good balance at home

With the email app on our phones, it can be tempting to keep checking it, even on the weekend. Our advice is to turn off email notifications and put your phone down during your time away from work.

Use that time to be with loved ones, doing activities that you enjoy. You can also use your personal time to stay healthy and focus on wellness. Go for a run, meditate or play a sport – anything that helps you to clear your head and be active. You can even make it a family activity so that you are keeping yourself healthy and spending quality time with your family at the same time.

Studies also show that volunteering and contributing to the community makes people feel better. The phenomenon – called the “Happiness Effect” – is the reason Advance Financial decided to build 40 hours of volunteering time into each employee’s schedule. Not only can they volunteer on their own time, but they are paid to continue that kind of work. This is a great way to keep you and your team healthy and happy – personally and professionally.

Remember, taking time for yourself, whether at work or during your own time, is always a good idea to maintain your health and wellbeing. As much as we wish we were, we’re not superheroes, so don’t expect yourself to be able to keep going and going as well as take everything that comes all on your own. By taking your needs into account and finding your sweet spot between work and life, you may find yourself walking around with a smile more often.