In today’s world to save a little extra cash, widen our skills, or simply to work towards a professional goal, it’s common to see folks working multiple jobs. Of course, many people wonder how individuals with multiple jobs balance their professional and personal lives. It’s no different for the team here at Acorn. Many of us keep busy with pursuits outside of our indie games marketing agency. This article will cover how the Acorn team balances their workloads with their hugely important me-time.
Why is Work-Life Balance Important?
Achieving the balance between work and life certainly improves your quality of life. It’s not easy to achieve, as it requires discipline to keep up. We’re always pulled in multiple directions and sometimes saying yes to yourself means saying no to others. Getting the perfect equilibrium grants huge perks such as a lower risk of burnout, stress reduction and a greater sense of well-being. In short, balancing your work and private life is more about having flexibility in your day-to-day to get work done while still managing to have time for yourself. Time management is always best when we get the right things done, not just the most.
Before we get to how we manage our own work-life balance, here’s what our team does outside of Acorn.
The Side Hustle
At Acorn Games, almost all team members have a side-hustle of some kind. On the contrary to this being frowned upon, it’s actively encouraged as we see it as a great way to learn new skills, see the world from a fresh perspective and to add variety to our week. Even company director George has recently been assisting with the marketing strategy for a Brisbane coffee wholesaler as a passion project outside of gaming. Michael, the Social Media Manager, is a father who reviews puzzle games with a YouTube channel of his own on the side. Mayang, our Operations Manager, helps with her family business. Even I, Alika, am a Community Manager for an indie game company in my other life.
It may sound like a lot of work, as not all jobs can be done remotely. How can we maintain the balance?
Keeping The Work / Life Balance
Having multiple passions is highly rewarding, but can be mentally and physically draining, even if done remotely. Here are our impressions on developing a stable balance.
Create a routine.
Do you work for a job that requires most of your attention? Do you also need to remember to water your plants or take your dog on a walk? Or prepare dinner for your family? All of this sounds exhausting, but in order to manage all this, the best option is to create a routine for yourself. Personal time is important too.
An example is our social manager Michael, who has built a routine focusing around his Acorn responsibilities each day up to around 2pm, where he will then spend his afternoon with family. In the evening, he’ll work on his personal projects. Like Michael, once you establish a routine that works for you, you can fit in your responsibilities and stay productive for the day.
Accept that your work-life ‘balance’ may not be perfect.
Sometimes, even after you’ve established a routine and tried your best to stick to it, there will be things outside your control that will throw you off schedule. For example, suddenly needing to make an appointment, taking care of a sick family member or pet, or even a social engagement. This kind of situation can put a jeopardy on someone’s schedule.
It’s important to know that, as mentioned, work-life balance is more of having the flexibility to do work and live your life. Some days, work might take more of your time, or less on other days. Our work culture at Acorn is very much focused on personal trust. We know the team delivers what needs to be done, so we avoid looking over everyone’s shoulders or clock-watching. Some days are more productive than others and flexibility and trust should be a huge part of the modern workplace.
Pay attention to your health.
To be able to finish work and still have time for yourself, you must prioritize your health before anything else. Sure, work and family are important, but so are you. If you don’t take care of yourself, nothing can be done. Burnout is never an option.
Make sure to communicate with your employer if you’re feeling unwell! It’s important to keep them updated on your condition. In the meantime, get some rest! Work will still be there when you’ve recovered. We focus on the team spirit and work safe in the knowledge that sometimes helping others with their work means that we can offload some of our own, when we have too much on our plates.
Make time for yourself.
Like work, having time for yourself is equally important. Whether it’s to do your hobbies, play with your pets, or simply lie down and chill, it’s best to do what you want. Not only does it help to reduce stress, but it will also make you feel more refreshed and energized to tackle other challenges afterward. Doing nothing is doing something.
Everyone in the team needs time to wind down after a work day. George, for example, loves to go on a hike or cook during the weekends. Michael spares some time with his family every day. Alika is continuing her One Piece journey, or playing with her cats to recharge. Mayang loves to write short stories or play mobile games when she’s not working. We all have different ways to refresh after a long work day; how about you?
Set your boundaries.
Not all people can immediately set their boundaries when dealing with their employer. It’s important to know how much work you can do and stick to it so that you stay productive. If you keep saying yes to any work you’re asked to do, you’ll get burned out quickly.
George manages this by not promising what he can’t deliver. This goes for both clients and the internal Acorn team. By recognizing what he can or can’t do, George can keep clients happy with the expected work and results. All of this is also accompanied by effective communication with the team. In your own situation, always be open with your colleagues and employer. They want you to be happy so you can work at your best, and as with any relationship, communication is key.
Sources
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5244-improve-work-life-balance-today.html
https://www.coursera.org/articles/work-life-balance
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/work-life-balance