Digital tools achieve for us work-life balance. With the appropriate technology for our needs, we are able to finish our tasks faster. Since digital tools deliver results faster, there is more time for our interests outside of the office.
Work-life balance is good for our health and wellness. It brings us more joy, allows us time to personally manage our lives and to spend time with the people who matter to us the most.
There are uncountable tips and life hacks on how we can achieve work-life balance. From simply carving off certain blocks of time to dedicate and spend time with the people we value to practicing productivity methods, such as the Pomodoro Technique and The Eisenhower Matrix, we try to become more efficient by integrating tools and practices into our lives. There are people who will even argue that it is about choosing between work and life, embracing which one we want more.
Technology, particularly digital tools, can significantly improve our work-life balance — we no longer have to sacrifice one just to be successful at the other. Our modern life is becoming more and more complex and it can be hard to maintain our equilibrium in life; nevertheless, technology continues to prove as an invaluable asset to achieve work-life balance. It improves work efficiency and equips us, enabling us to work smarter and be more productive resulting in a healthier personal life.
In the office, a strong work-life balance establishes a positive work environment, increases productivity, and improves employee retention. Outside the four walls of an office, some benefits are enhanced health and well-being, personal development, healthier relationships with family and friends, and a sense of fulfillment and contentment.
Here are some ways digital tools can improve work-life balance.
Remote work
Digital tools enable professionals to work remotely. Digital nomads are examples of professionals who enjoy work-life balance. As their name suggests, they are professionals who can do their job and be creative and productive anywhere in the world without having to physically report to an office or spend hours commuting. They are not tied to an office and can work from anywhere using their device and digital tools that enable them to accomplish their tasks.
Even if you are a full-time employee and not a digital nomad, doing your work outside of a traditional office can still have tremendous benefits. Working from a different location irregularly can be an excellent way to shake up your daily routine and boost creativity. Moreover, it improves work-life balance by granting you some time to unwind and relax on a regular basis.
Remote working requires digital tools, including communication and messaging tools, cloud storage, task and project management systems, and team management applications. To determine the right digital tools to use to support you as a remote worker, you can list down all your requirements to find and decide which digital tools meet your needs.
Approaching our tasks
Technology improves our lives by fast-tracking our processes and enabling us to finish our tasks faster. Particularly, digital tools assist us in becoming more productive not only in our professional lives but equally so in our personal lives. Therefore, we can see technology as a means to an end, because it helps us reach our goals faster. We utilize it to improve the way we approach the many aspects of our lives. By providing us with the right tools, technology enables us to balance our career and personal life.
Digital tools help us approach and deal with our tasks better, resulting in more time that we can use to invest in our personal growth. Therefore, you should find the most suitable digital applications you need based on the complexity and demands of your work.
If you manage several projects or accounts at the same time, you need to subscribe to a project management tool. For jobs that necessitate consistent communication with clients, you need to install messaging or video conferencing applications to your device. If you constantly manage paperwork, you can utilize an online document editor and e-signature applications. With the right digital tools, you will be able to deal with your tasks better, saving you time that you can use to focus on yourself.
Time management
A few decades ago, people in the office worked without using a computer or any digital tools. Some tasks took a long time to complete since while they face deadlines, the concept of time management was still unfamiliar with them. Today, computers and digital tools assist us in doing our tasks. They allow us to manage and spend our time wisely by equipping us with tools to accomplish our to-do list more efficiently. When we are able to manage our time properly, it results in the completion of our tasks faster so we can make room for our personal needs.
Self-improvement
We are all trying to hustle our way into becoming the most successful version of ourselves and digital tools can propel us to the path of self-improvement and guide us until we attain our personal goals. From applications that help us budget and manage our finances wisely to healthcare-related tools, digital tools are a great source of encouragement. They push us not only to be smart and innovative professionals but also to be people who value themselves.
While digital tools promote workplace wellness, we also need self-care applications that can help us tackle our personal needs in the different yet equally important areas of our lives — physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
We have to start seeing digital tools as necessary daily tools that improve our lives and help us achieve work-life balance and not merely see them as additional, recurring expenses. The benefits significantly outweigh the costs of acquiring them. Moreover, there are digital tools that are free to use. Digital tools, when used properly, add value and empower us to be better professionals and individuals. Moreover, we should not hesitate to try those that can potentially improve the way we approach our career and personal life. You can start by researching digital tools that you think would work for you and after thoughtful consideration, you may try them.