For most, the juggle between work and life is a constant battle. Especially when children happen and your work expects you to be the same person but just with no sleep.

Achieving the elusive work-life-balance may seem like a distant dream but that’s only because you have the wrong mind-set. Your work-life-balance, much like your life, is ever shifting. The right balance for you will depend on whats happening on the outside. Experts say that a few small steps can go a long way towards staying sane at work and at home.

Here are 8 Steps to work-life-balance;

1. Learn your companies policies

There are there for you. Learn about flex-time, remote work. It is possible and more and more people are doing it. If you’re a strong performer, you have better chances of negotiating a win/win working arrangement

2. Use tech to your advantage

Tech can help make your life easier. Use useful tools to help manage you tasks but also ban it from personal time so you can focus on real life!

3. Communicate

If you need clear boundaries for family or personal time, communicate that. If you won’t be available at weekends, tell people you work with. People are humans after all.

4. Remote work

Remote working for even a few days a week can really save your mental health. Sometimes just the commute itself wastes valuable time. You’ll be able to focus on work for long stretches at a time and use the extra hours to meet personal responsibilities.

5. Saying No, is healthy

Respectfully declining is respecting yourself and your life. Don’t do anything out of guilt, you just don’t have the time!

6. Fight the guilt

People should not feel guilty for wanting to have a personal/family life! Come on! what are we robots, can you imagine a life that was just work, don’t feel guilty for wanting a better divide between life and work.

7. Rethink your idea of clean

Unmade beds or dust is totally acceptable. Get used to a little mess and spend more time doing the things you love. If you can afford it then outsource some help a few days a week.

8. Protect your private time

This means disconnect completely and don’t check your phone/emails. Be present. You have fought for and deserve this time make sure you use every single second.