Insights gathered from Key Speakers’ roster of leading authorities on stress & life balance

It’s a common misconception that in order to have a comfortable work-life balance, we need to sacrifice our productivity. In reality, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth. The elusive goals of “work-life balance” and “peak productivity” actually are more intertwined than you would think! Read on to discover three tips for achieving your highest potential and leading a balanced lifestyle in the process that you can implement TODAY.

Insights gathered from Key Speakers’ motivational speakers roster of leading authorities on Stress & Life Balance.

1. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY—AND ORGANIZE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY AROUND WHAT IT TELLS YOU

Some of us just aren’t morning people, and that is OK! Studies show that genetically and evolutionary, our body clocks are all different. Mammals and early humans learned to sleep only when other members of their tribe were alert and able to keep watch, so each adult member in the group had widely different sleep schedules. So, if you’re a chronic snooze-button hitter… thank your ancestors and genes.

So, what can you do to work with your circadian rhythm instead of fighting it? Organize your work patterns around what your body is telling you. If you know your mind isn’t clear until at least 10 AM, start your morning with smaller, less thought-intensive tasks. As a Navy SEAL motivational speaker, David Rutherford goes over this kind of stuff. If you do happen to be a morning person (lucky you!) get to work early and crank out the hard stuff early in the day. Working intuitively with your body leads to less stress overall and a more productive workday—which leads to a more balanced life.

2. DON’T FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MIND

We all know and are reminded the importance of taking care of our bodies through diet and proper nutrition, but what is habitually forgotten in wellness discussions is the proper care of our minds and mental health in the workplace. Consider practicing mindfulness throughout your workday. Commit to scheduling a short midday break every single day to check in with how you’re feeling and analyze any feelings of anxiety or self-doubt. Take it one step further and consider educating yourself in meditation and breathing techniques.

If you feel like your company’s culture is not conducive to a mindful working environment, try bringing in an expert like Pandit Dasa to show your team the benefits of practicing mindfulness in the workplace. Mindfulness is proven to improve work-life balance, improve productivity, and reduce stress. A lot of healthcare speakers go over this.

3. BE REALISTIC IN YOUR PURSUIT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Try to be like the tortoise on your journey to work-life balance and peak productivity. Realize that lifestyle shifts take time, and that drastic changes are proven to not last. Remember that New Year’s resolution to go to the gym five times a week that didn’t make it past February? Our point exactly.

Commit to smaller positive lifestyle changes. It may not be feasible to work five hours less a week, but it is feasible to put your laptop down when you get home from work and banish yourself from Outlook from the hours of 5pm-8am.

Moreover, realize it is realistic that a certain level of stress will always be a factor in your life. Speaker Dave Caperton explains how to have a healthy understanding of stress and how to embrace it in order to lead a more balance and fulfilled life.

These tactics and mindsets can help you begin a new chapter of your life right now—a chapter of skyrocketing productivity and improved work-life balance.