Easily Achieve A Better Work-Life Balance with Sunsama

Work-life Balance. This phrase gets tossed around a lot in today's society, but is there really a way to achieve a happy work-life balance? Many people find it tough to juggle their professional responsibilities and personal time and while many want a better mix between work and personal life, it hasn't been easily attainable.

The good news is, I have a solution for us online business owners and that’s where Sunsama comes in. This smart time management tool helps you organize your tasks while ensuring you don’t sacrifice your downtime.

This daily planner not only helps you get things done but also prompts you to make time for yourself. This concept is so important to Sunsama, that it is literally part of their slogan. So yes, you can achieve a better work-life balance with Sunsama!

So let's dive into how Sunsama achieves what most other time management apps do not, but first:

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Understanding Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is the harmony between your professional responsibilities and personal life. It's about finding that sweet spot where your are productive at work and also fulfilled in your personal life. Sounds good good, right?!

The Importance of Work-Life Balance

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance offers a myriad of benefits. According to a 2022 study by Aviva, one of the UK's leading pension providers, more workers were attracted to their current role for the work-life balance (41%) than the salary (36%). Only 3 years prior, these numbers were reversed. The pandemic has majorly shifted how people value their time being spent.

European countries appear to be leading the fight for a better work-life balance. Just scroll social media for a while and you'll see numerous North Americans who have sold their belongings and headed to Europe in search of a simpler, less busy, lifestyle. Or at least that is what my algorithms show. Even in my small area of the world people talk about striving for that perfect balance.

So why is it so important? Here are some key points:

• Improved Mental Health: Balancing work with personal time reduces stress and anxiety. This, in turn, decreases the risk of depression.
  
• Increased Productivity: When you’re not overworking, your productivity actually improves. You’re more focused and energized.
  
• Better Relationships: Allocating time to your family and friends strengthens your relationships, which is a significant aspect of a fulfilling life.
  
• Enhanced Physical Health: Having time for exercise and rest contributes to better physical health, which is often neglected when overwhelmed by work.

These benefits show that finding that balance isn't just a perk; it's essential for a happy, healthy life.

Common Challenges to Achieving Balance

While the idea of work-life balance sounds perfect, it’s not always easy to achieve. Here are some common obstacles that people face:

1. Overworking: In an attempt to achieve more, you might often end up overworking. This leaves little time for personal activities or rest. Here are some tips for taking back your life if you're an overworker.
   
2. Digital Distractions: In the age of smartphones and constant notifications, staying focused can be tough. Digital distractions can eat into both your work time and personal time. Here are 25 tips to reduce digital distractions.
   
3. Lack of Boundaries: Not setting clear boundaries between work and personal life can lead to burnout.
   
   Setting times where you will not work is very important. It could be when you're at the park with your child there will be no phones so that you're completely present in the moment. Or eating dinner with your family
   
4. Societal Pressures: Sometimes societal expectations can create a false sense of urgency. The pressure to be constantly “on” can prevent you from taking necessary breaks.
   
5. Poor Time Management: Without proper planning, you might find yourself scrambling to meet deadlines at the last minute, causing unnecessary stress. Here are some great tips to increase your time management skills!

Understanding these challenges is the first step toward overcoming them. By being aware of what stands in your way, you can develop strategies to maintain a better work-life balance.

Facilitate a Work-Life Balance with Sunsama

First, if you're not familiar with Sunsama, please check out my 17 things I love about Sunsama post, how to use Zapier with Sunsama for easy integration between programs, and 2 methods for using Sunsama for social content scheduling.

Ok, so how can Sunsama help with creating a better work-life balance? It does so in a few different ways:

Guided Daily Planning

Sunsama has a feature called “Daily Planning” where you take a few minutes to plan out your day. I have noted in my setting that I don't want to work more than 6 hours, so as I get close to that mark, I'm going to be alerted.

On the left side of your screen, select “Daily Planning”.

Notice how in the print screen below my total time for the day is 5:45 and it's highlighted yellow. This is like a soft warning that I'm getting pretty close to my 6-hour limit.

After I press next, I get this screen that allows me to reallocate items. Notice that tomorrow my work time is highlighted red as I have over 11 hours of time scheduled for work.

There, I have re-planned today and tomorrow and I'm good to go (the daily time isn't highlighted yellow or red).

I know that next week still shows the 11 hour day. I think I'll break up that task into 4 separate tasks (the 4 subtasks) as I'm not going to finish creating a new course all the way to launch, in 1 day.

Identify Obstacles

OK, so you've got your tasks, now determine any obstacles and plan how you will mitigate them, then press “Get Started”.

Focus Mode

Now that your day is planned, let's get to work! Choose your task and set it Focus Mode (right-click on the task and choose “Focus”). Now start the timer and complete that task.

Work through your tasks until you've completed your tasks or you've used up your allotted time for today.

Don't feel bad if you haven't finished everything you wanted to, most people underestimate the time it takes to complete a task. This is one reason why people rarely complete all tasks assigned in a day.

The more you do this, the better your estimates will be, however, be flexible that the planned time is an estimate and therefore may not be your actual time spent.

Daily Shutdown

Ok, so you've finished all your tasks (or your allotted time is done) and now it's time to shut down. Choose “Daily Shutdown” from the left side menu. This will take you to the screen below to review your tasks.

Friends, this is my end-of-day dopamine hit! Look at that pretty colourful chart showing all I have accomplished!

Now take a moment to reflect on why today was a good day.

And that's it. Hit “Wrap up” and you're going to get this great message and your day is done!

Once you're at this point, you should be shutting down your computer and going off to live your best life outside of work, whatever that looks like for you!

Benefits of Using Sunsama for Work-Life Balance

Increased Productivity

Planning out your day increases your productivity, this is facts. There are so many people who don't even do this, so you're ahead of the game already! Planning your day allows you to:

1. Set Clear Goals: Each day, you can outline what needs to be done, making it easier to stay focused.
2. Prioritize Tasks: By ranking your tasks, you ensure that the most important things get done first.
3. Use Time Blocks: Allocate specific times to tasks, which prevents you from spending too long on one thing.

When you use Sunsama to structure your day, you might find that you get more done in less time. It’s not just about working harder; it’s about working smarter.

If you're looking for other ways to increase your productivity, check out this 46 Ways to Increase Your Productivity post.

Reduced Stress Levels

Did you know that better time management can lead to lower stress? It’s true. When you know what you need to do and have a plan to get it done. Using Sunsama to plan your day reduces stress by:

1. Planning Your Day: By planning your day, you avoid the chaos of last-minute rushes.
2. Realistic Scheduling: Sunsama helps you set achievable goals, so you’re not setting yourself up for failure.
3. Including Breaks and Downtime: Schedule breaks and personal time, ensuring you're not just working non-stop.

Seeing everything laid out clearly can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. Reducing overwhelm leads to less stress. With Sunsama, you’re in the driver’s seat, navigating your day with confidence and calm.

User Testimonials

It's pretty clear that I love Sunsama, but I wanted to show you that it's not just me. Other people love Sunsama too!

Nida Sea from Resume Realm

Nida is the founder of Resume Realm, which is dedicated to helping people find their best career path, whether it's a 9-5 position or starting their own small business. She started using Sunsama only a month ago and here’s how it is going:

Sunsama has truly transformed the way I manage my time. Before using Sunsama, my days were chaotic, and nothing significant was getting done in my business. But after just over a month of using Sunsama, I've found a healthy balance between work and life. I can now plan my week in advance, mapping out each day to meet my business goals. Sunsama also acts as a daily time audit, showing me where I spend my time and allowing me to make necessary adjustments. It has been a game-changer for my schedule and business, and I can't imagine going back to my old ways!  

Nida's story is a testament to how structured planning can free up your day and ease your mind. Interested in learning more about Nida's passion – join her Facebook Group: Resume Realm – Job Seekers & Career Pathways

E from Intentional E

E is the Founder of Intentional E which is a website dedicated to living your life intentionally. This blog truly inspires me to take a step back and remind myself to be intentional in my day. This concept is also mirrored in Sunsama, so it's perfect that she also loves this time management program.

What E has to say:

Sunsama is one amazing productivity and mindfulness tool. 

The intuitive features and seamless integration with Notion and Calendar create a streamlined space for everything. 

I love it’s mindful and intentional elements that allows me to be present for my family, while still achieving my blogging goals, and professional goals. It has truly empowered me to be more intentional with how I use my time and energy. 

These stories reflect just a few ways Sunsama can bring balance and harmony to your work and personal life!

Balance your Life with Sunsama

Managing your day shouldn't feel overwhelming. Sunsama makes planning your tasks straightforward and stress-free with the daily planning ritual, integration with other tools, focus time counter, and the daily shutdown ritual. Read my full review of Sunsama if you're looking for more information.

So, are you ready to try Sunsama? The good news is you can try Sunsama for free (no credit card required) for 30 days if you use this link. You will only give your credit card number if you decide to subscribe past the 30 days.

Then head over to the Facebook group and let me know if Sunsama was able to offer you a better work-life balance!