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Balancing Professional and Personal Life: Digital Tools That Work For You

I shouldn’t have as much on my plate now that I’m not really working as such. But between staying involved with BISLN, catching up with the kids, journaling, and blogging, I somehow still find myself needing to map out my time. I don’t think I’m alone! In fact, I was recently chatting with someone who knew A LOT about digital tools that help balance professional and personal life. The post below shows how a few smart digital tools can make life a little easier and help us reclaim time for the things we love.

Young mum using laptop

The Modern Dilemma:Work-Life Balance

It seems that balancing work and personal responsibilities isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s a necessity. Did you know that according to a 2023 study by Gallup, 44% of workers reported feeling burned out at least sometimes, with poor work-life balance being a primary culprit? I didn’t! The pandemic, remote work, and technological advancements have intertwined work and life, making it harder to unplug. This is something I can resonate with. In fact, I have recently been doing some creative workshops looking at how and why we get burned out and how we can have time to be more creative and consequently more positive. I guess work-life balance tools can come into play, offering structured solutions to manage competing priorities.

Prioritising Your Day: Task Management Tools

I personally find that one of the first steps to achieving balance is organising my tasks. Tools like Todoist, Trello, and Asana help me break down overwhelming to-do lists into manageable chunks. I will always be grateful for NotesVilla, when I worked for them, for introducing me to Trello. Trello uses a simple board-and-card system to let you visualise tasks across personal and professional categories. It can be used to schedule big and small tasks, and it used to make me smile to mix in domestic duties and complex work projects. Both sat neatly side by side in my workflow.

I hadn’t heard of Notion, but it sounds great for those who prefer a minimalist approach. Notion combines task lists, calendars, and project management tools into a single app. With such tools, you can designate specific times for work and personal activities, reducing the chance of overlap. As someone with a very mushy head, I can see how this creates a clearer mind and fewer frantic moments wondering what I’ve forgotten and worrying about when it’s going to come back and bite me on the you know what!

Managing Time Effectively

I like to think that I’m efficient with my time, though I’ve recently learned multitasking doesn’t really exist. I can testify that when I have too much on, I get things wrong, so again I can see the value of time management tools. Apps like RescueTime and Clockify analyse how you spend your day, showing where your time goes. RescueTime, for example, can reveal you spent an hour mindlessly scrolling social media when you could have been doing something productive or enjoying reading a book. I was shocked to learn how much time I spend mindlessly flipping through social media posts—I believe the young people call it Doom Scrolling!

But time management isn’t just about cutting distractions. It’s also about scheduling effectively. Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook allow you to block specific time slots for focused work, family time, or self-care. I’ve got friends who even use time-blocking techniques, dedicating specific hours to tasks while avoiding multitasking. Research suggests multitasking reduces productivity by up to 40%, so focusing on one task at a time would really help me and, I think, could be my ticket to  using my time wisely.

Use Distraction Blockers

I’m terrible for always responding to whatever text or call has just arrived. I’ve found, however, that the most reliable way to avoid work creeping in and taking over your life is to learn how to protect yourself from distractions. Instead of answering every unimportant call, you can you use an app to record phone calls. Having learned how to use an iPhone call recorder with features, you will be able to analyse calls in more detail, prove the contents of dialogues, and quickly pass information to others. All you need to do is install Call Recorder for iPhone.

Staying Connected Without Overloading

Communication is key, but overcommunication can be overwhelming. Apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom are powerful tools for professional connectivity but can also encroach on personal time if not managed properly. Setting boundaries within these apps—like muting notifications after work hours or customising “do not disturb” settings—is crucial. I’ve actually recently deleted a couple of these types of apps. There’s nothing wrong with them, but I just found I didn’t need them and even having them on my phone was a kind of overload!

For personal connections, tools like WhatsApp and Signal help maintain close relationships, allowing you to share updates, photos, or quick messages with loved ones without sacrificing too much time. WhatsApp is my go-to—I don’t know how I’d manage without my ‘family’ chat.

Financial and Life Management Tools

I hate thinking and talking about money, but my friend reminded me that I should! Work-life balance extends beyond tasks and time—it also involves financial stability and overall life organisation. Tools like Mint, YNAB (You Need a Budget), and Personal Capital help track expenses, set budgets, and plan for long-term financial goals. I guess it would be good to know my finances are in order. I hereby pledge to not just blog about these tools but to actually use them!

On the life management front, I find apps like Evernote or Google Keep are lifesavers. From jotting down grocery lists to brainstorming ideas for my writing projects, they keep everything in one place. I know some people love post-its for this, but I personally like to be a bit more organised.

A Balanced Future

The pursuit of balance isn’t about perfection. It’s about finding tools and strategies that align with all of your goals and values. By leveraging digital tools—task managers, time trackers, wellness apps, and communication platforms—you can navigate the demands of modern life with greater ease. I think the key is to not let the tools themselves become overwhelming, so pick and choose from this list.

When my friend told me to remember, work-life balance isn’t a destination; it’s a journey, I nearly spluttered out my coffee. It seems impossible to have a conversation without it being some kind of ‘journey’ these days! My husband has banned the word from our house! I can see, though, how creating work-life balance is about progress, not perfection, and small steps add up over time. Start with one tool, implement it consistently, and watch how it reshapes your routine. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to work—it’s to live.

Balancing professional and personal life may never be effortless, but with the right digital tools, it can certainly be achievable. I guess ultimately, it’s not about getting everything done—rather it’s about cherishing the things you love. For one moment, I thought I was going to write a whole sensible post without getting cheesy! Thank goodness I didn’t manage it!

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