By Syd Herdle

As we approach a year of enduring the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of folks hitting the “pandemic wall” have circulated the news in recent days. The weight of working from home/on the front lines, the varying economy and a lack of social interaction has really started taking a toll on folks if it had not been already.

Unsurprisingly, these factors and more have made it hard for many of us to retain a healthy work-life balance. Those of us who work from home may find it difficult to turn off work mode since we almost never leave home, and those of us who work out and about may be too stressed out and tired by the end of the day to do much else.

To curb that, here are some ways to help re-attain a healthy work-life balance in these troubling times:

Revive an old hobby (or pick up a new one)
No thanks to the pandemic, a lot of the fun events, festivals and activities we would normally enjoy outside of work have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely. The one upside to such a situation, though, is we can now make time for hobbies we may not have had time for before.

For me, part of that involved getting back into the music scene. I have been a drummer for more than half my life, but I took a step back from practicing and performing while in college to pursue several career opportunities. Now that I am graduated and stuck at home when not working, I have been able to find my groove and more time to practice again.

Finding new hobbies to enjoy is also awesome. My sister recently took up crocheting, and now she spends a lot of her time crocheting various small, stuffed animals (a Japanese art called amigurumi) when she needs a break from her schoolwork. They are so cute!

Invest in some self-care
The beautiful thing about self-care is it offers a variety of ways that can help relieve stress, boost your mood and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It can range from exercising and eating a balanced diet to mediating, getting enough rest and taking a mental break when needed.

The physical activity I encounter in my job ranges from sitting at my desk all day to carrying heavy loads of photography equipment for hours on end, so I incorporate strength training and running in my routine to keep my strength and endurance up. Eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep in turn gives me the fuel and rest I need to get through a workout routine and the rest of my work day.

When that is not enough though, taking a mental health day to relax, unwind and enjoy whatever you enjoy without having to worry about work or school can be beneficial to the soul. Use that PTO, people!

Find time for your community and relationships
This one is easier said than done since we rarely see each other in-person anymore but doing little things such as holding a Zoom happy hour with your best friends every so often or participating in a volunteer opportunity when it pops up can be great ways to engage your friendships and lend a helping hand to your community.

Of course, you can also keep your eye out for fun virtual events and social distance-friendly volunteer opportunities hosted by FLEX to do so.

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) February 2021 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.