Looking to find work-life balance in London? Whether you’ve just started living the 9-5 life in the city or are simply a seasoned working Londoner in need of a change, here’s how to find work-life balance in the capital and beyond.
This article was made in partnership with Brookfield Properties and the 2022 Art of the Workplace Study. All opinions are my own.
‘Work-life balance’ is one of those phrases that gets thrown around a lot. But what does it actually mean?
These past few months, I’ve been working with Brookfield Properties to get to the heart of what it means to not only find balance in the workplace but to love where you work, specifically through art.
But first, a little on why work-life balance matters, especially in London. And my personal tips on how we can make the most out of our working life in the capital.
How to Find Work-Life Balance in London
What is Work-Life Balance?
Before we start shouting about work-life balance, we should probably know the definition.
According to Oxford Dictionary work-life balance is:
the division of one’s time and focus between working and family or leisure activities
Although it’s hard to grasp as a most-likely career-striving Gen-Z/Millennial living in London with a never-ending to-do list, work-life balance is not only important but 1000% necessary not only to maintain our mental health (and sanity) but to be a better worker too.
Top Tips for Work-Life Balance Living in London
Incorporate mindfulness in your mornings BEFORE your 9-5 starts
It’s hard to feel work-life balance if your life revolves around work from the moment you wake up.
There’s a golden hour between when you rise and before you have to get ready for your workday that holds the space and time you need to add peace and mindfulness to your day before it gets hectic.
Whether this means spending a few minutes journaling, meditating, in light exercise, or simply allowing yourself the luxury of a slow morning, it’s been proven that your workday is largely determined by how you start your mornings.
Schedule your free time (and friend time) in London like you do meetings
For my fellow type-A Londoners, you probably don’t need to be told to be on top of things when it comes to your work life.
If there’s a meeting, it’s in the calendar. If you’ve got a big project deadline, best believe it’ll be there fresh on Monday morning. But why don’t we put the same energy into our personal lives?
A big part of work-life balance is being intentional with how and where we spend our time.
If you’re noticing you don’t have time for the things you really care about, take a hard look at your calendar and begin to add in free time and friend time like you would meetings.
Not only will you create a better work-life balance for yourself, but you’ll finally have the time to explore new hobbies and friendships that can add to your overall well-being too.
Set boundaries with your working hours
Did you know it’s illegal to email your employees after working hours in France?
Compare that to the 24/7 WhatsApp working culture of London, and it’s easy to see why work-life balance is so hard to achieve in the capital.
Like NYC, London is a city that never sleeps. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
In work and in life, make sure you set clear boundaries when it comes to your communication and availability.
Especially if you’re in more of an entry-level position, it can seem daunting to ask your manager not to send you 3 paragraphs on the weekend for something that could’ve been a Monday email. But it’s imperative for you to achieve the work-life balance you deserve.
Have at least one no-work day a week
In an ideal world, weekends would truly be for not working. But as any side-hustler or generally busy Londoner will tell you, weekends usually mean work too.
Now sometimes, this is inevitable. For example, while I was working my 9-5 before going full-time on Candace Abroad, weekends were the only time I had to really work on my business and grow it into what it is today.
But if I could go back and change anything, it would definitely be making myself take one rest day a week.
News flash, humans can’t be robots. If you spend your life on ‘go, go, go’ there will be repercussions.
Whether it’s burnout, poor productivity, or simply just being too tired to enjoy your life after you end your workday, the consequences of not resting will never be worth it. Always give yourself a day.
Connect with Art in the Workplace
Art in London doesn’t just affect your mood when you’re out exploring the city but in the workplace too.
This year Brookfield Properties and The School of Life did an excellent study on how art in the workplace affects us, and its forever changed how I think about being a working Londoner.
Although working from home has its pros, there are many Londoners that prefer going to the office and say that working from home has made it more difficult to have a work-life balance (especially with the size of London flats where it can be difficult to feel that separation).
Outside of being one of the world’s top real estate developers, Brookfield Properties is on a passionate mission to transform the places we rush (i.e – our offices) into places we linger, gather, and seek out.
The Art of the Workplace study surveyed 3000 workers nationwide, including 1000 Londoners, who work two-four days in the office to find out what truly makes a better working environment. And the results are well worth implementing for yourself.
The Office Redrawn – The first and sad thing the study found was that 60% of employees feel disengaged from the workplace. Does this include you?
If it does, then the answer is beauty. In the words of Elaine Scarry:
“Beauty is contagious, the more we see it, the more we wanto to create it.”
Brookfield’s London Summer Art Trail was a cultural art walking trail committed to providing welcoming community spaces to the public and highlighting local artists in London to give them a platform to showcase their work in the summer of 2021. Check out my visit!
By having or creating an enriched office space for yourself, you can be re-inspired by your work. On your employer’s side, this includes making sure there are cultural, social and wellbeing events in the office. Something that 69% of Londoners agreed have contributed to their wellbeing.
Uncomfortable Truths – Whether we like it or not, a good or bad office experience does affect our mental well-being for better or for worse.
Luckily we have the data now to prove that a good office in 2022 means relaxation and well-being spaces, outdoor and green spaces, and good design to meet workers’ mental and physical needs (this applies to working from home too). In other words, aesthetics matter.
On the flip side, bad office design not only limits productivity but can even increase stress among workers.
Delineation of Home and Office – Despite what we may assume, 62% of workers prefer working in an office to at home; this rises to 75% in enriched office spaces.
When it comes to work-life balance, the office provides a great barrier between the two. And there’s just something about the experience of face-to-face connection that Zoom calls just can’t cut. So, if you’re looking for work-life balance in the city — it just might be time to give heading back to the office a go.
In the words of Dr. Craig Knight:
“Research has shown that there is no trade-off between wellbeing and productivity. The two variables correlate positively.”
Final Thoughts on How to Find Work-Life Balance in London
Achieving work-life balance is easier said than done.
But by incorporating mindfulness into our mornings, scheduling free time like meetings, setting boundaries with our working hours, having at least one ‘no-work’ day a week and of course, connecting with art in the workplace — we can all be a little closer to living our best London life, one day at a time.
A special thanks to Brookfield Properties for helping me think of work-life balance in a new way. Until next time…
Happy Londoning,
