It’s often advised that to love your life, you should “work hard and play hard”. In other words, neither work nor play alone will be fulfilling. But the hours in a day, as well as human energy, are limited, so how are you supposed to make equal room for work and play? These simple practices are a guide to creating the most satisfying balance between the two:

• Realize that working and living don’t have to be opposites
  If you don’t like your job, then all of the time you spend working will feel tedious and never ending. You’ll spend those hours wishing you could do something else. But if you find a job that you love doing, your work and your life will feel integrated; the line between the two will blend, creating a natural balance. If you love your job, “work” won’t be a dirty word, and you can embrace it as a part of your life. Of course you’ll still want to take time off to relax and unwind, but you won’t feel desperate for it in the way you would in a job that you hate. Now, if you do hate your job, don’t worry. Today is the day you can start taking baby steps towards finding work that you love. Do three small things today towards finding a new job, and then take the rest of the night off to do something fun, whatever that means to you.
   
• Remember: balance and equality aren’t actually the same thing
  Work and play should be balanced in your life, but that doesn’t mean they need to take up equal amounts of your time. The amount of hours you spend doing what you consider work and what you consider play should be what feels right for you. Maybe you’ll find that six hours of work and three hours of chilling out feels like the perfect balance, or maybe you’ll find that the opposite is what allows you to thrive. For some, a sense of balance will come from committing to work all week and using the weekends for adventure and downtime. The point is, you can and will find balance without having to divide your time into equal parts.
   
• Set boundaries
  Many of us have the very common habit of people pleasing. We end up saying “yes” to our coworkers and our friends/family, even when we simply don’t have the time or bandwidth. As a result, we ultimately waste time that could be used towards living a fulfilling life! Try saying “no” when a request doesn’t work for you, or even just, “I need to think about it.” Pausing to think about your honest answer helps you to make the choice that is best for you and your life.
   
• Pay attention to your own energy cycles
  Nobody feels energized and focused throughout the entire day. Our energy works in cycles, and if you pay attention to yours, you’ll notice what times in the day you do your best work. Schedule your day according to your energy, with your more difficult tasks during your peak energy hours. When your energy starts to fade, use that time to take a break and practice self-care, whatever that means to you.

Living your ultimate ‘work hard/play hard’ lifestyle doesn’t mean worrying about cramming both into every day of your life, or even every week. Sometimes you’ll benefit from working extra hard, sometimes you’ll get the most out of your time by working less. Focus on these tasks  to make sure your priorities are being met, then go ahead and enjoy that sweet sense of balance.