5 often underrated things you should always make time for

Wednesday October 04, 2017 , 3 min Read

There are only 24 hours in a day and you have to make every second count. It is easy to get immersed in work and forget that a world exists outside the four walls of your cubicle. However, if you want to lead a fulfilling life, you have to make time for things apart from work. You need to maintain a healthy work-life balance if you want to gain the best of both worlds. Don't just think about promotions – think about the people in your life too. When you spend time doing things that make you happy and relieve your stress, you find that there's more to life than just your 9-to-5 job.

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Here's a list of five things you should always make time for:

Yourself

What is it that you love doing? Find out what brings you inner joy and peace, and make time for it on a daily basis. Whether it is physical activities like swimming or mental activities like reading, carving out time for yourself should be your number one priority. Try to forget your office duties for half-an-hour every day and just focus on you.

Quality time with family

Your family will be by you no matter what happens. Spend time with your parents and siblings and create a strong bond with them. Sit at the dinner table with them and tell them how your day went. Spending quality time with people who love and support you unconditionally will motivate you to do your best in your career and in all walks of life.

Exercise

Let's face it – you're not going to stay young forever. Your body is going to age. While you can't prevent that, you can work hard to keep yourself fit. Nothing lowers a person's spirits quite like prolonged sickness. Enroll for a gym membership or go cycling as often as you can. Give up 45 minutes of scrolling through social media to rejuvenate yourself physically, and you'll be thankful for it in the long run.

Adventures with friends

Your friends are your backbone. Don't wait till you're 50 to make memories with them. Spontaneously plan trips with them, pack your bags, and leave for the adventure of a lifetime. Go sky-diving and bungee jumping with them. When you're old and senile, it's memories that will help you get by, not money.

Reading

There's a whole world out there that you can explore through books. Reading nourishes your mind and spirit, so do as much of it as you can. From fiction to non-fiction, try out every genre at least once. Just try to get lost in a story that's not yours. General knowledge on a variety of topics will also be a boost for your conversation skills.

Have you been ignoring one or all of the above-mentioned things in your quest for the next promotion? If so, remember, time is precious and limited. Spend it wisely.