This article comes from Entrepreneur.

Adopt These 12 Habits for a Better Work-Life Balance

However, it’s still true that “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” You need a work-life balance. Here are 12 habits you can use to create it:

1. Understand what “balance” means.

Stand straight up with your feet a little way apart. Now, lean over significantly to the right. Are you still standing? I hope so! You haven’t lost your balance — even though your right foot is taking significantly more weight. This just goes to show that “balance” doesn’t mean “equal.” Sometimes, either work or your personal life takes more weight, depending on what’s going on at the moment — and that’s OK.

2. Let go of fear.

To develop a healthy balance between work and life, you have to first let go of the fear that, if you’re not working, your company will fail. When you’ve done a day’s work, let it go, rest and try again tomorrow. The sky will not fall on you — even if you’ve left several items unchecked on your to-do list.

3. Schedule important personal activities.

Things such as exercise, date nights with a spouse and more can quickly fall by the wayside if they aren’t purposefully scheduled. Block out your calendar for important personal events, and you’ll find they happen as they should. It can be tough to remember in the middle of a stressful business moment, but they’re just as important as any meeting.

4. Set boundaries.

If customers or colleagues think it’s OK to call you at 11 p.m. if they need something, they will. Set firm boundaries around when you are, and aren’t, available. Doing so will help you relax when you’re off the clock and avoid burnout, while also helping others avoid unmet expectations.

If you’ve previously kept an open door policy at all hours of the day, shifting to a more limited availability can be frustrating to people who are used to having continuous access to you. Notify them of your schedule changes in a professional manner and reiterate that limiting your availability will improve your ability to meet their needs more effectively when you are “on the clock.”

5. Think carefully about where you live.

Warren Buffett told MBA students a few years ago that the reason he chose to live in Omaha — rather than New York or other cities closer to the financial scene — was because Omaha helped him maintain a more balanced life. Even if you can’t choose your city, you can choose your neighborhood. Do so with your ideal work-life balance in mind.

6. Turn off technology.

With smartphones and increasing demands on workers, we now live in an “always-on” culture. However, you have power over your devices. Be intentional about turning them off (not just on silent) and taking technology breaks. It will help you tremendously by keeping you more focused during your productive periods.

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