Finding a balance between work life and personal life can be a challenge for career-driven women. If you have a corporate job you love, it’s easy to pour your heart, soul, and every waking hour into it. Or, if your job is lack-luster, it’s probable that you are pursuing a passion project, forcing you to work late nights and on weekends. And that’s wonderful—you should give it your all. But whether your career is your life or you have a “side hustle” when your day job is done, the key to joy inevitably lies in balance.

Our bodies and minds can only handle so much work and pressure, and though we may love what we do, if our work becomes our life, we will eventually burn out mentally… or even burn bridges with those we love. But the good news is that by being proactive about balance early on, you can become even more effective at work.

How is one to reach such illustrious heights in work/life balance? The keys are simple yet powerful for both the Corporate Career Girl and the Passion Project Entrepreneur.

1. Log off e-mail.

Corporate Career Girl:

That’s right, I said it. Step away from the blinking red Blackberry light at home. Silence your iPhone. Vibrate doesn’t count. Unless your boss demands that you be available at all hours of the day, turn off work e-mail on nights and weekends. This will give you a chance to be fully present in your personal life while hanging out with friends, your significant other, or even while reading a book. And who knows? By letting go of e-mail during your time off, you might just find yourself that much more inspired and excited to go back to work the next day to catch up on what you missed overnight.

Passion Project Entrepreneur:

Admittedly, turning off e-mail can be tricky after hours when you are working on your start-up. However, that doesn’t mean that e-mail at all moments of your life is appropriate either. Make sure to set blocks of time, even if it’s just an hour or two, where both work and side-hustle e-mails are turned off. This will help you maintain some moments of calmness and focus, and it will remind your present company that your attention is on them, as it should be.

2. Limit work talk with your significant other.

Corporate Career Girl:

Create a time limit on the amount of job-related focus that you and your partner share at the end of every day. The purpose of your relationship is to be connected at a deep, intimate, and romantic level. And though work is a part of your life and relationship, making sure you don’t let that get out of proportion with the other aspects of your relationship will keep things steamy. Your significant other is not your business associate (…unless of course they are, and in that case, there is even more reason to limit the work talk at home!).

Passion Project Entrepreneur:

While it’s important to keep your partner updated on your work and side-hustle progress, make sure that you don’t let it become all you have to share. Yes, it’s natural to want to relay positive developments or complain about discouraging set-backs, but make sure to schedule time where you chat about things other than work. It’s important your significant other knows that they are still more important to you than your work life.

3. Plan downtime intentionally. And stop cancelling or re-scheduling those plans!

Corporate Career Girl:

One of the best ways to increase your joy is to do multiple things that make you happy. So though work is one of these habits, exploring other areas of interest will add to the enjoyment in your life. A new hobby (piano lessons, co-ed sports, knitting), game night, or wine night with the girls are all ways to continue to learn and grow as a person independent of your career. Perhaps planning a party for family or friends might give you something new to look forward to that will also deepen relationships with those you love.

Passion Project Entrepreneur:

Though free time for you may be scarce, it needs to be there. So while you may not be planning a party for family or friends during this period of your life, make sure that you make the time to attend parties, schedule date nights, and connect with those who are most important to you. And if starting a new, time-consuming hobby is out of the question, consider devoting time to a workout or TV show every now and then. Stepping away from the side-hustle for an hour or two may be just the thing you need to relax and get back into “pre-passion project” mode. If you can remember what that was like.

So there you have it, three attainable steps that don’t cost you a dime yet will bring huge dividends in your mental health, relationships, and personal satisfaction. You deserve to have it all, and sometimes that’s best attained by trimming work back every now and then.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. This post was contributed by Jess Constable, an accessories designer in Chicago and owner of Jess LC. When she’s not designing, you can find her blogging about designing a life with intention at Makeunder My Life.

jess constable  danielle moss  alaina kaczmarski