Sahar Hashemi gives her top ten tips for an effective work-life balance. As founder of Coffee Republic, Hashemi is a highly successful entrepreneur, and has been named as one of the five most influential Britons. Her new book, Switched On, advocates that you don't need to be an entrepreneur to be entrepreneurial.
1. Being at work should be more than just about the paycheque. Work takes up an enormous part of our lives so it should be personally fulfilling.
2. Its a myth that theyre not paying you to enjoy yourself and that good work should be dry and serious. Having fun is essential for professional success - there is a direct correlation between how much you enjoy something and how well you do it.
3. By bringing more fun and play into your life at work you release your right brain creativity which is crucial for surviving and thriving in this competitive environment.
4. You no longer need to leave your personality at the door and bring your professional self to the office. You need to bring 100% of yourself to work to get ahead. Youll be surprised how many of us bring only about 60% of ourselves to work - leaving the other 40 per cent behind at home.
5. Your employer doesnt want you to just turn up and do just enough to get by. They need you to be interested and emotionally engaged in what you do. Your personal fulfilment and finding passion for what you do is important for your career success.
6. As much as possible align your personality with your work. A people person would not be at their best in a desk-based job. If youve been promoted to a job that doesnt play to your strengths - find a way around it so you do more of what you enjoy.
7. The new work environment doesnt want corporate automatons. It needs you to express your individuality and unleash yourself in your work. Your employer knows that forcing uniformity doesnt foster productivity.
8. Take advantage of technology to strike a balance between the way you want to work and the way you want to live. You should come up with the solution that works for you- dont expect your employer to have the solution!
9. find the click with your job again. There must have been something that attracted you to that job in the first place - find it again.
10. Leap outside your comfort zone. Your comfort zone makes you complacent and switches you off. You revitalise and renew yourself when you step outside it.
Switched On is out now.
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