If you live and work abroad, you have every opportunity to take care of a perfect work-life balance, especially if you live in a big city.
Big cities offer a wide range of cultural activities and opportunities to be physically and mentally active, and those who pursue this will be more relaxed and successful in their jobs and enjoy life all the more.
In this article, I’ll give you some tips on how to find a work-life balance while living abroad.
What is work-life balance?
Work-life balance refers to the tension between the time spent earning a living (work) and the time spent focusing on one’s own interests (life). The aim is to achieve a balance between the two poles. A basic assumption here is that the two terms work and life basically describe two different areas of life that should or can be strictly separated from each other.
More about the topic of work-life balance you can find in my Inspirational Conversations podcast with Eva Planas.
How to find a work-life balance abroad?
These are few tips that I usually give on my expat coaching sessions and that I believe are helpful when you don’t know how to find balance in life and work while living abroad.
1. Get active
Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle. If you work and live in a big city, you have the perfect starting point to get fit. Most of the big cities have beautiful parks and you can admire the blossoming trees and plants while jogging through the green paths. This is a great option for many who likes doing sports outside.
Doing sports outdoors depends on the weather. So if you want to be on the safe side, the other option is to sign up at one of your city’s many fitness studios. Many are open 24/7, so you don’t have to rely on peak times in the morning before or in the evening after work, and you can schedule your daily workout as you like.
If you’ve already found your sport, go and find your nearest sports club or studio and show them what you can do! This is also the best way to get in touch with local people and maybe make new friends.
When I used to live in Berlin, I tried most of the yoga studios in the city and this definitely helped me to relax from work, improve my German language and to find new friends.
2. Get connected
A question that everyone who moves abroad to work will ask themselves: How do I make friends there? How can I build a social life when I work all day?
In many cases, this problem is solved automatically, because if you move into a shared flat, you will probably live with people of your own age and like-minded people and thus always be surrounded by new friends. So even if you’re used to living alone or with your parents, try living in a shared flat. It’s the easiest and quickest way to make new friends.
If you still don’t think much of shared flats or don’t get along with your flatmates as well as you’d hoped, there are always your work colleagues. Maybe you’re not the only one from another country at your new workplace? It is often easier to build a relationship with people who are in the same new, unfamiliar situation.
If, however, you don’t find anyone among your colleagues who could become a friend, you still have the option of joining an association or organisation. You can also connect very well with others via various Facebook groups. Search for things that interest you or that you identify with and find group members who have the same interests.
Try to leave your comfort zone and mingle with people, even if you have to go alone at first. Consciously engage with other people and be open to their opinions/views. If you approach others in a self-confident and friendly way, you have a very good chance of soon having a new circle of friends.
3. Learn and discover new things
Work can sometimes get monotonous – even when living in a big city. But if you work abroad, you always have new things to discover and learn. I’m sure there are so much to see and experience at the place you live.
Does it annoy you to always order your cappuccino in English at the lunch counter and never be able to overhear the conversations of the people around you? Then take a course in the local language! Learn the language twice a week in the evening and you’ll see progress in no time.
Maybe you already know the basics and just want to refresh your knowledge? That’s possible too! Learning a foreign language is never wasted time – and you can score points at work and also find new friends.
4. Learn relaxation techniques
It is not easy to balance work and life while living abroad, and it’s quite normal to feel overwhelmed. It’s perfectly normal, and every expat has felt this at one time or another in the first few weeks of living abroad.
One way to cope with stress and find your way is to meditate: with the help of meditation, everything looks easier than before. You can do this in your spare time at work and at home.
The idea is to focus on your breathing, clearing your mind of any thoughts that are weighing you down. It takes practice and time to get used to the process, but it is something you can try when you need some relaxation.
However, if fear and anxiety control your life abroad, at home or at work, if you can’t do things that you really want to do because you feel numb with panic and anxiety, it’s time to seek advice. OneMindZone wellness coaching can help you to set your goals, get rid of your insecurities, work on your self-esteem so you can better adapt to the new place, balance your life and strive for success and happiness.
Contact your online wellness coach in Barcelona here.