A guide to mastering work-life balance

In these hyper-connected times, the idea of work-life balance can sound unrealistic. With emails pinging at all hours, flexible working arrangements blurring boundaries, and smartphones tethered to our hands, it’s easy to feel like the battle is already lost.

Tiffany McFarlane is an experienced counsellor and Team Service Manager for Australian Unity. For Tiffany, work-life balance is not only possible—it’s essential for our Real Wellbeing. The secret? Setting boundaries for yourself and others, prioritising what’s most important, and managing your relationship with technology so you can be more present for the moments that truly matter.

These are her expert strategies for better work-life balance.

The myth of constant availability

Being constantly connected can create the illusion that you need to be available around the clock. But just because you’re contactable 24/7 doesn’t mean you have to be responsive 24/7.

Tiffany stresses the importance of setting boundaries for yourself and others, and sticking to them.

“If you’re always available, people will keep reaching out after-hours because you’ll have set the expectation that it’s okay,” she says.

Whether it’s turning off email notifications, creating an email signature clearly stating your usual working hours, or leaving your work phone at the office, setting and maintaining boundaries helps protect your personal time and your headspace.

Tiffany emphasises that you need to be strong in your mind when your “off” hours are, and commit to them. This is especially important for people in leadership roles, she adds.

Prioritisation over organisation

One of the most common misconceptions about achieving work-life integration is that it requires perfect organisation, but Tiffany says it’s about knowing your priorities.

She suggests creating a list of tasks and goals at the start of each day and ordering them based on how urgent and important they are to you. These aren’t just work-related, either—your list might include “6pm Pilates”, or “a walk at lunchtime”.

“Knowing what needs to be done and when helps you better manage your time and reduce stress,” says Tiffany.

Open communication is a crucial part of this. That means checking in with supervisors about deadlines and expectations, and learning to push back and say “no”.

“It’s hard,” admits Tiffany, “especially when you get a directive from a boss. But if a task doesn’t fit with your priorities or doesn’t feel achievable within the allotted time, you need to speak up.”

Creating routines for real balance

Routines are key to finding balance in life and ensure we meet our work and personal priorities. But because we’re human and not machines, Tiffany suggests creating flexible routines that reflect different energy levels.

On ideal days, for example, you might wake up early, get your workout in, and plan your day around your work tasks and personal goals. But not every day will be like this, and that’s okay.

“Your moderate-energy day might involve getting up an hour later, doing some lighter activities like stretching or yoga, and rescheduling a meeting to give yourself some breathing room,” says Tiffany. “And on low-energy days, you might sleep in, skip the workout altogether, and just do basic self-care—like washing your face and brushing your teeth and hair.”

Adapting routines to how you feel can help you avoid burnout and keep your mental and physical health in check. “Sometimes, it’s just about being kind to yourself and knowing when to dial it back,” says Tiffany.

Setting boundaries with technology

While technology allows us to work more flexibly and stay connected, it can also make it difficult to switch off—so it’s important to set personal boundaries around devices.

Tiffany uses her phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature to help her maintain her personal time and prevent work from creeping into evenings and weekends.

“It’s about consciously choosing when to be available and when to disconnect,” she says. “Small steps, like keeping your phone out of reach or disabling notifications, can make a big difference.”

Practising presence to support Real Wellbeing

For Tiffany, the ultimate benefit of work-life balance is presence. When we set boundaries and manage our time effectively, we can be fully present in the moments that matter most—whether that’s spending quality time with loved ones, focusing on a hobby, or simply enjoying downtime without distraction.

“When you’re present, you’re in the real moment, not in this artificial world inside your phone,” she says. “Being present with family, friends, and even colleagues fosters connection, trust, and emotional wellbeing, and these moments of genuine interaction help reduce stress by releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin.”

Plus, failing to prioritise presence could come back to haunt you, she adds. “You don’t want to wake up one day at 60 and realise that work is all you have. You don’t want to look back and realise you missed time with your friends and loved ones because you were always checking your phone.”

It’s worth the effort

Finding balance in life isn’t like flipping a switch. Tiffany’s strategies—prioritisation, flexible routines and setting boundaries—will take practice, but it’s worth it. Because, ultimately, a healthy work-life balance empowers us to be more engaged, productive and fulfilled.

As Tiffany puts it: “When we set boundaries and find balance, we’re not just doing better at work—we’re living better in every part of our lives.”