How to balance life and work in a happy home

Life is busy, and work is hard. These are both simple and unavoidable facts. However, with improvements in technology – and particularly the rise of smartphones – it is more and more difficult to separate work from the rest of our lives, and this is having a major affect on how we spend our time, as well as on our general physical and mental wellbeing.

Recent research carried out by IKEA examines just how much work is encroaching on our home life, and the results are really eye-opening:

• 48% of us read work emails during family and/or personal time;
• 36% take work home with us; 43% of us spend over five hours a day on-screen;
• a whopping 63% spend 9 hours or more of our day looking at screens.

Having commissioned the study, IKEA have launched a campaign to encourage people to achieve a work/life balance by ‘relaxing into greatness’ and creating the perfect reading environment in their living rooms. Reading for just six minutes – as examined by the University of Sussex in 2009 – can reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds, which is a huge reward for such a small amount of time spent in a highly enjoyable manner.

At Easy Food we’re going to focus on a different room – the kitchen. Although generally thought of as a busy and potentially stressful place, we couldn’t disagree more. We genuinely believe that you can cook – and eat – your way to a more balanced and fulfilling way of life.

To show our support and promote a work/life balance, here’s a few tips from our home (and kitchen) to yours:

‘All you need is love, and coffee’

We’re busier than ever before, so obviously coffee has a practical – and in my case extremely necessary – purpose. However, the smell of a freshly brewed pot of coffee is a real luxury, and will instantly lift any room. Here’s an Easy Food guide on how to make the perfect pot of coffee, so get the kettle on!

‘Keep your friends close and your farmers closer’ 

A sense of place is super important to your overall wellbeing, and obviously your home is the focus of that. We believe that you should look beyond your four walls and embrace your local surroundings and the delicious produce they have to offer. Ireland in particular has a fantastic range of produce, and if you need any more reasons to shop and buy local, check out our ‘Eat Ireland’ features by Jocelyn Doyle to get your taste buds running!

‘The greatest wealth is health’ 

At the end of the day, there is no point in outfitting your house to look fabulous if you’re too tired or prone to illness to enjoy it. Eating to stay healthy – not just fit – is a huge step towards a work/life balance, as it allows you to spend your free time doing exactly what you want, not recovering from your latest losing battle with a virus. We’ve gathered a few tips to help you in this direction.

‘Treat yo self’ 

Food is unique in that it is obviously necessary for life, and can also be one of life’s great luxuries. When it comes to your favourite meal, the time spent shopping; preparing; cooking; and finally eating it – whether alone or with friends and family – is time well-spent,being mindful and looking after your physical and emotional needs. Whether your treat is freshly baked bread; an indulgent chocolate dessert; a stiff drink; or the unmistakable smell of a homemade roast dinner, we whole-heartedly recommend it.