Work-life balance cannot be stressed forcefully enough

This always sounds weird to those around me but I reach my maximum productivity level only if I am multitasking.I cannot sit and work on just one project at a time. I usually reply to emails, work on my business column and update my Twitter feed all at once.I was first introduced to the work-life balance a few years back as part of my university’s business course programme. The concept basically states people should separate and prioritise between their lifestyle and work to avoid work-life conflict.Being the multitasking person I am, I never bought that concept. In addition, I do not believe this concept really applies to modern-day entrepreneurs who are connected to their work 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phones and laptops.Nowadays more than ever, the line between our work and personal lives is completely blurred and maybe nonexistent.We check out work emails at home before we go to sleep and often work on that important sales pitch over the weekend. I even sometimes edit an article I am working on when I am standing in line at the cinema.A while back I read a book by the American career expert and author Marcus Buckingham called Find Your Strongest Life, which discusses this very issue.What really hit me was his concept of intentional strategic imbalance.This is how it works: instead of focusing on balancing life and work, strive for fullness in what you do. It also means you should keep your stress levels in check and take time off to rewind and recharge between projects. For many entrepreneurs out there, doing what they love is great and is what keeps them driven. But this unbalanced work-life existence that many are leading nowadays has its drawbacks, particularly when it comes to stress.It is not uncommon to hear an entrepreneur is stressed. Stress has been called the health epidemic of the 21st century and was estimated to cost businesses in the United States US$300 billion a year last year by the World Health Organization.So it is very important to keep stress levels in check so it does not impede productivity and creativity. As an entrepreneur, I know I cannot afford to break down due to stress and so I have adopted several techniques that help me to balance my life and maintain my productivity.Regular meditation. This topic has been highlighted enough but it is only because of the positive impact it has on productivity and, ultimately, work and businesses.There is no right way to meditate and no required amount of time. The goal is to think about nothing at all. You could start off by meditating for a couple of minutes,and build up on that to how much you think is enough.Moreover, as simple as this might sound, sleep plays a major role on how you run your business and how creative you could be at work. As business entrepreneurs, many of us are guilty of sacrificing sleep to work extra hours on our business.But by doing so we are doing more harm than good, as this move negatively affects our cognitive ability, decision-making and creativity, ultimately having a bad impact on our business. Dedicate enough time to sleep and you will witness how things are positively moving at your work or business.Last but not least, it is important to reward yourself and take a break from work. When I first started working on my writing career and managing my small fashion line, I felt taking time away would harm my business. I refused to travel for a while and opted to dedicate that time instead to work, work and work.About a year later I went on a nice vacation and I felt fresh and more productive. I had new ideas flying out of my head and was driven to pursue them. In the end, I wondered why I had not gone away sooner.Realising the importance and positive impact of taking a vacation, I now go on a mini holiday every time I wrap a big project or several small projects.Being busy in something you enjoy working on and love is great. But keep in mind that work-life imbalance has its setbacks.Keep your stress under control and your body and business will thank you for it. Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning writer and fashion designer