Singaporean women in the accounting and finance sector want better work-life balance, says a survey conducted last May on more than 700 female professionals in the public and private sectors in Singapore.

Almost 60 percent cited work-life balance as their top priority, over other concerns such as opportunities for advancement, job security and skills upgrading. And more than 50 percent of those polled said they would leave their current job for one that offered a better work-life balance, even if it means less money.

It’s probably not just women, but men too, who need to find the right balance between work and their personal life.

Are you married to your work?
It can be tempting to rack up the hours at work — especially if you're trying to earn a promotion or extra money to send your child to university or for a dream vacation to the Caribbean. For others, it is simply necessary because of the heavy workload.

But if you're spending most of your time at work, what suffers is likely to be your home life and personal relationships. If you are perpetually working overtime and on weekends, you may miss out on important events such as your child's first bike ride, your father's 60th birthday or a reunion with your old friends. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.

Certainly there are times when you have to work late, say when there is a project deadline to meet or during an important event. But if you do it all the time, it may affect your health and ability to cope with the demands of your job and family.

Here are some ideas on how to find a balance:

Keep a log
Track everything you do for one week including work-related and non-work-related activities. Decide what's necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy and don't have time for. For example, hire a part time helper to do housework if you are able to afford it.

Consider your career options
Find out if your employer offers flexible hours, part time employment, job-sharing or a work from home option for your role. This flexibility may reduce your stress level and free up some time.

Having said this, some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming than others. If you need more time for yourself or your family, you may need to do a career switch to a less demanding industry. John, a 45-year-old IT consultant, gave up his well paid job to become a teacher so that he had better hours, and more time to spend with his kids.

At times, you may simply need to take a less stressful job within your chosen career. This change may involve working with your current employer to identify a new position, or even resigning to do freelance work. This is especially so for those with special skills such as writing or multi-media design.

Leave work behind
With today's global business mentality and the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there's no boundary between work and home — unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When you are spending time with your family and friends, turn off your iPhone and put away your notebook.

Set aside time for fun stuff
At least once a week, take the phone off the hook, shut down the computer and turn off the TV. Find activities you can do with your family or friends, such as playing board games, exercising or enjoying a nice meal together. Make time for activities that will rejuvenate you.

Don't sweat the small stuff
It's simpler said than done, but you need to let things go once in a while. So what if the dishes don't get washed everyday or that the house doesn't get vacuumed every week. Learn to recognise the things that don't really have much impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go -- and then not beat yourself up for doing so.

Don’t procrastination
For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from simply being disorganized -- and procrastinating. Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines -- and then stick to them. You'll find that not only are you less stressed, but your work will be better.

Slow Down
Stop and enjoy the things and people around you. Schedule more time between meetings and don't pack your evenings or weekends with numerous activities. You’ll need to find some ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the most stress.

Striking a work-life balance isn't a one time thing, but a continuous process as demands on your time change as your family, interests and work life change. Assess your situation every few months to make sure you're keeping on track.

The above article has been reproduced with permission from MyeCitizen (http://www.myecitizen.sg), a one-stop lifestyle portal featuring personalised eService offerings from the government and the private sector.