Mark Birnbaum's Thoughts on Work-Life Balance

As busy as his schedule may get, Mark Birnbaum knows that it's important to keep a work-life balance. Although he is the partner of one of New York’s most successful and multi-faceted hospitality management companies - EMM Group, which recently just launched outposts of CATCH and SL inside The James Royal Palm in South Beach, Miami he knows that it's important to also take some time to yourself and recharge to better prepare for what's to come.

Not too long ago Forbes actually released a great article with a few tips. Below are a few that jumped out:

• Communicate. If you won’t be available for certain hours during the day or weekend because you’re dealing with family issues, let your manager and colleagues know, and get their full support.

• Use Technology to Your Advantage. Technology should help make your life easier, not control it. Ban technology at certain times so that you can focus on your family or friends.

• Protect Your Private Time. Allow yourself to daydream in the subway or appreciate good weather on your walk to work. If you don’t allow yourself pockets of personal time, you’ll become too burned out to fully appreciate any part of your life.

• Fight the Guilt. Superwoman–and Superman–are fictional characters. Real people can’t devote 100% to everything they do. Stop feeling guilty if you miss an occasional soccer game or bail on a colleague’s going-away party.

Although, it's a common occurrence and there's so many out there who struggle to maintain or even achieve a work-life balance, it's something that folks can strive to do. There's no better time than to start now. If you're satisfied with what you're doing and what's happening both personally and professionally, you'll see you efficiency and productivity jump as well.