How to achieve a better work-life balance: IELTS Reading

IELTS General Test – Passage 09: How to achieve a better work-life balance reading with answers explanation, location and pdf. This reading paragraph has been taken from our huge collection of Academic & General Training (GT) Reading practice test PDFs.

How to achieve a better work-life balance

As more and more employees work from home full time and everyone has 24/7 access to email, balancing work and family may not seem like an easily attainable goal. So how can you juggle the demands of both worlds? Below are some tips to help you get started.

It’s easy to get sucked into habits that, make us less efficient without realizing it – like keeping your social media page open at work so you don’t miss something ‘important’. Draw up a list with all the activities that don’t enhance your life or career. Then minimize the time you spend on them.

It’s hard to say no’, especially to a supervisor or loved one, but sometimes that powerful little word is essential. Learn to use ‘no’ judiciously and it will become a powerful tool in balancing work and family.

Research shows that exercise helps you remain alert. Finding time to hit the gym may be hard, but it will ultimately help you get more things done because exercise really boosts energy and improves your ability to concentrate.

Study after study shows that significant sleep deprivation affects your health and well-being. Exposure to electronics can significantly negatively impact your sleep, so try to unplug an hour before you go to sleep.

What would you do if you had a whole day to yourself with no demands on your time? While most people don’t have the luxury of a whole day dedicated to relaxation, constantly putting off that downtime and putting everyone’s needs before yours will wear you down. Pick a time to do something just for you. Even just a few minutes of ‘me time’ a day will help to recharge your batteries.

Don’t assume your family and manager are aware of your concerns. If you feel you have to adjust your schedule to discover a better work-life balance, then voice that requirement. If that means asking your boss for permission to leave a few minutes early once a week so you can hit that yoga class on the way home, do it.

All new habits require time to build, so if you find yourself sneaking your smartphone to bed, that’s okay. Leave your phone downstairs tomorrow night. Tiny steps are the key to finding that balance, so start small, and go from there. Most of all, know your limitations and what works best for you; then decide what really matters, what advice you want to follow, and prioritize.

Questions 21-27

Complete the reading notes below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 21-27 on your answer sheet.

Achieving a better work-life balance

How to begin

•  Make a complete 21……………………… of things that are not helpful and reduce involvement in them

•  Refuse some requests as this can be a useful 22……………………… in gaining a better work-life balance

Things that cars help

•  Regular exercise

– can increase 23……………………… significantly

•  Sleep

– insufficient sleep can make people ill

– avoid focusing on 24……………………… in the lead-up to bedtime

Issues that require attention

•  Those who see other people’s 25……………………… as more important than their own will suffer

•  If the working day is too long, get 26……………………… to shorten it occasionally

•  People should learn to recognise their own 27………………………

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Answers with Explanation

Check out How to achieve a better work-life balance reading answers below with explanations and locations given in the text.

21   list

22   tool

23   energy

24   electronics

25   needs

26   permission

27   limitations 

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