Work life balance in Tokyo

Working in Tokyo is insane!

Customers are demanding, coworkers unremitting, and bosses the most unforgiving of all. There is always a deal going down, and always a project going on requiring just that extra bit of effort keeping us away from our family and friends. So how are we to maintain harmony between our work and private lives amidst all this chaos? Below please see my five tips for balancing work with home life and still keeping the boss happy:

1 - Phone home: OK, so you can't be there during the day, but what's to stop you making a phone call to your significant other during lunch break? Just a 1 minute call a day is enough to gauge your partners mood, and perhaps help lift them in case they're feeling down.

2 - Plan your weekend: It's common for us to plan out our work week; we're all aware that not planning each day, week, quarter leaves the company aimless and is not good for employee productivity. So why don't we apply the same thinking to home? Be sure to plan your weekend, involving both children and significant others, at least a week in advance. This way you can be sure that everybody is involved with the decision making process, and that you're doing something fun and productive each week!

3 - Bake a cake: Not all activities have to involve spending a lot of money. Why not gather the family together and bake a cake? Or perhaps you could build a match stick model of the Eiffel tower? The key is an activity requiring co-operation of all family members, with a reward at the end that can be shared by all.

4 - Nintendo Wii: Have you tried it yet? The Nintendo Wii is a fantastic little game system that can be enjoyed by the entire family. It's fairly inexpensive and can be enjoyed by children as young as 2 years old. (My own son is testament to this!)

5 - Parks: Take advantage of the great parks out there in Tokyo; whether it's riding on the big wheel, firing up a BBQ, baseball amongst the cherry trees, or catching kabuto beetles in the summer, there is a huge range of activities that can be enjoyed in the numerous safe, clean parks that surround the Tokyo area.