Toggl Plan - Detailed Review
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Toggl Plan - Detailed Review Contents
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Toggl Plan - Product Overview
Introduction to Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan is a work management tool that simplifies project planning, tracking, and delivery for small to medium-sized teams. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:Primary Function
Toggl Plan is primarily used for creating visual timelines to help teams stay on track and manage their tasks and schedules efficiently. It aims to make project planning hassle-free, allowing teams to deliver high-quality work without last-minute stress.Target Audience
Toggl Plan is specifically tailored for digital creative agencies, consultancies, and software implementation teams. These teams often struggle with unreliable spreadsheets and complex project management tools, and Toggl Plan offers a simpler, more intuitive solution.Key Features
- Drag-and-Drop Timelines: Allows teams to plan, track, and deliver projects using easy-to-manage timelines. You can add milestones and assign tasks to team members with just a few clicks.
- Team Timelines and Calendars: Provides a clear overview of everyone’s schedule, enabling efficient distribution and balancing of workloads to ensure no team member is over or underworked.
- Kanban Boards: Helps teams visually manage and complete tasks, making project management more visual and manageable.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Supports real-time updates and notifications, keeping the team informed about changes and tasks. This includes email and in-app updates.
- Task Management: Allows for detailed task management with features like file attachments, checklists, estimates, and feedback comments. The new Task card offers a simpler and cleaner layout, allowing customization of task properties.
- Mobile Accessibility: Offers iOS and Android apps, enabling teams to plan, track, and manage projects on the go.
- Integrations: Integrates with other tools to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
Toggl Plan - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of Toggl Plan is characterized by its simplicity, intuitiveness, and visual clarity, making it an excellent tool for business project planning and scheduling.Layout and Navigation
The interface is laid out in a way that makes key features easily accessible. Starting from the left side, you have the workspace sidebar, which provides quick access to various views such as your workspace name, quick search, your personal tasks (‘My work’), teams, projects, and favorites.Workspace Sidebar
- The workspace name at the top of the sidebar allows you to switch between different workspaces.
- The ‘Teams’ section lets you view the schedules of groups of people on a single timeline, giving a clear overview of who is doing what and when.
- ‘Projects & clients’ enables you to organize tasks by project or client, with options to view tasks in either a Kanban-like board or a timeline view.
- The ‘Favorites’ section allows you to quickly access frequently used teams and projects.
Visual Overview and Scheduling
Toggl Plan excels in providing a visual overview of your projects. Projects are color-coded, making it easy to see what your team is working on and what is upcoming. The drag-and-drop scheduling feature allows you to create and manage project timelines effortlessly, just by clicking and dragging tasks around on the timeline.Task Management
Task cards in Toggl Plan are equipped with features like attachments, checklists, and feedback icons, which facilitate easy organization and collaboration. This ensures that all task information is kept in one place, streamlining communication across the team.Ease of Use
The interface is very user-friendly and intuitive. Setting up a project takes only minutes, and editing or rescheduling tasks is equally straightforward. The minimal feature set and lightweight design make it easy for users to get started quickly without needing extensive training.Additional Features
Other notable features include notifications, settings for profile and workspace management, and the ability to manage workspace users and integrations. The top-right corner of the screen has a three-dot menu that offers options to share the timeline, edit projects or teams, and perform other actions like importing or exporting tasks.Overall User Experience
The overall user experience of Toggl Plan is positive due to its modern and intuitive design. The interface is well-organized, making it easy for users to find what they need quickly. The visual communication and drag-and-drop functionality ensure that users can plan, track, and manage tasks efficiently without feeling overwhelmed.Conclusion
In summary, Toggl Plan’s user interface is designed to be easy to use, visually appealing, and highly functional, making it a valuable tool for managing team projects and tasks. Toggl Plan - Key Features and Functionality
Toggl Plan Overview
Toggl Plan is a streamlined and user-friendly project and task management tool that offers several key features to help teams manage their work efficiently. Here are the main features and how they work:Visual Team Calendar
Toggl Plan serves as a team calendar that provides a visual overview of who is doing what and when. This feature allows you to see the entire team’s schedule on a single timeline, helping you identify who is overloaded and who can take on more tasks. You can color-code projects to easily distinguish between them, making it simple to see the status of each project at a glance.Project and Task Management
You can break down projects into segments and then into smaller tasks, adding detailed descriptions and checklists as needed. This hierarchical approach helps in planning projects from the outline to specific deadlines. The timeline view allows you to drag and drop tasks to reschedule them easily, making project planning and editing quick and intuitive.Board View
Toggl Plan includes a Board View, which is a kanban-style interface. This view organizes tasks by status, allowing you to manage tasks in a way similar to tools like Asana or Trello. The Board View enhances the tool’s versatility, making it suitable for both project planning and general task management.Multiple Workspaces
Users can manage multiple workspaces, each with its own set of teams, projects, and tasks. This is controlled from the Settings page, where you can switch between different workspaces easily.Integrations
Toggl Plan supports various integrations to enhance its functionality:Slack Integration
Receive notifications of changes and daily to-do lists directly in Slack. You can also integrate your timeline with your Google Calendar or other calendar services.Toggl Track Integration
This integration allows you to start time tracking directly from your Toggl Plan tasks. You can match and sync clients and projects, and track progress compared to the estimated workload.Browser Extensions
The Toggl Plan browser extension for Chrome and Firefox enables you to create tasks from any webpage. You can also connect to apps like Asana, JIRA, GitHub, and Podio.Power BI Integration
Using platforms like Albato, you can integrate Toggl Plan with Power BI to automate tasks and update data in real-time, providing insights into productivity and project timelines.Customization and Settings
The tool offers a range of settings and customization options. You can manage notifications, timeline preferences, and other settings from the Settings page. Tool tips throughout the interface provide helpful information without needing to refer to the help documentation.Task Management Tools
My Work
A hub that focuses on your own tasks, helping you stay focused without extra noise.Favorites
You can mark teams and projects as favorites for quick access from the sidebar.Quick Search
Easily find and navigate to any team, project, task, or user.Taskbox
Located at the bottom-right corner of the screen, this allows you to manage tasks and their details.User Management
You can manage workspace users from the Settings page, including adding, editing, and removing users. This ensures that the right people have access to the relevant projects and tasks. While Toggl Plan does not explicitly integrate AI in its core features based on the available information, it does offer a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies project and task management through its various tools and integrations. This makes it an effective tool for teams to manage their work efficiently without the need for complex setups or advanced technical knowledge. Toggl Plan - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
Toggl Plan is praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for small teams, freelancers, and businesses with high turnover rates. Here are some of its strong performance aspects:Visual Workload Management
Toggl Plan excels in visual workload management and team capacity planning, allowing teams to see task distribution and team capacity at a glance. This feature helps in balancing workloads and ensuring no team member is over or underworked.Intuitive Interface
The software boasts a clean, intuitive interface that is easy to use, even for new users. This simplicity makes it accessible and reduces the learning curve significantly.Drag-and-Drop Scheduling
The drag-and-drop timeline feature enables users to plan, prioritize, and track projects efficiently. This functionality allows for quick adjustments when plans change.Integration with Toggl Track
Toggl Plan integrates seamlessly with Toggl Track for time tracking, enhancing its overall functionality and providing a comprehensive project management experience.Accuracy
In terms of accuracy, Toggl Plan helps teams maintain clear and accurate project plans through several features:Clear Overview of Team Plans
The software provides a clear overview of the team’s work schedule, helping to avoid conflicts with other projects, time off, or public holidays.Task Collaboration
Features like file attachments, checklists, and feedback ensure that all task information is in one place, keeping everyone informed and on the same page.Realistic Deadlines
Toggl Plan helps in setting realistic deadlines and implementing projects on time with clear planning, which enhances the accuracy of project timelines.Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, Toggl Plan has some limitations:Limited Export Options
Users have expressed frustration over the inability to export schedules and task lists, which can make sharing information with external stakeholders or integrating with other tools challenging.No Task Automations
The absence of task automations means users have to perform many manual updates, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.Incomplete Feature Set
Toggl Plan lacks advanced project management features such as financial oversight, project portfolio management, and comprehensive third-party app integrations. This can lead to inefficiencies and the need to use additional tools.Mobile App Limitations
The mobile app is less versatile and feature-rich compared to the desktop version, which can affect users who rely heavily on mobile devices for work planning and task management.No Version History
The lack of version history can make it difficult to track changes and revert to previous versions of a project plan if needed. In summary, Toggl Plan performs well in providing a simple, visual, and intuitive project management experience, especially for small teams and freelancers. However, it has some significant limitations, particularly in terms of export options, task automations, and advanced feature sets, which could be areas for future improvement. Toggl Plan - Pricing and Plans
Plans and Pricing
Solo Plan
- This plan is designed for single users with simple planning needs.
- It is not detailed in the sources provided, but it is mentioned as an option for individual users.
Team Plan
- This plan is ideal for small teams that need basic functionalities to manage tasks and resources.
- The cost is $9 per user per month when billed monthly, or $8 per user per month when billed annually.
- Features include:
- Recurring Tasks: Create repeating tasks.
- Organize by Clients: Group plans by clients.
- My Work Dashboard: A personalized control panel.
- Toggl Track Integration: Sync clients and projects.
- Public Holidays: Automatically add public holidays to timelines.
- Shareable Timelines: Generate read-only links for external stakeholders.
- File Uploads: Store task-related content with a 100MB per file limit.
- Timeline Zoom Levels: View project and team timelines at various levels.
Business Plan
- This plan is suitable for larger teams with more complex projects, requiring advanced collaboration and reporting features.
- The cost is $15 per user per month when billed monthly, or $13.35 per user per month when billed annually.
- Includes all features from the Team plan, plus:
- Enhanced resource management.
- Export of reports and project data.
- Priority support.
- Advanced security features.
Free Trial
- Toggl Plan offers a 14-day free trial for the Team plan, allowing users to sample the software before committing to a subscription.
User Pricing
- Pricing is based on a per-user model, where you are charged for every user in your workspace, including guests and those who have not been invited yet.
Toggl Plan - Integration and Compatibility
Toggl Plan Integrations
Toggl Plan, a project planning and management tool, offers a range of integrations that enhance its functionality and compatibility across various platforms and devices.Integrations with Other Tools
Toggl Plan integrates seamlessly with several other tools to streamline your workflow:Toggl Track
This integration allows you to sync clients, projects, and tasks between Toggl Plan and Toggl Track. It also enables time tracking from Toggl Plan tasks, which are then sent to Toggl Track as time entries. This integration helps in visualizing actual time tracked compared to the estimated time in the Progress Overview.Slack
The Slack integration keeps you informed about changes in your Toggl Plan timeline. It sends notifications when tasks are modified, including details of who made the changes. You can set up daily to-do lists and choose the type of notifications you want to receive.Calendar
Toggl Plan allows you to import events from Google Calendar and export tasks to calendars like Google, Office 365 Outlook, and Apple Calendar. This helps in accurately viewing team availability and assigning work accordingly.Other Project Management Tools
Using the Toggl Plan Chrome extension, you can import tasks from various apps such as Trello, Asana, JIRA, GitHub, GitLab, Podio, and Bitbucket. This extension makes it easy to connect your favorite apps with Toggl Plan.Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Toggl Plan is highly compatible across different platforms and devices:Web Access
You can access Toggl Plan directly through your web browser, making it accessible on any device with an internet connection.Browser Extensions
Toggl Plan offers Chrome and Firefox extensions that allow you to create tasks directly from any webpage and track time using the Toggl Button Extension.Cross-Platform Compatibility
While Toggl Track, which integrates with Toggl Plan, has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, Toggl Plan itself is optimized for web use, ensuring you can manage your projects from any device with a browser.Setting Up Integrations
Setting up these integrations is relatively straightforward:Toggl Track Integration
For the Toggl Track integration, you need to enable it in the Integrations tab within Toggl Plan, select the appropriate settings, and choose the Toggl Track workspace you want to connect.Slack and Calendar Integrations
For Slack and Calendar integrations, go to the Settings > Apps & Integrations section in Toggl Plan, select the integration you want, and follow the prompts to configure the settings. By leveraging these integrations and its cross-platform compatibility, Toggl Plan ensures that you can manage your projects efficiently and stay connected with your team across various tools and devices. Toggl Plan - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
Chat Support
You can reach Toggl Plan’s support team via an integrated chat widget. This is accessible from the bottom-right corner of every page while logged into the web app or browsing the knowledge base.
Email Support
While there is no phone support, you can also contact the support team via email.
Response Time
Toggl Plan promises to respond to your queries within 24 hours, but in practice, you can expect a much faster response, with a median response time of about 1 hour.
Availability
Global Support
The support team is distributed globally, allowing for timely responses regardless of your location. However, response times may be longer during weekends.
Additional Resources
Knowledge Base
Toggl Plan has a comprehensive knowledge base that includes articles and guides to help you get started and resolve common issues.
Billing and Subscription Help
Detailed information on billing, subscription plans, and how to manage your account is available in the Toggl Plan Help Center. This includes how to locate invoices, upgrade or downgrade plans, and manage payment details.
Product Features and Guides
Project Planning Guides
Toggl Plan provides resources on how to plan project timelines, track progress, and manage team workloads effectively. You can find guides on creating visual roadmaps, adjusting schedules, and balancing workloads using drag-and-drop timelines.
Integration Guides
Information is available on how to integrate Toggl Plan with other tools like Slack, Google Calendar, and more. This includes using the Toggl Plan Chrome extension to add tasks from anywhere on the web.
Trials and Onboarding
Free Trial
Toggl Plan offers a 14-day free trial for the Team and Business plans, allowing you to test the features before committing to a subscription.
Onboarding
The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, with the ability to get started in minutes. For larger teams, a dedicated customer success manager can help with the onboarding process.
By leveraging these support options and resources, you can ensure that you make the most out of Toggl Plan’s features and manage your projects efficiently.
Toggl Plan - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan offers several key advantages that make it a valuable tool for project management:Simple and Intuitive Interface
Toggl Plan is known for its lightweight and simple interface, making it easy to use, especially for small teams, freelancers, and businesses with high turnover rates. This simplicity ensures that users can get started quickly without needing extensive training.Visual Project Timelines
The software allows users to create visual project timelines using a drag-and-drop scheduling system. This feature helps teams visualize and balance their workloads, ensuring no team member is overworked or underutilized.Efficient Task Collaboration
Toggl Plan streamlines communication across teams by keeping all task-related information in one place, including file attachments, checklists, and feedback. This centralization reduces the risk of miscommunication and keeps everyone informed.Integration Capabilities
Toggl Plan integrates with over 100 third-party applications, including Trello, Slack, and Google Calendar. These integrations help synchronize tasks and schedules, ensuring a unified view of project progress and enhancing overall productivity.Clear Overview of Team Plans
The software provides a clear overview of everyone’s schedule, allowing managers to distribute and balance workloads efficiently. This feature helps in avoiding conflicts with other projects, employee time off, or scheduled public holidays.Cost-Effective Pricing
Toggl Plan offers competitive pricing with a free 14-day trial. The Team Plan is $8-$9 per user per month, and the Business Plan is $13.35-$15 per user per month, making it a cost-effective solution for teams.Disadvantages of Toggl Plan
While Toggl Plan has several benefits, it also has some notable drawbacks:No Version History
Toggl Plan does not provide a version history, which can lead to difficulties in tracking changes and reverting to previous versions of a project plan if needed.Limited Mobile App
The mobile app is less versatile and feature-rich compared to the desktop version, which can be a limitation for users who rely heavily on mobile devices for work planning and task management.Onboarding Challenges
Adding new team members to a Toggl Plan account can be cumbersome and time-consuming, potentially hindering the onboarding experience.Limited Export Options
Users have limited options for exporting schedules and task lists, which can make it challenging to share information with external stakeholders or integrate it with other tools.Difficulty with Bulk Actions
Performing bulk actions on multiple tasks is not as easy as it could be, leading to inefficiencies when making large-scale changes or updates to a project plan.Limited Task Automations
Toggl Plan lacks task automations, which means users have to perform many manual updates, such as status updates and notifications. This can be time-consuming and prone to mistakes.Limited Advanced Project Tools
The software lacks advanced project tools, including comprehensive financial features, which can make it less suitable for advanced project management needs.Limited Third-Party Integrations
Although Toggl Plan integrates with many tools, users have expressed the need for more extensive integrations to enhance the overall user experience and data exchange between different platforms. Toggl Plan - Comparison with Competitors
When Considering Toggl Plan
When considering Toggl Plan as a business tool for project management, it’s important to evaluate its features and how it stacks up against other similar products in the market.
Key Features of Toggl Plan
- Toggl Plan offers a timeline feature that allows you to see the full project schedule, helping you plan and meet deadlines effectively.
- It provides a team planning feature for a group overview, showing what each team member is working on, their availability, and workload.
- The platform supports task tracking, in-task comments, and shared timelines to improve accountability and communication.
- Users can create boards to manage tasks, customize status, and add comments or tags for updates.
Unique Features
- Toggl Plan’s strength lies in its simplicity and ease of use, particularly for managers who need a clear overview of project timelines and team workloads.
- It integrates well with other Toggl products like Toggl Track for time tracking and Toggl Hire for recruitment, though each requires a separate subscription.
Potential Alternatives
Nifty
- Nifty is a comprehensive project management tool that includes time tracking, task tracking, milestones, and integrations with tools like Zoom and Google Drive.
- It offers a free forever plan with unlimited users, tasks, and guests, making it a cost-effective option.
- Nifty’s Pro Plan includes automations and cross-project overviews, which can be more advanced than Toggl Plan’s features.
HiveDesk
- HiveDesk is another strong alternative that focuses on time tracking, task management, and employee scheduling.
- It offers automatic timesheets, billable hours tracking, and attendance tracking, which can be more detailed than Toggl Plan.
- HiveDesk also includes features like automatic screenshots and app usage tracking, which might be useful for teams needing more granular monitoring.
TimeCamp
- TimeCamp is an automatic time-tracking software that integrates with a wide range of apps like Asana, ClickUp, and Salesforce.
- It provides detailed reporting and an easy option to migrate data from Toggl, making it a seamless transition for existing users.
- TimeCamp’s integration capabilities can offer more flexibility in managing projects compared to Toggl Plan.
Timely
- Timely stands out with its AI-driven automatic time tracking, which minimizes manual input.
- It offers a visual timeline for tracking and detailed reporting, making it visually intuitive.
- However, it can be more expensive for larger teams, which might be a consideration.
Limitations of Toggl Plan
- Toggl Plan lacks advanced productivity features that could significantly boost team focus and efficiency.
- The reporting options are somewhat basic, which may not meet the needs of users requiring more intricate analytics.
- The pricing structure, with separate subscriptions for different functions, can add up and make it a costly option for businesses seeking an all-in-one solution.
Conclusion
In summary, while Toggl Plan is a solid choice for project management with its clear timelines and team workload features, alternatives like Nifty, HiveDesk, TimeCamp, and Timely offer additional functionalities that might better suit specific business needs. Each of these alternatives has unique strengths, such as comprehensive project management, detailed time tracking, extensive integrations, and AI-driven automation, which can help businesses optimize their workflows and decision-making processes.
Toggl Plan - Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Toggl Plan cost?
Toggl Plan offers several pricing plans. The Solo plan is for individual users and is not detailed in the same context as the team plans, but for teams, there are two main plans:
- Team plan: Costs $9 per user per month, or $8 per user per month if you opt for the annual subscription.
- Business plan: Costs $15 per user per month, or $13.35 per user per month with the annual subscription.
What is included in the free trial?
Toggl Plan offers a 14-day free trial that includes all the features of the Team plan. This allows you to test the software before committing to a paid plan, and no credit card is required.
Can I create recurring tasks in Toggl Plan?
Yes, you can create recurring tasks in Toggl Plan. This feature helps in managing tasks that need to be repeated over a set period.
How do I turn on dependencies in Toggl Plan?
To turn on dependencies in Toggl Plan, you need to access the specific task settings. The support FAQ section provides detailed steps on how to enable task dependencies, which helps in organizing tasks that are dependent on each other.
Can I export the timeline to Excel/CSV?
Yes, you can export the timeline to Excel or CSV, especially with the Business plan, which offers custom export options. This feature is useful for reporting and data analysis.
How do I add vacations for my team in Toggl Plan?
You can add vacations for your team by adjusting the schedule to reflect time off. This ensures that the team’s work schedule is accurate and does not conflict with vacations or public holidays.
Can I assign multiple users to a task?
Yes, you can assign multiple users to a task in Toggl Plan. This feature is useful for team collaboration and ensures that all relevant team members are informed and involved in the task.
What is the difference between the Solo, Team, and Business plans?
- Solo plan: Suitable for single users with simple planning needs.
- Team plan: Designed for small teams, offering features like unlimited tasks, advanced planning tools, and integrations with other software.
- Business plan: Ideal for larger teams, including features like priority support, custom export options, and dedicated account management.
Can I switch the language in Toggl Plan?
Yes, you can switch the language in Toggl Plan. The software supports multiple languages to cater to users from different regions.
How can I send notifications to my team in Toggl Plan?
Toggl Plan allows you to send notifications to your team through task comments and other communication features within the platform. This helps in keeping the team informed and aligned.
Can I use Toggl Plan for remote work?
Yes, Toggl Plan is designed to help manage distributed teams and keep them connected regardless of their location. It offers features like clear overviews of team plans, task collaboration, and remote work management.
Toggl Plan - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan is a versatile and efficient project management and resource planning tool that caters to the needs of various teams, particularly those in digital creative agencies, consultancies, and software implementation teams. Here’s a comprehensive overview of its benefits and who would benefit most from using it.
Key Features and Benefits
- Time Tracking and Scheduling: Toggl Plan offers worry-free time tracking and drag-and-drop scheduling, allowing teams to create unlimited project timelines, assign tasks, and track progress with ease. This feature helps in maintaining a balanced workload and ensuring punctual project delivery.
- Clear Overview and Collaboration: The tool provides a clear overview of the team’s work schedule, helping to avoid conflicts with other projects, employee time off, or public holidays. It also streamlines communication by keeping all task information in one place, including file attachments, checklists, and feedback.
- Project and Task Management: Toggl Plan enables teams to develop detailed task-level plans, track daily milestones, and manage resources on a simple timeline. It also supports building task workflows, setting due dates, and prioritizing tasks for efficient completion.
- Remote Work and Team Collaboration: The software is particularly useful for remote teams, helping to manage distributed teams and keep them connected regardless of their location. It facilitates collaboration on tasks with multiple team members and allows for sharing ideas via task comments.
Who Would Benefit Most
Toggl Plan is ideal for:
- Small to Medium-Sized Teams: It is particularly suited for small, fast-moving teams that need smarter planning to deliver projects on time without burnout.
- Creative Agencies and Consultancies: These organizations can benefit from Toggl Plan’s ability to balance workloads and meet deadlines efficiently.
- Implementation Teams: Teams involved in project implementation can use Toggl Plan to manage their projects with clear planning and resource allocation.
Pricing and Accessibility
Toggl Plan offers a flexible pricing structure with a free 14-day trial. The plans include:
- Solo Plan: For single users with simple planning needs.
- Team Plan: Costs $8 per user per month (or $9 if not opting for the annual subscription), suitable for small teams needing simple work management and visual project planning.
- Business Plan: Costs $13.35 per user per month (or $15 if not opting for the annual subscription), ideal for teams that collaborate with external stakeholders and need to export project data for reporting purposes.
Recommendation
Toggl Plan is a highly recommended tool for teams looking to enhance their project and time management capabilities. Its intuitive interface, drag-and-drop scheduling, and comprehensive collaboration features make it an excellent choice for maintaining a productive work environment and ensuring timely project delivery.
Given its cost-effective pricing and the availability of a free trial, it is easy for teams to test the software before committing to a paid plan. The tool’s ability to support remote work, manage distributed teams, and streamline communication makes it a valuable asset for any team aiming to improve their efficiency and productivity.
In summary, Toggl Plan is a solid investment for any team seeking to streamline their project management processes, enhance collaboration, and achieve better results while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.