Last month’s blog on stress talked about external pressures that can become damaging to our mental health. An increasingly demanding work culture can be a significant stressor, so learning to better separate work and life is something important to figure out early in your working life.

 

There can be a pattern created by new professionals to work longer and show their enthusiasm at the beginning of a job, but that tends to be unsustainable as responsibilities increase. The trend towards home-working has also left many blurring the lines between working hours and personal hours.

 

The importance of a healthy work-life balance

A healthy work/life balance will mean something different for everyone. A healthy balance may look like:

  • Meeting all your work deadlines while still having time for hobbies and socialising
  • Not worrying about work once you’ve arrived home (or turned off the PC at your home work station)
  • Having enough time to get a good night’s sleep and eat well/exercise

 

These can be challenging if, for example, you have dependents, demanding management at work, or health issues.

 

So why are these Here are a few reasons you should be mindful of your work-life balance:

  • It is best to avoid burning out. When this happens from being overworked, it can greatly affect your work and personal life as you become exhausted and unable to participate in activities with your best ability.
  • It can help to reduce stress.
  • It can help to fulfil professional and personal goals.

 

Some ideas on how to achieve a better work-life balance

  • Boundaries
    • Try to draw a line between work and home. If you work from home, keep to a routine, and make a dedicated workspace to leave at the end of the workday.
  • Task organisation
    • Allowing yourself certain amount of time for particular tasks by assigning priority can help you not get caught up in less productive tasks.
  • Learning to say no
    • Speaking up when the expectations and demands of work are too much. This may feel rude and difficult to approach, but your employers need to know where pressures lie to ensure you operate at your best.
  • Setting aside time
    • Making sure to schedule time with friends and family, discussing more flexible hours to ease childcare requirements, or

 

Thank you for reading our blog, we hope it’s been helpful.

 

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