From family responsibilities to household chores to a full social calendar – and, on top of that, a demanding career – finding a good work-life balance is no easy feat. However, this balance is directly related to your mental health and overall happiness. In fact, studies show that poor work-life balance is linked to strained personal relationships, declining physical health, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Therefore, it is important to keep all of these areas in mind as you determine if your career is a little too demanding. Here are some tips to help you balance your career and regain control over your personal time.
Make Time for Breaks
If you feel exhausted, disengaged, or burnt out at work, you may not be taking enough breaks. Working nonstop has actually been shown to reduce productivity, quality of work, and job satisfaction.
Robert Pozen, a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, says that 75 to 90 minutes is the maximum amount of time you should ever work continuously. This is the prime window of time for concentration. After that, the brain needs approximately 15 minutes to absorb and retain that information.
Speaking of breaks…take your lunch break, which is designed to let you unplug and recharge. If you are expected to continue working through lunch, it’s time to chat with your boss about work-life balance.
Be Honest
Oftentimes, we feel like we need to separate our personal lives from our work environment. While this may make you feel more “professional,” it can negatively contribute to your work-life balance – when you are honest with your employer about personal responsibilities, health issues, and family crises, you may find you get added support in dealing with them.
Schedule Personal Time
If you are having trouble with your co-workers respecting boundaries and time off, block off time on your calendar that you will be unavailable and unreachable – and then use that time to take care of yourself or spend time with your family.
If your job is negatively impacting your health or lifestyle, it might be due to a poor work-life balance. You can try to address this with honesty, boundaries, and scheduling. These tips may help you regain the productivity that benefits your company and the freedom that benefits you personally.