How is your work-life balance? If you’re among the 60% of working Americans, you’re likely grappling with this issue, feeling the strain of work seeping into your personal life.
But what can you do about it? We’ve all seen the horror stories of employers demanding employees devote their entire lives to work and work long days with no time off or even days off simply to benefit the company at the expense of their personal lives and physical and mental health.
While the narrative about workplace cultures and expectations is slowly changing, there’s still a long way to go. But the fact that it’s changing at all is a reason for hope. The potential for a more balanced work-life culture is on the horizon.
This post is a resource that will explore some options you can use to try to improve your work-life balance or at least become more assertive so you can make effective changes and improve your life.
Take Breaks
How often have you worked through break or lunch? Studies have shown that regular breaks in your working day are far from wasted periods; instead, they’re vital for your mental health. Taking time away from your desk, even for 10 minutes, allows you to take a breather and shift your mindset, allowing you to return with a renewed focus. If you work in an office, get up and move away from your desk, go outside, or take a walk to any employee-only recreation areas if you have them. If you work from home, go outside, go for a short walk, or take a quick power nap.
Workcations
Workcations, a term you might not be familiar with, are similar to quiet vacationing. It’s the concept of going on vacation but working while you are there. You’re essentially swapping your usual working location for a new one. This could be a different city, a beach, or the other side of the world. The change of scenery can be exactly what you need to improve your work-home life balance. You get to enjoy seeing more of the world while still getting the job done. This post looks at what is a workcation in more detail, including how to plan and execute one, so you can see how to incorporate it into your working day.
Set Boundaries
This is easier said than done and best enforced when you start your employment. But letting your employer know your boundaries and what you will and won’t do can help you to help them understand you value your personal time and you’re not prepared to sacrifice it without good reason. For instance, you can communicate that you won’t be available for work-related calls or emails after a specific time in the evening or on weekends unless it’s an emergency. You can also set specific times for your lunch break and stick to them, or let your employer know that you need a certain amount of notice for any work that needs to be done outside your regular hours. If you are getting the job done within your contracted time and can manage your workload efficiently, then there is generally no need for you to work outside these looted hours regularly. But if you don’t set boundaries, your employer will likely seek to abuse this and infringe on your personal time.
Avoid Overcommitment
Overcommitment is taking on more than you can realistically manage within your working day, thus leading you to work extended hours. Be honest about what you can take on, talk to your immediate manager or supervisor about increased workloads, and be upfront about your inability to finish the job without working longer hours. If you’re happy to do this and you are being compensated for your extra working time, then this is a decision you can make. However, learning to say no and not take on more work can boost your mental health, support an excellent work-home life balance, and prevent the quality of your output from being diminished due to increased demands on your time.
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