Tips for Maintaining Better Work-Life Balance
Have you noticed the culture of overworking? Some people think that working overtime equates to being hardworking. That those sending out reports or making calls out of working hours are sacrificing their personal time and seem to be dedicated employees. But when has this become true? Does overworking actually achieve what we think it does? Research suggests otherwise – that when we work longer hours, we tend to produce less outcome, make more mistakes and jeopardize our physical and mental health in the long run. For example, working adults that prioritize their work over their personal lives are more likely to experience stress, burnout, heart-related issues, and high blood pressure. So what about Work-Life Balance?
Indeed, the global pandemic has significantly impacted the way we live as we transit from physical interactions to virtual interactions. From Zoom parties to online workshops, technology has given us access to the virtual equivalent of the many outdoor activities we used to do before the pandemic. And as officials stress the importance of social distancing, people have the option to be able to work from home, thanks to tech apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. But although we are a year into the pandemic, many employees working from home still struggle to find a balance between their work and personal life. As their work commitment bleeds into their personal lives all the more, checking emails and answering work calls over on the dinner table has become a common theme to many. As mentioned, this entanglement of work and personal responsibilities leaves many employees with extreme stress and discontentment which have an impact on both workplace and personal wellbeing.
Fortunately, one of the silver linings of the COVID-19 is the increased awareness of mental wellbeing, hence, the ‘always on’ work culture has been brought to the attention of many healthcare professionals. To help cope with this issue, the importance of ‘work-life balance’ is stressed in many mental health workshops and forums.
The key to work-life balance is effectively distributing time between professional and personal obligations. Achieving such a balance not only helps to maintain a healthy relationship at home but also gives a feeling of satisfaction and increases productivity at work. Research studies have shown additional benefits to work-life balance such as increased work engagement, creative thinking, and better physical and mental health.
Finding a work-life balance can be a challenge, but these ideas can help you make a start:
- Reflect on your own work-life balance: How important is this for you? Since when have you noticed the imbalance? What changed? And what are the consequences? Asking yourself these questions is important as they help you understand your situation better to tackle it more effectively. Gain an understanding that overworking does not mean you are hardworking. And that you are more likely to produce more when you are at your full potential during working hours as compared to working overtime.
- Define your workspace: When you create a designated workspace, you make a clear divide between your personal and working environment. This might look like moving from your bed to a designated table, or a specific room in the house. When making the switch to your workspace, you attempt to tell your brain it’s time to work and vice versa when you move away from your workspace.
- Implement short breaks: Be sure to take some breaks throughout your working day. Giving yourself 10 to 15-minute breaks during your day helps you get back to work with a more refreshed, recharged, and productive mindset. Eating lunch with family, going for a walk, or even scheduling virtual water-cooler moments with your colleagues are some ideas on how to spend your short, but important, rest time.
- Consider transition time: Create cues to help yourself adjust to when it’s time to begin work at the start of the day and when it’s time to stop working at the end of the day. This could mean, going for a short walk to mimic your previous commute to work, by changing out of your pajamas, or even taking your dog for a walk at the end of your working hours. This helps you ease into and out of your work or personal commitment.
- Set and communicate boundaries: With your work devices in front of you, it’s easy to get tempted to send out one more email, write up one more report and make one more phone call. Although this might feel like it increases your productivity, over time it can contribute to burnout and cause feelings of frustration down the road. Therefore, it’s important to set your office hours and explicitly communicate them to others. This also makes it easier for you to see the distinction between work and personal time.
- Practice self-compassion: Acknowledge the complexity of achieving work-life balance and be kind to yourself during these unprecedented Carve out times to be there for yourself, and allow mistakes to learn from. It’s a good idea to also recognizing the importance of your protective factors (for example, exercise, friendships, or leisure activities) for your wellbeing and include them in your week’s routine.