Work can be demanding in many ways. It takes our time, our energy and sometimes has little to offer in return. You hear these stories about CEO’s working 50 to 60 hour weeks which sounds insane! It is not a healthy work life balance but they do it because it is their company they are investing their time in. On the positive side, they will most likely see the fruits of their labour, which will give their time back tenfold down the track.
However, this is not the case for most people. If you are doing a 50 to 60 hour week with minimal benefits and low pay then something needs to change. Unfortunately, there are many work life issues that contribute to this, but there are just as many work life balance solutions that can help as well!
Here are five you may be experiencing currently.
Problem 1: Overworking and Burnout
Working yourself to the bone can be physically and mentally exhausting. Over time, this can lead to increased stress levels and burnout. At this point, you may be experiencing anxiety, irritability and lack of energy when it comes to work. This is an issue that occurs in many workplaces, yet there are not enough measures to prevent it from happening to you or someone you know.
Work life balance solutions:
Setting boundaries at work early on can help prevent you from being overworked. Be careful of offers to work extra hours or weekends and don’t allow others to take advantage of your time. Prioritizing self-care is also a must! Doing things you love and pampering yourself in your downtime can do wonders for your mental wellbeing and physical health. Overall, just make sure you establish a clear work schedule, take regular breaks and make time so you can relax and recharge.
Problem 2: Difficulty Disconnecting from Work
When there is a problem at work and you need to answer calls or you are constantly stressing about a deadline, it can be hard to switch off. This means that you are constantly thinking about work and it doesn’t feel like you have actually left. Then you end up going back to work irritable and tired because you haven’t had that physical and mental break you need. This can be a problem for your productivity as well as your mental health.
Work life balance solutions:
There are a couple of different solutions to this depending on whether you are physically still connecting with work or mental thinking about it. With the first, you need to create a designated workspace and set specific work hours. When the workday is over, turn off notifications and avoid checking work emails. Also DO NOT ANSWER THAT PHONE! You are done and whoever is rostered on can deal with it. This will allow you to fully disconnect and focus on your own personal time.
The second solution helps when you are constantly thinking about work. Basically, you have to distract yourself. If you are stressing over a deadline while at home just say, “There is nothing I can do about it right now”. Then forget about it! The work will be there for you the next day anyway. So why worry in your downtime? After you relax a little, try doing something you enjoy or do something creative. It can be exercising, drawing, gardening. Basically, anything that gets you in the zone and out of your head. This will ensure you get rid of all your tense energy and will enable you to take a mental break.
Problem 3: Lack of Time Management
When you have a lot to do and you have no time, it can be frustrating and overwhelming. This is mostly self-inflicted, unless your workload is too much for one person to handle. However, poor time management can lead you to working back late or trying to catch up on tasks that should have been completed. This then eats into your personal time and can affect your relationships as well.
Work life balance solutions:
Managing your time is easy and can make you more efficient. Time management techniques such as prioritizing tasks and setting realistic goals can create a huge boost for your productivity. Utilizing calendars or task management apps to organize your schedule effectively is also essential. Just be mindful of how long a task normally takes and plan accordingly. Then you will be leaving work on time more often and enjoying that blissful afternoon!
Problem 4: Neglecting Personal Well-being
When we are so focused on something and getting tasks done we can forget about ourselves in the process. Neglecting our personal wellbeing is one of the biggest problems when it comes to work life issues. This is because many people think that the pain is worth it, if they work a little more they will get the promotion or they decide they need the job even though it is stressful. These are the thoughts that encourage the neglect of your personal wellbeing!
Work life balance solutions:
It seems counterproductive, but focusing on yourself can have great benefits when it comes to your work and your productivity. You can do this by incorporating regular exercise, healthy eating habits and sufficient sleep into your routine. Engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation more often will also allow you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Problem 5: Feeling Guilty for Taking Time Off
One of the worst things you or any workplace can do is make you feel guilty about taking time off. Thoughts like “the team needs me” or “I should be working on this” will just make you miserable. Unfortunately, even when you have time off and enjoy it, some workplaces make you feel guilty or ‘punish’ you in discreet ways when you come back. This can lead to you feeling guilty the next time you decide to take a holiday.
Work life balance solutions:
Don’t give a shit! Don’t you EVER feel guilty about taking time off of work! If you know you work hard for your company, then they can give a bit back by letting you have time off when you need it. Remember that you spend most of your life every year helping their cause, so you take that time off and do it with pride, because you deserve it!
On a side note, it is also important to recognize the benefits of rest and relaxation when maintaining your productivity and mental health. This not only allows you to take care of yourself but also enables you to perform better at work. So ensure that you keep these things in mind and allow yourself to disconnect guilt-free!
Why do we have work life issues in the first place?
Hopefully, you do not have any of the above issues and live comfortably with plenty of work life balance. If not, then maybe you have recognised some issues that reflect on your own situation and can now begin to strive for a better balance between your working and personal lives.
Unfortunately, these common work life issues are a regular occurrence in a lot of companies and positions. This is because society has played by the same corporate rules for hundreds of years. The workers work, there’s minimal breaks, the profits are high but the pay is low. It has been the same ongoing cycle. Only now we are starting to see more information about how this affects mental health. However, there is still so much that needs to be done so that work life balance is achievable for everyone, not just the few.
In the meantime, the only person you can look out for in the workforce is yourself. Ensure that you set your boundaries, take the time off that you need and support yourself. After all, the only person that knows your limits and knows you best, is yourself!
