Know if Your Work‐Life Balance Is Off

What used to be 9 to 5 has become an around-the-clock commitment. People are working much longer hours. As a result, important aspects of well-being, such as mental, emotional and social health, are neglected. Check for signs of declining mental and emotional health as well as suffering relationships to know whether your work-life balance is off. Then, implement some practical changes to bring things back into balance.

Steps

Examining Your Mental, Emotional, & Physical Health

1. Check your schedule to see if its overbooked. Being hyperaware of time slipping through your fingers can drive you mad. One clear sign that your work-life balance needs readjusting is the feeling that you are racing the clock.
   • For instance, you might stay at work long after everyone else leaves and still not get everything done. In fact, it seems no matter what you do, you never have enough time.
2. Pay attention to cognitive changes. Chronic stress from being overworked can impact your cognitive functioning. You may find yourself constantly forgetting where things are or missing appointments. You might struggle with decisions, big or small. You might also find yourself not being productive due to a lack of concentration.
   • Forgetting things and being unable to concentrate can point to lack of adequate rest and a much-needed break or vacation.
3. Notice if you are often angry, agitated or irritable. If you catch yourself snapping off at your kids, partner, or coworkers, you may need to take a chill pill. Patience is often one of the first things to go when you are low on self-care. You might get angry over the slightest inconvenience or frequently be accused of “waking up on the wrong side of the bed.”
   • For example, if you often have to walk away to calm down in various situations, you may need a break.
4. Get honest about your negative outlook. All work and no play make you a very dull boy or girl. Long hours at work without breaks or social connection can leave you feeling quite negative. When you are around people, you might come off as a killjoy. You complain often and beat yourself up for not being perfect.
5. Check for questionable sleep habits. Falling asleep at work or during family TV time is one sure-fire sign that your work-life balance needs a reset. When you do go to bed, you may have trouble getting quality rest because you’re worried about tomorrow’s presentation or checking work emails on your phone. When you wake, you never quite feel fully rested.
6. Be aware of scale creep. Keeping long hours at the office may slowly expand your waistline over time. When you’re off from work, you don’t think about going to the gym or getting outside for activity. Because you’re chronically low on energy, all you want to do during your downtime is watch TV and eat junk food, which only further complicates your health.
   • Have you noticed yourself becoming out of breath during typical activities or experiencing joint pain? You might need to schedule in some much needed exercise and clean up your diet.

Evaluating Your Relationships and Leisure Time

1. Start counting your excuses. The ‘life’ aspect of work-life balance is typically what suffers. You may be so involved with work that you regularly bow out of family or social events. You find yourself making excuses as to why you never have time for friends or family.
   • If you start counting them, you'll probably find that your excuses outnumber the events you actually attend.
2. Listen for complaints from your loved ones. Friends and family may understand initially when you have to miss a wedding or graduation. But, eventually they will start to resent you. You might hear complaints about your lack of commitment to those closest to you. Your relationships may start to suffer. Over time, you may notice that you are no longer being invited because they don’t expect you to come anyway.
   • Don't ignore these complaints. Get real with yourself. Your loved ones aren't nagging because they're bored--they're trying to send you a message that you're neglecting them.
3. Count your remaining vacation days. If the word ‘vacation’ is a foreign term, your work-life balance may need some tweaking. When you first got the job, you were thrilled by the annual two-week vacation allotment. But, you’ve never actually used your vacation time. Your partner or friends may often suggest cool places to visit. Unfortunately, you never seem to carve out the time for a getaway.
   • If you have all or nearly all of your vacation days remaining at the end of a year, you are probably working too much.
4. Ask yourself when did you last do something just for you. In your current predicament, you may be challenged to remember the last time you had some rejuvenating alone time. This doesn’t count your five-minute showers or hour-long commute to work, because you spend these activities reflecting on your to-do list. In order to achieve work-life balance, you need some time alone to decompress and do things you enjoy.
   • If you can't remember the last time you read a good book or played poker with your pals, you may be putting work ahead at the top of your priority list.

Getting Things in Balance

1. Prioritize what’s important. When it comes down to it, work-life balance is really the skill of effective time-management. You will find that you have more time for the most important things when you use your time more wisely. To do this, you first need to figure out your top priorities. Make a list.
   • Write down those aspects of your life that are most important to you. These may include work, family life, non-work social connections, spirituality, and physical health. Rank these items on a scale of one to ten based on their significance.
   • Now, try to estimate how much time you are dedicating to them. If family life is ranked No. 1 but only gets about 25 percent of your time, you will have to cut down on less important obligations to make more time for it.
2. Ask for help. There are an abundance of resources available to help you regain balance in your life. More than likely, you’re not using them because you enjoy being a superhero. Recognize that in order for you to focus on what’s more important you will need to delegate some tasks.
   • This may mean asking a team member to lead the morning meetings so you can make breakfast and drop your children off at school. Or, it may mean outsourcing your laundry or cleaning chores in order to have more time for family or work.
3. Set aside time for yourself. Develop a routine that allots time for you. Things like hobbies, interests and self-care often slip through the cracks when work becomes demanding. Create a routine that incorporates these activities into your day so you never have to sacrifice them.
   • For example, you might schedule 30 minutes each morning for reading your scripture, meditating or writing. You might carve out time each evening to pampering yourself with a relaxing bath and a scented candle. Plus, having a more consistent schedule will improve your sleep.
4. Unplug regularly. Being tuned in 24/7 can easily drive you insane. Carve out some time to be tech-free. Reflect on which areas of life need your attention, and use your unplugged time for these. For instance, you might establish a strict no technology after 8pm each evening. You can use that time to meet up with friends face-to-face, catch up with your partner, or engage in creative pursuits.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Have a Balanced Lifestyle
• Get Your Life Back in Order
• Live Your Best Life
• Be the Best You Can Be
• Stand up to Your Mother in a Respectful Manner
• Create a Calmer Household
• Be Sure to Live the Good Life
• Maintain a Work Life Balance
• Avoid Being Late
• Simplify Your Life

Read more ...