There’s nothing wrong with feeling proud of your career and achievements at work, but it’s not good for work to take priority above all else. Finding work-life balance can be difficult, but it is possible. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons that result in poor work-life balance and how you can fix those issues.
What Is Work-Life Balance?
Work-life balance is striking a balance between the amount of attention you give to your job and the amount you give to your personal life. It may include reducing work-related stress so your job doesn’t interfere with living a healthy, balanced and happy life outside of work.
It’s not about splitting your time equally between your work and personal life. Instead, it’s about completing your tasks at work while having enough time for loved ones, hobbies and downtime.
Ultimately, work-life balance looks different for everyone because people have different values for their priorities outside of work. Some examples of work-life balance are:
- Flexible hours so you can drop your kids off and pick them up from school
- The ability to take a vacation without worrying about work while you’re away
- Having a supportive team at work that can help you when your workload gets to be too much
Why Does Work-Life Balance Matter?
Over 40% of U.S. employees work more than 45 hours a week. It’s undeniable that America has a work-centric culture. Many Americans pride themselves on the time and effort they put into their work. And while that’s a good thing, it can often be taken too far.
Poor work-life balance can lead to negative consequences, such as:
- A breakdown in relationships (family, friend and romantic) when people feel you prioritize work over them
- Stress
- Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety
- Sleep problems (insomnia)
- Weakened immune system
- Stroke
5 Common Work-Life Problems (and the Solutions)
If you’re struggling with job stress management, one of these five problems might be why.
1. Always Being Accessible
One of the reasons more Americans are overworking, feeling burnout and lacking work-life balance is technology. We all now carry smartphones, which means we can be connected to work 24-7. Your coworkers can reach you anytime by calling, emailing or using a work-related messaging system such as Slack. And when you get these notifications, it can be challenging to ignore them, which often leads to you responding to work communications outside your working hours.
Additionally, thanks to work laptops and email, you can connect to work no matter where you are. For some people, this means they’re working in the evenings or checking their emails first thing in the morning.
This is a problem. Being tied to your work all the time is exhausting and unhealthy.
The Solution:
- Silence all your work notifications once your workday ends.
- Remember, most work can wait until the next day.
- Communicate to your team that you plan to focus on your work-life balance and you’ll only be responding to work-related requests during working hours. If you must, you can share a phone number, but stress that it should only be used in emergencies.
2. Taking on More Responsibilities
Many people want to improve their skills at work, learn more and progress in their jobs to make more money. Sometimes, this ambition comes with agreeing to take on more and more responsibilities at work. Other times, you have no ambition to “climb the ladder,” but your boss keeps forcing more work onto you.
If you continue to expand on what you’re responsible for at work without offloading some tasks, you’ll be forced to work longer hours to complete everything.
The Solution: You must recognize when your workload is too heavy and communicate with your manager. The next time your boss tries to add something new to your plate, you could say you can only take that on if you can pass off an existing responsibility to someone else.
3. Burnout
Burnout is a state of complete physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. And poor work-life balance can lead to burnout if it’s not addressed soon enough.
The Solution:
- Take your breaks. Employers legally have to give you a break (if you work enough hours), so make sure you use this break to stop and do something for yourself. Refrain from working through your break.
- Take vacations. Many Americans don’t take full advantage of their vacation days. Your compensation includes many things, including time off. Always ensure you use your vacation days, and don’t think about work when you’re on holiday.
- Communicate with your boss. Tell your manager when you’re feeling overwhelmed and ask for help.
4. Poor Time Management
Often, poor work-life balance comes from actions taken by the employer. But in some instances, it can result from the employee. If you have a reasonable workload but poor time management skills, work can be challenging. For example, you spend too much of your day chatting with coworkers, scrolling on your phone or even focusing on perfecting every small task. This can lead to hours of your workday being taken up by the wrong things, and now you have to stay late to catch up.
The Solution: Focus on improving your time management skills. Make a list every day of what you need to accomplish and keep yourself on track throughout the day.
5. Toxic Company Culture
A toxic company culture can be one of the main drivers of poor work-life balance. If the company encourages — and rewards — employees who overwork, it sets expectations that everyone should do the same.
The Solution: If the leadership at the top is setting an expectation of overworking, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to change the company’s entire culture. Start applying for new jobs at organizations known for having a healthy culture.
Ask for Help
If overworking has impacted your mental health, talk to a professional today. A therapist can help you learn how to set boundaries at work so you live a balanced, healthy life.
Mental Health Treatment at Sun Health Center
You’ll have many career challenges in life, but poor work-life balance shouldn’t be one of them. If overworking has left you feeling anxious or depressed, know that help is available. Sun Health Center has trained and experienced mental health professionals who can help you find the balance you’re looking for. Contact us today to book an appointment.
