A good work-life balance is essential for your physical and mental wellbeing as Michelle Higgs explains
“When you take all the breaks you’re entitled to during the day, and you have a full lunch hour away from your desk, you’ll feel much more refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your work”
“By being aware of your work-life balance and trying to improve it, you’re prioritising your own physical and mental health, which is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself”
“Remind yourself that the time after work is yours in which to do whatever you want. Spend quality time with your friends and family, and plan to do things together”
Facts/stats
31% of people in the UK do not feel they have a good work-life balance
(The Future of You, Cebr Report for Lenovo, 2022)
In 2021, 65% of UK jobseekers prioritised work-life balance over pay and benefits
(Randstad Employer Brand Research Global Report, 2021)
On average, UK workers take less than 33 minutes per day for their main lunch break
(Compass Group Global Eating at Work Survey, 2023)
Everyone has to work to provide for themselves and their families, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a slave to your job. Achieving a healthy work-life balance may seem like an impossible dream, but it’s not – in fact, it’s your right as an employee.
When you feel overwhelmed by deadlines, emails and targets, it’s tempting to stay late, skip breaks and even miss your lunch hour to try to get on top of everything. If you get into the habit of doing this most days, it becomes the norm. But it should never be the norm because working all day without breaks is detrimental to your health. It puts you at a higher risk of burnout – mental and physical exhaustion – which can lead to high blood pressure, increased anxiety and stress, and poor sleep patterns. Eventually, you’ll probably need to take extended time off work.
Why a healthy work-life balance is important
When you take all the breaks you’re entitled to during the day, and you have a full lunch hour away from your desk, you’ll feel much more refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your work. This means you’re likely to be more productive and more able to stay on top of your schedule. You’ll be happier in your job, and your boss will be happy too – it’s a win-win! By being aware of your work-life balance and trying to improve it, you’re prioritising your own physical and mental health, which is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself.
So how do you know if your work-life balance is out of kilter? You’ll know when your work starts to encroach on your personal life. Perhaps you regularly check work emails or messages in the evenings, or worse still, work on your laptop after a day at the office. As a result, you can’t give your full attention to your partner and family; you might start postponing or cancelling meet-ups with friends; or you could stop doing activities and hobbies you love.
This situation doesn’t just apply to employees; the same thing can happen if you’re self-employed. But if you recognise that you have some of these bad habits, it’s time to stop, reflect and understand what you need to do to make a change. The good news is that a few simple adjustments in your life are often enough to redress your work-life balance. For some people, more drastic changes are needed, such as taking a step back for a while or changing jobs or careers completely.
10 tips for a healthy work-life balance
- Prioritise yourself
Your job should never adversely affect your health. Take the time to reflect and help yourself by focusing on what you really want from life. Is your social life suffering because you’re working longer hours? What have you been missing out on? And is the job really worth it? Talk openly about it with your partner, family and friends. In this way, you can prioritise your own physical and mental health.
- Take your lunch break
Eating your lunch at your desk is a really unhealthy habit to get into, especially if you’re on your own. To stop this happening, arrange to meet up with a friend or colleague, or give yourself a task to do at lunchtime such as buying a birthday present or going for a walk.
- Step away from screens regularly
Taking regular breaks from your computer or laptop, simply by walking around and stretching, will improve your posture and help prevent eye strain. Stopping to have a tea or coffee, or to chat to a colleague, can also help to break up difficult tasks and give you some valuable thinking time.
- Take annual leave
Paid holidays are a huge benefit for employees, giving you the opportunity to have extended breaks from work for some much-needed R & R. If you often have days left over from your holiday entitlement, then you’re really missing out! At the beginning of the year, get into the habit of blocking out the weeks in your diary. Then start thinking about places you’ve always wanted to go, and have fun planning your dream trip.
- Set your boundaries
We’re all more connected these days via various devices, especially with the workplace. It can be tempting to check in on work emails in the evenings to get a heads-up for the next day. But for a complete break, make it a rule never to respond to such messages after working hours. This is a healthy boundary to set and will help you to keep work and home life separate.
- Manage your time effectively
At work, allocate a certain amount of time per task, and try to keep your focus for the duration of that task. If you find yourself getting distracted by other things, take a 2-minute break to re-set and refocus. Staying focused like this should mean your day is more productive so there’s less chance of feeling overloaded.
- Master working from home
Working from home has lots of great benefits, not least of which is the lack of a commute. But because your work is at home, there’s a higher risk of blurring the boundaries of home and work. Make sure you have a defined work space, preferably with a door you can shut, and only work in that area. Finally, stick to your defined working hours and completely switch off at the cut-off time.
- Enjoy your evenings and weekends
Remind yourself that the time after work is yours in which to do whatever you want. Spend quality time with your friends and family, and plan to do things together. Choose activities that make you happy, whether that’s having a film night in; catching up with a friend; going for a run, walk or cycle; or indulging in some chill-out me-time.
- Speak to your supervisor and colleagues
If you’re struggling with your work-life balance, don’t suffer in silence. Talk to someone at work, preferably your supervisor. It’s in their interests for you to stay healthy, happy and productive, and more and more companies understand the importance of work-life balance for their employees these days.
- Change your job
If you don’t get the support you need to redress your work-life balance, it may be best to start looking for another job or even changing career. Focus on searching for a position with a company that prioritises the mental health of its employees and understands the importance of work-life balance. If you’re missing out on family time because of your working hours, look for a job with flexible working or work from home options.
