Particularly in relation to established organizational structures, the last several years have been transformative. Before the pandemic, there were clear lines separating work from our personal lives, giving most people a sense of a healthy work-life balance. Many workers still feel overworked today, despite the fact that the epidemic brought about much-needed change by elevating employee well-being and normalizing work-from-home and flexible work schedules.

For instance, a recent poll by Asana of 10,000+ employees worldwide found that burnout affected seven out of ten people.

Burnout is influenced by a variety of factors, such as leadership, value alignment, and workplace culture. Work-life balance, however, is among the most important variables. Actually, a Groupon poll of 2,000 Americans revealed that 60% of them said that having bad work-life boundaries was a significant source of stress for them.

Work-Life Balance: What Is It?

Work-life balance is “the level of participation between the numerous responsibilities in a person’s life, particularly as they pertain to career and family or leisure activities,” according to the American Psychological Association. It is believed that finding a healthy balance or fit will improve life satisfaction.

In other words, it’s the harmony between our various responsibilities, particularly our family and work lives.

For each of us, work-life balance looks different. Work may give some people energy. Others may profit from securing more of their free time so they may spend it with their loved ones, take care of their relationships, rest, and replenish their vitality.

Whatever your own balance may be, evidence indicates that attaining it is crucial to your health and happiness.

Benefits of Healthy Work-Life Balance

In the end, striking a balance between your professional obligations and other obligations will help you to protect your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Healthy work-life balance can have the following advantages:

• Improved relationships
• Reduced fatigue
• Heightened inspiration
• Increased energy
• Improved productivity
• Enhanced communication
• Better team cohesion
• Reduced staff turnover, sick days, and absenteeism
• Burnout prevention and support
• Improved overall health & wellbeing

The Effects of an Unbalanced Work-Life Schedule

According to research, failing to strike a healthy work-life balance can have a number of negative consequences.

According to one study, persons who put in three to four hours of overtime have a 60% higher chance of developing future heart-health problems. Additionally, any overtime labor was connected to deteriorating general health.

More hours don’t automatically equate to more work completed, according to a different Stanford study. They discovered that after employees reach 50 hours per week, their job output drastically decreases. The production of the work decreases much more after 55 hours. Researchers discovered that for employees who worked 70 hours per week, the additional 15 hours of overtime resulted in no additional work being completed.

Burnout can also be significantly influenced by overwork, which can result in exhaustion, strained interpersonal connections, poor communication, and worse emotional, mental, and physical health.

10 Tips for a Healthy Work-Life Balance

1. Create Strong Boundaries

Your job boundaries have probably shifted if you work from home. We’re supposed to be always “on,” returning calls and emails as they come in, which leaves us with no time to be “off” and consumes the necessary downtime.

Try establishing firm boundaries regarding your availability for work and your absence from it. Be careful to turn off your work email notifications or put your computer away after hours, and politely let your manager or team leader know when you’ll be available and when you won’t be.

2. Be Flexible & Aim for Balance

Of course, there will be days when you have less work to do and days when you have to put in more. Balance is the key. Keep your limits firm, but think about when you might need to change them.

3. Learn to Say “No”

Learning how to say “no” is among the best talents you can acquire. Many of us fear that refusing someone would hurt or offend them. However, the reality is that accepting everything doesn’t always benefit you or them. When you overcommit and overwork yourself, you frequently produce work that is of lower quality than you would have preferred.

By prioritizing and balancing your time and energy, saying “no” enables you to give your all to the things that truly matter.

4. Make Time Every Day for One Activity That Lights You Up

How frequently do you make time for yourself? We are constantly being pushed in a million different directions by the things that need to be done at work, at home, and with our loved ones. and even then, there are still things that you can do just to feel good, be satisfied, and get re-energized.

Schedule at least one activity that will help you feel grounded and connected to your inner self each day. Five minutes can accomplish a lot.

5. Take Breaks

When working long hours, taking breaks can be a terrific way to relax. To help you manage your stress and promote relaxation, you can combine such breaks with breathing exercises, meditation, a quick walk outside, or other activities.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Sick Days

Chronic stress and ill mental health are related to poor physical health. Don’t let yourself reach the point of exhaustion where your body demands a rest. Take a sick day if you feel like you need one. They are there to help with that. There is no need to be concerned about privacy or criticism because you frequently do not have to reveal what type of illness you have. Taking a sick day for reasons like exhaustion, worry, or despair is very normal.

7. Enjoy a Well-Earned Vacation

When did you last go on a true vacation? It can be tremendously helpful to take time off from work to recharge your batteries and improve your health. Take advantage of the vacation days you have available to you to improve your mental health.

8. Schedule Days to Completely Unplug

This weekend, try turning off all of your devices! Alternately, turn off all of your work-related technology and notifications. In keeping with setting clear limits, make sure your staff is aware of your upcoming absence before taking the weekend off.

9. Get Intentional With Your Off Hours

Although curling up on the couch and binge-watching Netflix may feel calming, have you noticed that it frequently doesn’t make you feel more energized? Our inability to fully utilize our downtime is one of the reasons it doesn’t always seem relaxing while we’re on vacation. Start being more deliberate with your leisure time. What will make you happy? Make new experiences and your favorite activities your top priorities.

10. Employers — Be Open to Adaptable Work Schedules and Flexible Hours

Every employee will have different needs when it comes to scheduling, as we just said. At the end of the day, why not provide that extra assistance if your employees can perform at the same level of productivity—or even higher—in a different setting or schedule that will also support their personal needs and mental health?

Tell your staff about their possibilities and find out which timetable would work best for them. You’ll develop friendship, loyalty, respect, and trust.