Finding the balance between work and personal life is more difficult than ever with smartphones and the ability many of us have to work from home at least part of the time. Now, we don’t just work at the office. We answer emails in our pajamas before bed, make work phone calls on the way to the store, and even find it difficult to disconnect for a planned vacation.
What is Your Work-Life Balance?
Technological advances can save commute time and cut down on other time-wasters like unnecessary interruptions from coworkers. But the ability to work from anywhere at any time can blur the lines between your career and personal life.
Are you keeping a healthy work-life balance, or are your habits leading you toward burnout? Take our quiz to find out!
Key to Avoiding Burnout
We all need time for rest that doesn’t involve answering emails. In fact, a recent UK study suggested that employees need at least one day of vacation every two months.
Leaving your work at work is key to enjoying your time off, but many people feel guilty doing so. For many of us, work is never-ending. There is always another email to send, another phone call to make, or another project to complete.
But putting work on hold to make time for your family and your hobbies isn’t selfish; in fact, it’s the opposite. People who successfully manage their work-life balance are more productive while they’re working. They’re also more likely to stay at their job longer and report more job satisfaction.
Taking a vacation from work doesn’t mean you need to escape on a cruise for an entire week (although if you do, we’ll try not to be too jealous!). It can mean simply planning a day off work to take a spa day or hit golf balls at the driving range. Healthy work-life balance involves taking some real time off work to focus on yourself and your relationships.
