Why you should be balancing life and work
Why you should be balancing life and work? As we all know work plays a significant part in all our lives. It is no easy task to achieve work-life balance in today’s unpredictable and fast-paced business world. As we grow increasingly more connected through technology and social media, it is becoming more and more difficult to separate work from our personal lives. It is commonplace to check emails at all hours, take business calls at the dinner table and work on our laptops on weekends. How has this become acceptable?
Employers expect more from their people, which leads to them feeling more pressure to achieve greater results. Consequently, this leads to longer working hours, and less time spent at home. Maintaining work life balance is not only important for your personal health and relationships, but it can also improve the efficiency of your work performance. If you need further convincing – familiarise yourself with the below 3 reasons.
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Fewer health problems
When we are stressed and over-worked, we run the risk of jeopardising more than just our social lives, our physical and mental health is in danger too.
It’s no secret that when we are overworked, tired or stressed our health will suffer. A poor work-life balance can lead to a variety of symptoms which can affect our wellbeing. This ranges from the flu to serious health conditions like strokes and respiratory problems. Taking the time to look after yourself by exercising, eating well and relaxing can contribute to limiting your health problems and make you a more efficient worker during business hours.
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Attention is paid where due
With a balance between work and home, comes greater control of where your focus remains. If you leave your work at the office, your full attention will be on your home life and giving your relationships the attention in which they deserve.
When spending time with your partner, children or friends, your mind should be solely focused on the experience you are having, rather than thinking of work concurrently. Similarly, if you are in the office, greater focus should be paid on the tasks at hand. In turn, this makes you a more efficient worker, and demonstrates one of the many benefits of achieving a work life balance.
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Leave work on time
There may be days when you have to work late or are asked to do overtime, but try not to get into the habit of staying late for the sake of it. Don’t feel that you won’t be taken seriously if you leave work on time. Try and prioritise your tasks so you don’t have to rush to get them finished before you leave.
As an employee, you need to understand the impact an imbalanced lifestyle could have on you and your career.
It may not be easy to achieve a work-life balance these days, as people are constantly pushed to work faster to cope with an increasing workload. Do not be discouraged however; there are little steps that can be taken to keep your life on the right track. An increasing number of employers are recognising that an imbalanced lifestyle can ultimately affect their employees’ job satisfaction level, productivity and work performance, and that isn’t a good outcome for anyone.
