Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress

Finding work-life balance in today's frenetically-paced world is no simple task. Spend more time at work than at home and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, if you're facing challenges in your personal life such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital or financial problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.

Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress — and its harmful effects — is the result.

To take control, first consider how the world of work has changed, then reevaluate your relationship to work and apply these strategies for striking a more healthy balance.

How work invades your personal life

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight to nine hours. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.

Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they're scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations. As a result today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.

These challenges are proof of how easy it is for work to invade your personal life.

Overtime obsession

It's tempting to work overtime if you're an hourly employee. By doing so, you can earn extra money for a child's college fund or dream vacation. Some people need to work overtime to stay on top of family finances or pay for extra, unplanned expenses.

If you're on salary, working more hours may not provide extra cash, but it can help you keep up with your workload. Being willing to arrive early and stay late every day may also help earn that promotion or bonus.

Before you sign up for overtime, consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:

Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you're tired. This means you're less productive and may make mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.

Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child's first bike ride, your father's 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.

Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you're spending time at the office instead of with them, you'll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.

Expectations. If you work extra hours as a general rule, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.

Sometimes working overtime is important. It's a choice you can make to adjust to a new job or new boss or to pay your bills. If you work overtime for financial reasons or to climb the corporate ladder, do so in moderation. Most importantly, say no when you're too tired, when it's affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.

Article Source: Medical Health Care Information