Americans have often been described as workaholics, those who focus on work more than other aspects of their life which can wreck havoc in the same way an addiction can be unhealthy. Work is certainly important and has its place but are you able to "turn it off" and focus on other areas of life when the time comes? A 40-hour workweek is the norm and should be closely adhered to in order to prevent burn out, anxiety, depression, and other threats to the body and psyche.
Here are a couple of things to consider when creating a healthy work-life balance:
Environment
How do you inform your body that work is over for the day? Do you change your environment? Do you physically drive away from the office or walk away from your desk? Whether you work outside of the home or remotely, you need to way to alert your body that work has concluded. Keep work separate from other areas of your life. Do not take work "home" such as to your kitchen table, to the bedroom, or to the relaxing bath you desire. Allow your mind a chance to reset and rejuvenate.
Boundaries
According to the Harvard Business Review (Sonak, 2024), you have to remember to set good boundaries and protect yourself. This means you might have to say "no" at times. For example, let's say you have a 10-year old who plays a sport and you have carved out time to go to their next game after work on Thursday at 6:00pm. Well, as you approach Thursday that week your supervisor asks if you can work late to finish up a project that day. This would cause you to miss your child's game. This may be one of those times you have to politely say "no" and let your supervisor know that you will use your time as effectively as possible during normal work hours to get the project completed without having to stay late. These choices will have long-term effects on your family members even when that job may be long behind you.
Once you find a healthy balance, you will feel so much better and actually be more productive than you realize. You deserve it. Prioritize yourself and you will be better for everyone around you. Good luck!
References:
OpenAI (2024). CoPilot (July 8, 2024) [Large language model]. www.bing.com
Sanok, J. (2024). A guide to sting better boundaries In Boundaries, Priorities, and Finding Work-Life Balance. (pp. 31-39). Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
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