Problems at Work

How to Achieve a Healthy Work-Life Balance for Workaholics

How does anyone achieve a healthy work-life balance these days? It seems as though anyone who is attempting to build a successful business or excel at what they do is always at work. If they are not at work, then they are networking, so mostly, it’s the same thing.

Achieving an equilibrium between work and a personal life is work in itself. There are millions of people trying to get it together and maintain that parity. The solutions are simple and common sense, but when you’re addicted to your work, it can be difficult.

The answers are different for each person, and everyone has a different perspective. There are moments when a person needs to rev it up, and on the other hand, they need to tune it down. Being self-aware is a critical aspect of balancing your work and home life.

As an individual becomes aware, they can then take pleasure in the ride as much as they do reaching their destination. One of the first lessons is to take baby steps. Taking it slow and easy is likely the best way if a person is to live a healthy life and take care of their family.

Part of working hard is being able to enjoy life without worry. Working too hard affects your physical health, and it can also affect your mental well-being. To even out your home and work-life, keep reading for more information.

How Do You Balance Your Home Life and Work?

Many people are busy, and they are secretly happy about it. Some people believe that by working countless hours, they are an indispensable employee or the best manager ever. It’s not their fault, however.

Blame society for their way of thinking. They tell us to be successful this is how a successful person behaves. Sadly, we fall for this group thinking and even boast about it. Surprisingly, some leaders, entrepreneurs, and employees commit to regular hours.  Here’s how they do it.

What Are Your Priorities?

In order for anyone put an end to the madness, they must pinpoint what makes sense and what doesn’t.  What activities are to the benefit of the business and of those, which one is most enjoyable? Spend more time doing what drives the business and less time on the job.

Don’t spend time on things that don’t improve the business. Who hasn’t started on a project and gotten sidetracked? Often it has nothing to do with the subject at hand, and it can be time-consuming. However, time is the one thing no one can get back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

There’s no time machine to take us back, unfortunately. Make sure what’s done today, counts toward building a more sound tomorrow. Get the most out of each hour, so at the end of the day, it’s satisfying. With this in mind, a planner may be necessary as well as balance.

There are many ways to lead a company or group of people. Consistency is one way to accomplish a balance conducive to success. It may be doing one thing more and another less, but once the priorities are in focus, consistency is the key.

Develop the margins that will increase time efficiency. For instance, instead of going to the gym after hours, use the time typically used for lunch.  When it’s time to clock out, stop working at least a half hour before and prepare for the next day.

Why is Balancing Your Work and Social Life So Important?

As a business owner or aspirational employee, there are choices one must make each day. The decision to work from sun up to sun down doesn’t necessarily mean success. With that said, this decision doesn’t come without making a sacrifice.

The family and the individual’s health conditions are each affected by continuing to work this way. Burnout is inevitable at some point, and when this happens, the business suffers. The results are the opposite of what we intend on happening.

Again, time is an asset, and when not used wisely, it impacts more than just one person. It all seems exciting, the hustle and bustle of things, however, one must achieve a healthy work-life balance.

What Are the Health Risks of Being a Workaholic?

The early warning signs the body is suffering from the effects of overworking are stress and anxiety. These symptoms are in a direct relationship to failure or the fear of failing.

[su_list icon=”icon: check-circle”]

A workaholic is easy to spot. Here’s how:

  • They have a rigid, robotic way of walking and moving plus, and they report problems with their back. Along with that are signs of fatigue and the feeling of hopelessness and depression. Look for changes in their eating and sleeping habits.
  • Often, they have reduced focus ability, limited motivation, emotional outbreaks and breakdowns and a lack of interest in adult time or intimacy. On the other hand, it could be an increase in the sex drive associated with neediness.
  • Someone who is overworked could distance themselves from adverse situations, giving the impression they don’t care any longer. They can become angry and irrational. Also, there’s a possibility they will isolate themselves from the people who care about them.
  • The physical conditions which result in a workaholic can immobilize the individual or set off panic attacks. Feelings of claustrophobia are typical in these situations as well as the heart rate increasing.
  • One can experience musculoskeletal or vasomotor disturbances such as paralysis, trembling, sweating, and their breathing pattern is disrupted.
  • Workaholics also report stomach upset, inability to relax, nervousness, constricted breathing, pressure on their chest, heart trouble, feeling lightheaded or dizziness.

Mental Health Problems Caused by Working Too Hard

Surprisingly, workaholics are more at risk of committing suicide when something traumatic happens like losing their business or position at work. These people feel shame, and they feel as though they have lost their identity.

Failure is a significant issue for them. Without the prestige or power their position gave them, they feel hopeless and become depressed.

A group of researchers from the University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, determined specific signs of a workaholic. They developed a scale which measures the possibility of an individual who would have an addiction to work.

  • You spend more time at work than should on a typical day
  • When work affects their health
  • If other people have told them, they spend too much time working
  • When they feel stressed out when they are not at work
  • If you don’t believe hobbies, exercise or leisure activities are important anymore
  • When you think of ways to free up time to do more work
  • If working more relieves feelings of anxiety or depression

If the answer to these questions is “always” or “most of the time,” the individual could be a workaholic. The Norwegian study concluded 8.3% of its population is addicted to their work. Overall and in other countries, the average is 10%.

What’s the Correct Balance between Work and Personal Priorities?

Growing a business takes a lot of work and time. Would anyone agree? Surely, many people are shaking their heads right about now. For a lot of people, there’s not enough time in the day and hiring help is out of the question, but taking time off is still necessary.

Don’t add more time to the schedule. Just replace a job assignment with a pleasurable task. In other words, replace tedious work habits with a healthy work-life balance activity. Taking care of one’s body is the number one job task. It’s easy to get burnout if not managed.

CNBC says burnout is the top cause of a business failing. Business owners put their businesses and themselves at risk to suffer from all sorts of illnesses, and possibly, their goes up for bidding. When business owners don’t take care of themselves, the business suffers.

Their researchers reveal half of the businesses that open, close within five years of a successful launch. Fatigue and burnout are two of the main causes of profit loss and poor health conditions. However, there’s help before anyone reaches that point.

How to Strike a Balance between Work and Family

Burnout is easily beaten. Make more time for the people and activities that meant a lot before getting this job or business. It’s going to be rough at first, but not impossible. What is impossible is the idea of this going on for the rest of a person’s life.

So many entrepreneurs are putting in the long hours. If they are not on their cell phones looking to network, they are sitting at a desk and working at a computer. No one is alone when it comes to trying to find the time to balance their lives.

Due to layoffs, budget cuts, and illness, it’s difficult to get back on their feet. They feel by putting longer hours will help eliminate debt. While working more maybe financial beneficial, still, there must be a balance between work and home life.

At some point, a person must ask themselves, what are they working for? Is it not to bring excitement and joy into their lives? What good is extra money if the individual is not having fun? What can a person do to find a medium? Let’s take a look at what the experts suggest.

Working long hours and spending time with the family

Give More Thought to Enjoyable Activities

One of the privileges of being a leader is the authority to delegate duties. Consider how much of the workload can be shared or outsourced. Is ordering online a possibility? How difficult is it to find someone to take care of the yard or the home?

Many things can be done over the phone like paying a bill. Save trips to the post office by ordering online boxes for the postal carrier to pick-up. Next, include a time slot for the activities not on the list of job duties like fishing or playing video games with the kids.

Gradually, add more to the list of fun things to do, or activities you find important outside of work. An excellent reward for a hard-working entrepreneur is a getaway for two.

Take a weekend or a four-day weekend and journey somewhere that offers plenty of options. If resting is the priority, pick a destination for that niche.  On the other hand, if fun and dancing are more of what’s needed, go to where they are popping champagne bottles or beer tops.

Not ready for that yet? How about an activity that involves working with the hands? Most wood projects will take some time and forethought. This will pass the time quickly as there can be many steps in the project like watching how-to videos and gathering supplies.

Make Sure That You Get Regular Exercise

Take care to implement an exercise program into the busy schedule. Not only does exercise improve the body, but it does great things for a person’s mental health. It doesn’t have to be an intense workout plan. Something as simple as walking the dog simulates exercise.

Start with a 20-30 minute walk, every other day. This can be done during an hour-long lunch hour. However, if the distance between home and work is a short one, try walking to and from home when the weather permits it.

Remember, the key is to substitute and not add more hours. Also, taking a power nap can be good for you as well.  Schedule one soon.

Work-Life Balance Tips for Employees and Employers

Having the lines of communication open for employees opens doors. Not only will the two individuals see eye to eye, but getting the help required will be easier. With this in mind, people are different, and they have different skills and talents.

Delegate

Assigning the right job to the right person is essential to getting the job done effectively, so relaxation is possible. When this happens, everyone benefits from it. The employee has a level of responsibility that increases self-esteem, and the business owner gets the work done.

Open Door Policy

Be honest about what the needs and goals are. Identify what’s important to the team and the business. Don’t hide the lows or adverse effects if a plan fails. Always let the team know when a key person is going to be absent and assign each a part of their duties.

Teamwork

Get the team involved in a project outside of work such as team sports and include their families. As an alternative, create a social engagement where networking is the main theme. The more people are a part of making the business a success, the better for all concerned.

The employees feel more duty-bound to help the business if they feel like an important factor. Get involved with the employees and possibly implement programs to make their lives easier.  This way, everyone can go home promptly and feel refreshed the next day.

Turn Off Devices

Leave phones off when at the dinner table. Taking a vacation, set a time to screen calls and make callbacks to oversee urgent matters. Once the time has elapsed, go back to being on vacation.

The time arrangement is not something that anyone can prolong, extend or take lightly. Stick to the time agreed on. If not, assign someone to take the calls and handle any emergencies that could happen while on vacation.

Allow the business owner, the aspiring entrepreneur, the hard working individual free time to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

What Jobs Have the Best Work-Life Balance?

While priorities change, the work-life balance is essential. Keep in mind that the right opportunities are the ones benefiting a person in a way that it doesn’t produce an overwhelming amount of work. Work toward perfecting the work-life balance we’re discussing.

Some of the best occupations for this balance, according to Glassdoor.com, are as follows:

Corporate Recruiting

Leads the recruiting department for all units or divisions.  The job description includes interviewing to collaborating on hiring. The salary range for this position is $65,000.

Strategy Manager

This person has the responsibility of reviewing the company aims and devising a robust method for achieving those goals. Often, they create goals for the company’s benefit. Salary range is about $97,728.

Technical Account Manager

The [tech] account manager supports job descriptions, including technical support engineer, communications, and customer care. The salary for this position is up to $75,000 annually.

Research Engineer

The research engineer’s job is multifaceted.  He takes his bachelor’s degree and lends it to such industries such as aerospace and mechanics. Although the salary depends on the industries and areas, one can make up $100k per year.

Substitute Teaching

When the normal instructor is not available, the school system will send a substitute for the time he or she is going to be out.  This could mean a day, week or month long assignment for the substitute teacher.

Although the salary is not a lot in comparison to other careers, it is rewarding.  Salary also varies in different states, but the normal salary for a sub is around $25,000 a year.

Library Assistant

As a library assistant, one may perform various clerical assignments.  They will assist the reader in selecting materials relevant to their search and check the materials in or out of the library.

Also, they may receive any payment due to the library instead of fines or purchases.  The librarian’s salary is approximately $28,929 a year.

Social Media Manager

The social media manager in demand is a busy one.  The job entails increasing brand awareness by using social media platforms and email marketing strategies.  Additionally, he or she may be responsible for creating or delivering a blog.

More so, the management of social platforms is sometimes necessary to fulfill this obligation.  The social media manager can make up to $55,000 yearly.

Web Designer

A web designer’s job is mainly held by men.  The pay for someone to design an interactive and lucrative website is not cheap by any means.

Experience, location, and influence determine the profits of a web designer. The average salary of a web designer is between $60k and $80k per year.

Content Manager

The content manager’s job is to oversee website content. They edit, post and update material strictly related to blogs or articles on websites.

Some restrict duties to content while others focus on managing the site.  These individuals receive a decent salary – up to $75,000 in annual wages.

Lab Assistants

The lab assistant may perform tasks relative to the support of the laboratory and other staff members.  They collect specimens for testing by their company’s policy. Salary range: less than $30,000 a year.

Working hard and spending time socializing

Training for a Better-Paid Medical Career

Certified Nursing Assistant

If the thought of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant [CNA] excites anyone, they are always in demand, so this may be a great career. The CNA performs duties in assisted living facilities, private homes, hospitals and nursing homes.

They are responsible for reporting any changes in a patient’s vital signs and their overall health condition. CNAs give support to leading medical professionals such as nurses and doctors. The duties also include bathing, dressing the patients as well as feeding them.

Some nursing homes and assisted living facilities will provide free training when you work for the company. One can also check with the Red Cross, community hospitals, and colleges. It only takes four to six weeks to complete training and up to 80 on-site hours.

Find out about choosing between nursing and phlebotomy in this post.

Emergency Medical Technicians or EMTs

The emergency medical tech is usually the first point of contact with a patient when they call 911. They provide quick assistance to stabilize a person who’s ill or injured and transport them to the nearest hospital.

Physical Therapist Aide

As a physical therapist aide, this person will give support to the physical therapists and their assistants. They arrange and prepare equipment for the patient’s procedures, schedule appointments and greet the patients.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the call for physical therapy aids will grow by almost 50% by the year 2020. It only takes a few months to a year to become a trained physical therapist aide.

The Personal Trainer

A personal trainer will the client get fit and flexible. They develop aerobic exercises according to the health condition and strength of the client. This job is expected to grow by 2020 with an increase of certifications and a demand of 24% or more.

Massage Therapists

The massage therapist reduces stress, relaxes and relieves muscular strain. These individuals work with hospitals, clinics, spas, fitness centers, and chiropractors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests an increase of massage therapists by the year 2020 of 20%.

Most are required to earn a state license which requires classroom study from an accredited college or school.

A person who is unable to relieve himself from work is likely a workaholic, but there’s help. One of the side effects of working too much is burnout.  Otherwise, the workaholic can suffer from other physical and mental conditions. Stress shows in many areas of the body and mind.

Work is good. It provides a salary which is necessary to keep the lights on or the bills paid. However, more money, more problems. It can even lead to a premature and permanent rest. Learn how to balance work-home life to live longer and healthier.

Re-learn to do those leisure activities that were pleasurable beforehand. Monitor time spent on work and at home. If more time is spent working, maybe a change is in order, especially if people are complaining about it. For example, many over 30’s train for a career in phlebotomy.

Practice a healthy work-life balance routine. This means rearranging the daily calendar, taking time off and exercising. Re-evaluate what’s essential and what’s not. Do less of what’s not important to spend more time at home with your family.

[/su_list]