Who wouldn’t love to have a successful work-life balance? Here’s the thing: there are routines that you do which sabotage your yearning for equilibrium.
Therapists conclude that people would’ve had a better chance with work-life balance if they only knew what they’re doing wrong and are aware of the reasons why they keep crashing and burning. What exactly are these things that prevent a person from achieving work-life balance?
Ambiguous Understanding Of What Work-Life Balance Means
To you, what does work-life balance mean? Often, you would get answers such as unplugging, doing hobbies, or indulging in things or activities that are relaxing after a grueling workweek. Though this idea is correct, it’s merely a little part of the broad, inclusive definition of work-life balance. Come to think about it. If the majority of those who work consider work-life-balance as hobby-spending ideation, then they can easily set aside an hour or two to fulfill this yearning.
A weekend getaway can be associated with unplugging; although, with the presence of technology in everything a person does, it’s entirely unrealistic to expect that work-life balance can be attained by merely disconnecting. As Gary Gilles, LCPC said that, “Most people spend enormous amounts of time on trivialities that are unnecessary at the moment.” As for those who have discovered how to merge these two, they are more inclined to have increased recovery when their professional and personal lives collide.
Improper Management Of Time
When it comes to spending one’s time, people always have a choice. One of the primary reasons why people become more neglectful of relationships or are continually running in late is because time management is not appropriately executed. With that, you must re-evaluate your priorities, learning to say “no” when needed, and delegating every nonessential that does not conform to your work-life balance definition.
For example, “If you look at your home life and map out all the successes that do not necessarily involve work, it can enable growth in appreciation for life outside of work.” said Jaime L. Kurtz, PhD, “This could possibly lead for a desire to strive for a better work-life balance.”
Passing Up On Vacation Leaves
Due to the workaholic nature of the majority, especially the millennials, being chained to their environment and forfeiting days of vacation because of the guilt of utilizing them happens quite often. As Melody Wilding, LMSW stated that, “An all-encompassing career is difficult to balance alongside caregiving duties, which makes things difficult for many women, people of color, and baby boomers. By fostering workaholism, companies miss out on an opportunity to strengthen their teams (and profits) with diverse leadership.” Think of it this way – you have vacation days because your work wants you to have them and use them to be rejuvenated so as not to get burnt out and become inefficient or afflicted.
Disregarding Symptoms
A dull headache or poor quality of sleep can be as it is, but there are times that symptoms you feel are part of a more extensive health problem. Chronic head, neck, and shoulder pain or constant sleep disruptions are early warning signs that your body is experiencing a malady. If these symptoms keep persisting and are worsening, the most appropriate thing to do is to seek the advice of medical experts.
Feeble Communication
When you have a personalized and transparent identification of work-life balance, it’s appropriate to share with other people what your goals are. Frank discussions of objectives for the following weeks or years are vital. Feeble, inadequate communication of intentions or goals with other people, like family or friends, will only result ina shaky follow through. It is advisable not to keep these thoughts to yourself and be diligent in sharing your specific needs with other people to avoid regression while ultimately cultivating and practicing work-life balance.
Neglecting Psychological Issues
According to a report, there are about one in five adults who struggle with mental illness in the United States alone. The moment people neglect their psychological health, relationships will suffer, as well as overall work performance. There are a lot of indications that signal disregard for mental health and one of them is irritability coupled with exhaustion, lack of motivation, and weak relationships. For those who are experiencing psychological symptoms, they have to convey concerns with people they trust and must set aside precious time for counseling and daily self-care.
Conclusively, you alone have the power to attain work-life balance. Persisting on having a keen and precise perception regarding the lifestyle that you are creating is essential. And remember, having a work-life balance is a choice that is entirely dependent on you.