Work-life balance has always been a subject of debate for decades. This concept can be traced back to the late 18th century, when both the U.S. and the U.K. enacted legislation to limit the number of hours that people could be made to work each week. Throughout the 19th century, both countries passed more laws to limit working hours and enforce mandatory leave for certain events, such as childbirth and illness.

In recent times, work-life balance is evolving but it’s simply about achieving the mix of business and personal life that is right for you. Often, our work can seemingly take precedent over everything in our lives.

However, creating a harmonious work-life balance is critical to improving not only our physical, emotional and mental health, but also our career.

It’s obvious to say that the majority of workers prefer companies that provide a healthy work-life balance. But did you know that being overworked can actually be fatal? Science has shown that the more overworked you are, the greater risk you have for heart failure and stroke. Goldman Sachs even had to reduce their interns’ work hours after an intern died after working 72 hours without a break. Reports say he died from epileptic seizures brought on from pulling all-nighters for his work.

When creating a work-life balance that works for you, take time to assess your own needs. Not everyone’s work-life balance looks the same, and not everyone divides their work and personal life directly in half. Work-life balance is less about neatly dividing the hours in your day between work and personal life and more about having the flexibility to get things done in your professional life while still having time and energy to truly enjoy your personal life.

Here are some useful tips on how to achieve the right work-life balance:

1. Find a job that you love
2. Create your “me” time
3. Prioritize your health
4. Create boundaries and work hours
5. Take a vacation
6. Don’t be afraid to unplug
7. Create time for family and loved ones

An unhealthy work-life balance can lead to the following:

1. Illness and burnout
2. Lower productivity at work
3. Clinical depression and anger-management issues
4. Total disconnection to your personal life
5. Absenteeism
6. Stress and anxiety

A healthy work-life balance is beneficial to both employers and employees as employees who are generally healthy can be more productive, miss less work and have fewer healthcare-related expenses, while employers who are committed to providing environments that support work-life balance for their employees can save on costs, experience fewer cases of absenteeism, and enjoy a more loyal and productive workforce.

Savvy Instant Offices ensures that members of staff have a healthy work-life balance and this has helped the team to consistently deliver on its mission of providing a world class office experience for its clients.

I would leave you this week with this amazing quote by Dolly Parton: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life”.

Source:

1. Businessdaily.com
2. Forbes.com
3. Mindtools.com