You just had your appointment with The Bunion Cure, and it’s back to work for you tomorrow. This appointment was the first day you allowed yourself some time off in weeks. Giving yourself some space away from work is important when it comes to adopting a healthy work-life balance. If you feel that you’re becoming more overwhelmed at work, we’re offering some advice on how to adopt a healthy work-life balance.
Check in with Loved Ones Regularly
You might believe that you have a healthy work-life balance, but it’s important to check in with your family and friends about it regularly. Inviting those close to you – especially if you live with a spouse and children – to open up about how they feel their relationship with you is key. You don’t want to be unknowingly neglecting your family. Having regular conversations to check in with them can help prevent this.
Allow “Self-Care” Time
Self-care time is incredibly important for everyone. Even if you feel that you’re always busy with work, it’s vital that you allow some time for yourself. If you focus all of your energy and time towards work or daily tasks, you’re likely to get overwhelmed and burnt out eventually. Schedule a self-care afternoon at least once a week. Work and obligations can wait, taking care of you needs to be a priority.
Set Healthy Boundaries
We all know by now that boundaries are important for many parts of our lives, work is no exception. In order to have a healthy work-life balance, you need to establish and stick to healthy boundaries. This includes both boundaries for yourself and boundaries for others. By setting boundaries, you prevent being taken advantage of or overworking yourself.
Limit Screen Time After Work
Depending on what you do for work, there’s a good chance that a lot of it is spent staring at a computer. After you log out for the day, try and limit your screen time usage – this goes for your phone as well. Too much screen time can have severe negative consequences on your health – leading to obesity, sleep issues, depression, anxiety, and even chronic physical pain.
Don’t Neglect Physical Health
In order to have a healthy work-life balance, you need to make sure you’re treating your body well. After all, lack of exercise or eating poorly can lead to serious health issues. Even if you don’t have time to make it to the gym that often, you can always set aside some time for a walk. And again – even if it’s easier to grab takeout during or after work, you should consider meal prepping your food to ensure you’re eating foods that are healthy and nourish your body.
Mental Health Check-Ins
Last but certainly not least, you want to regularly check in to see how you’re feeling mentally and emotionally. Work can cause a slew of mental health problems among professionals. You don’t want to be part of that statistic. Connect with yourself daily, through practices like meditation or journaling, to see where your head and heart is. If you find that you’re constantly feeling anxious or depressed, it would be a good idea to make an appointment with a mental health professional.
