Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is key to cultivating a healthy work environment. It supports our mental resilience and helps to reduce symptoms of stress and prevent burnout. Not putting healthy boundaries in place can take its toll on the body. For example, chronic stress is now one of the most common health issues in the workplace. Physical consequences of chronic stress can include hypertension, digestive troubles, chronic aches and pains, and heart problems. It also negatively impacts our mental health, and can put you at higher risk of depression, anxiety and insomnia.
What does a healthy work-life balance look like?
Work-life balance is about separating your personal and professional lives without allowing one to encroach upon the other. Both are important and neither should be neglected. Those who have a poor work-life balance struggle to differentiate between their work and their free time. This type of behaviour could lead to skipping out or not taking part in activities that could help you relax and recover from the pressures and demands of work. Over time, this imbalance can lead to exhaustion and increased amounts of stress.
With more people working from home or hybrid, there may be temptation to check emails or answer calls outside of working hours. Today’s technology has led to us living in an ‘always switched on’ world, which can pressure people into feeling like they have to always be available. Nevertheless, putting boundaries in place, such as switching off notifications when you’re not at work, are things you can do to help protect your personal time.
If the average working week is 37.5 – 40 hours, and sleep consists of 7 – 9 hours, this should give you a rough total of 65 – 81 hours per week to yourself. Just as we give our full focus to tasks at work, we should also give focus to activities in our personal life – without being distracted by work. For example, being fully present in the moment when spending time with family, rather than answering emails on your phone to do with a work issue.
Why is it important to maintain a healthy work-life balance?
- Supports your health and wellbeing. Taking the time to look after yourself helps to improve your mental and physical health. For example, regular physical activity and a healthy balanced diet helps to nourish the body after a stressful day.
- Helps you to be more productive. Taking your breaks and using your holiday entitlement allows your body time to rest and recover. Returning to work rested puts you in a stronger position to focus, solve problems and think creatively – helping to boost your performance. Having time to rest and recover can also reduce chances of illness, which could lead to absence at work.
- Helps to nurture your relationships. Working long hours or into your own personal time can mean you spend less time with loved ones and friends. It can also impact the amount of time you have with others i.e. you may find it difficult to give family your full attention when your exhausted and overwhelmed from a long day at work. It can also impact how you are with colleagues. Being stretched at work may mean you forget to check-in on others or join in catch-ups over lunch breaks. Keeping some form of balance between work and rest will help to nurture the relationships you have, helping you to feel more connected to others in a meaningful way.
- You can’t get back lost time. It’s worth keeping in mind that time is something we can’t get back once it’s gone. This can help you put into perspective the importance of putting healthy boundaries in place between work and your personal life.
Proactive steps to improve work-life balance
- Practice self care exercise – eat well and get enough sleep to maintain your physical and mental health. Even activities like stretching, deep breathing or going for a short walk can help reduce stress.
- Stay connected – Strong social connections at work and outside of work can help reduce stress and increase resilience. Make time for colleagues, friends, and family to maintain a support system.
- Take personal responsibility and ask for help if needed. If you’re struggling with work-life balance, consider speaking to your line manager. They may be able to support you or signpost you on to other forms of support, such as an Employee Assistance Programme or training to help with time management. Making your line manager aware of how you are feeling gives them the opportunity to put supportive measures in place.
- Try to ‘work smarter, not harder’. This involves tight prioritisation and allotting certain amounts of time to tasks. It also means trying not to get caught up in less productive activities, such as unstructured meetings that can end up taking a lot of time.
- Take proper breaks at work. For example, taking at least half an hour for lunch and getting out of the workplace if you’re able to.
- Try to set boundaries between work and personal time. If you do need to bring work home, try to ensure that you only work from a certain area of your home – ideally out of the way from where you would normally relax.
- Take the link between work-related stress and mental ill health seriously. Try to manage pressure and demands at work using healthy coping mechanisms, such as physical activity or hobbies.
- Recognise the importance of looking at wellbeing holistically. To help us stay well, we need to look after our physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, social wellbeing and wellbeing at work. Try to ensure that these are not sacrificed in order to work longer hours.
Further support
Mental health foundation – Tips for assessing your work-life balance and putting healthy steps in place.
Every mind matters – Advice on things you can do to look after your mental health.
BBC – This article reflects on how attitudes to work-life balance have shifted since the pandemic.
Source:
www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2018/03/27/the-evolving-definition-of-work-life-balance
Ref: WPW0144 this information was reviewed April 2025.
