To me, the idea of work-life balance is an unhealthy one, as it implies a constant struggle to try and maintain an equilibrium in our lives which can add to our stress levels rather than help them. Instead of thinking about work-life balance, perhaps a healthier and more productive concept is that of work-life integration.
For many of us, work becomes our life and more often than not, this is something that creeps up on us. Think of what you need to do in “life” to be your best self at “work”. Rather than compartmentalising the two areas, think about how they interact.
If you need a full eight hours sleep to function effectively at work, or if doing that regular pilates class keeps your back pain free, this is not a case of sacrificing “work” for “life”, it is a case of ensuring that how you live your “life” allows you to do your best job at “work”.
Continual high-level performance in the workplace is both physically and mentally demanding and requires monitoring to ensure you and your team do not start to suffer from overtraining syndrome — a term which is recognised in the sporting and athletic population. In the workplace, it’s more commonly known as burnout.
There are some common symptoms that you as a manager should be paying attention to for both yourself and your team. These include:
• High levels of stress or anxiety
• Lack of motivation
• Negative attitude or feeling cynical towards both work and the everyday
• Not sleeping well
• Low energy and exhaustion emotionally and physically
• Feeling overwhelmed, as though there’s never enough time
• Being or feeling less productive
• Not taking regular breaks or holidays
• Not taking time for yourself. Stopping activities such as exercise, reading and hobbies.
Burnout is not caused solely by a high volume of training or workload but rather by a number of factors that contribute to poor performance. Unfortunately, most people deal with the problem by spending longer at their desk and working harder to try and achieve the same output.
Rest and recovery are essential elements of every athlete’s training programme and it is also important in delivering high calibre work in any environment. To win Wimbledon, Andy Murray is said to have slept 10 hours a day.
How to Combat Burnout — My Top Tips to Help Maintain Better Balance
Be self-aware: If you are experiencing three or more of the above symptoms at any one time you might very well be on your way to burnout. Take the time to stop, look at the problem and try and find a solution. Pinpoint where the stressor is coming from and see if it can be resolved easily.
Sleep more: Get 7-8 hours sleep a night and avoid the TV, phone or computer for at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Try and set yourself a bedtime and stick to it within reason.
Stay hydrated: Sadly, 10 cups of coffee don’t count, and for anyone who knows me, that’s a hard fact to swallow. Drinking water will keep you focused, energised and full. It should help fight off some of those sugary cravings you get around 3pm.
Move more: Sitting at a desk and staring at the screen is hardly inspiring. Make sure you get up and move more. Try to get away from your desk every 20 minutes, even if it’s just a quick trip to the watercooler. Don’t try and sit in one position the whole time thinking this is “good posture”. We’re made to move around, so slouch, shuffle and stand up when the phone rings.
Get your Vitamin D levels checked: Deficiencies can lead to problems with the immune system and fatigue.
Make time for exercise: Spend 30 minutes a day undertaking a moderate exercise like walking. You are more likely to die from being physically inactive than from the combined effects of being obese, diabetic and a smoker. Physical activity has huge positive effects on your mood, sleep and health.
Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day will reduce your chance of:
• Type 2 Diabetes by 40%
• Cardiovascular disease by 35%
• Depression by 30%
• Joint and back pain by 25%
• Cancers (colon and breast) by 20%
Say no: Weddings, networking, drinks, birthdays, baby showers, helping a friend move house — the list of events we “must” attend goes on. It can be overwhelming when you think you need to do it all. Take time to say no. Yes, it can seem “selfish” but you can’t help someone else if you’re running on empty. Sometimes it’s good to put yourself first.
Switch off: Thanks to the brilliance of modern technology we are always connected. It’s important to disconnect with tech and take time to be present in your surroundings. Try reading a book before bed — fiction has been shown to help recovery from the day. Rather than spending your lunch break scrolling, go for a walk, pop to the shops or try a quick work-out class.
Life outside of work: The work/life balance is really important when it comes to staying healthy. Find something besides from work that you are passionate about, that challenges you and gets you excited. It could be a new yoga class, a book club or volunteering for a charity. Use it as an opportunity to switch off from the 9-5 and take time for yourself.
Control your inner critic: Don’t feel like you’re achieving as much as you should? Beating yourself up for missing a deadline? We all make mistakes and while we shouldn’t be aiming to repeat them, being negative with yourself won’t help. Rather than letting your inner monologue talk you down, try speaking to yourself how you would a friend if they had come to you with that problem. Calling them a list of profanities wouldn’t help them bounce back, and it won’t help you either.
Now you have these tactics in your arsenal you can try and fight over-performance. Be accountable for your self-care. At Pure Sports Medicine, we use sleep, mood and activity trackers with our patients in their Better Journal to help track how these behaviours influence each other in helping work towards a goal.
Claire Small
Claire is a Consultant Physiotherapist and the Chief Clinical Officer and co-founder of Pure Sports Medicine. As co-founder she has been with Pure Sports Medicine since its beginning in 2003, delivering outstanding clinical care for over 20 years.
Claire’s clinical specialities include issues of the spine, hip, groin and pelvis including persistent problems, pregnancy-related complaints and movement dysfunction. She has a specific interest in helping women manage the symptoms associated with menopause and metabolic syndrome.
As an accomplished and well-established clinician, speaker and researcher, Claire is also an Honorary Lecturer and Examiner at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Hertfordshire, an invited Lecturer at UCL, Kings College, London & University of Bath and a Journal Reviewer for Manual Therapy and Physical Therapy in Sport & the British Journal of Sport Medicine. She was made a Fellow of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in 2016.
In 2015 she was named Australian Businesswoman of the Year in the UK for her work in healthcare.