Over the past few years, working from home has become an increasingly common part of the modern work culture, impacting our work-life balance.
According to a survey by the Office of National Statistics, there was a rise from 19% of people who worked from home to some degree in 2019, up to 25% to 40% in 2022, depending on the time of the year. While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly accelerated the change, many in the business world would say that this transformation has long been underway.
The overall views on working from home are, largely, positive. The 2024 Remote Work Stats & Trends report from FlexJobs lays out many of the perceived advantages of remote work, with 93% of employees believing that it positively impacts their mental health. However, remote work does come with its unique challenges as well, one of those being the rise in work-life balance issues.
A survey from Randstad shows that work-life balance has become a greater concern to many more workers, with 65% of employees prioritising it over pay and benefits. In another survey by Bloom UK, 93% of women surveyed said they had experienced mental health issues as a result of poor work-life balance.
Natalie Buchwald, a psychologist from Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, commented:
Poor work-life balance isn’t just a little annoyance. Over the long-term, it can have serious repercussions on your health, leading to chronic issues with stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and more. If someone is worried that they might be approaching the point of burning out, they need to really follow some steps to address the work-life balance issue at the core of it.
Natalie Buchwald, Psychologist
Steps to improve work-life balance
1) Establish your working boundaries
Know what time you finish work, and don’t be afraid to turn off your work phone. Avoid checking your emails after work hours are done.
2) Try productivity techniques at work
Procrastination in the workplace can cause stress, and lead to work spilling over into personal time. Using productivity tools like a priority matrix to be more focused at work can prevent this.
3) Delegate when you’re feeling overwhelmed
Excessive workloads are a major contributing factor to burnout. Negotiate deadlines and workloads with your manager, asking if other colleagues can help.
4) Keep work in the office
If you work from home, try to establish a designated work zone rather than working all over the home. This can prevent you from associating the entire home with your work.
5) Have some post-work rituals
Switch from your “work mindset” to your “home mindset” with habitual rituals, whether it’s a few minutes of meditation, taking a trip to the cafe, calling a friend, or otherwise.
6) Invest in essential self-care
If you are having trouble with your sleeping, if you’re eating, taking care of your hygiene, or exercising, you need to scale back your investment in your work.
7) Let technology help
Use “do not disturb” features and apps that prevent work notifications from popping up on your personal devices.
Buchwald concludes:
As more and more people are finding the lines between personal and private lives shifting, the issues with burnout and work-life balance are only likely to keep increasing. It’s better to take steps to stop it now, rather than having to deal with the consequences later.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
