McClean weighs “the value of an opportunity versus my personal work/life balance goals. I’m motivated by interest in an organization and its purpose, but I’m also motivated to give and share my time and talent where it makes sense.”
Learning to Recharge
When burnout becomes a reality, it’s important to recharge. The signs are clear: increased fatigue and apathy, indifference, and inability to focus. The remedies are just as distinct: take regular breaks during the workday, manage off-hours obligations in a realistic way, know when to step away from both work and personal commitments, and restrict use of digital devices.
MAKING TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU
Technology is both a blessing and a curse for the modern workplace. Instant and constant communication has created huge leaps forward in efficiency and made global 24-hour production a reality, but has also greatly blurred the lines between private life and professional responsibility. One vital aspect of work/life balance and avoiding burnout is knowing how and when to reduce technology’s encroachment of personal time. Here are three recommendations on how to establish and maintain a healthy equilibrium.Don’t be in constant contact
Unless your job requires you to be on call, don’t act as if you are. Responding whenever someone reaches out not only establishes unrealistic expectations, but blurs those important boundaries. “When commitments are unhealthy due to nature or quantity,” observes April Morris, director of employee development and training at Grimmway Farms, “I’ve seen a correlation with decreased motivation and energy at work.” Recommended: set a specific time in the morning before which you will not answer calls or emails, a similar time in the evening to be off the clock, and stick with them.Connectivity stops at the edge of the bed
With sleep deprivation becoming a greater risk, sleep experts agree that bringing tech into the bedroom is a bad idea. It’s easier than ever not to be away from a screen, with the omnipresence of laptops, tablets, and cell phones, but many studies have shown that having these devices by your bedside can heighten stress, ruin sleep, and have a deleterious effect on physical and psychological health. Recommended: check your devices at the bedroom door.Get the most out of your commitments
No one, no matter how much he or she may care, can do everything. With volunteer organizations in the workplace and often inundating your inbox, it helps to remember that the success or failure of a project doesn’t rest entirely on you. The value of the project must be weighed against work and personal responsibilities. Recommended: you don’t have to get as much as you give, but make sure you get something.
“I positively encourage all employees to use the benefits of time off, whether it’s for a vacation, a ‘staycation,’ as a field trip chaperone or community volunteer,” says Morris. “No employee should miss out when they have the opportunity to volunteer and it is supported by the company.
“The reason we have a job is to live our lives outside of work,” Morris continues. “We work to live, not live to work, and it’s important to keep perspective and balance.” Achieving this balance between a rewarding private life and a high-performing career is crucial to gaining the most reward from both.
