The same qualities that make an employee go that extra mile—more hours, joining committees, or earning certifications—often carry over to personal life activities and commitments. While these go-go-go qualities to fit as much as possible into a day are admirable, they can lead to both stress and exhaustion.
Is there such a thing as too much? And is there a link between off-hour activities and on-the-job performance? We talked to go-getters from throughout the perishables supply chain to discuss the signs of overcommitment and how it can impact both personal and professional lives.
The Doubled-Edged Sword Employers like to hire people with plenty of outside interests. Work/life balance is the watchword that has replaced being ‘married to the job’ and committing to after-hours activities—whether it’s family, fitness, education, or charity work—can make potential hires more attractive.
A study by the Corporation for National and Community Service found job candidates who volunteered had a 27 percent greater chance of being hired. But the very qualities that make people with an active private life attractive—energy, focus, dedication, and commitment—are a double-edged sword as they can make it more likely these very same individuals will become burned out, fatigued, and distracted, which can adversely impact their careers.
Lifestyle & Performance Burnout is a very real and growing threat. A Kronos survey in January 2017 revealed that feeling burned out may be responsible for as much as 50 percent of annual workplace turnover. What makes this an especially thorny problem is the traits that make employees work hard both in and away from the office aren’t necessarily the ones employers want to discourage and aren’t easy to manage.
“Dealing with overcommitted employees is often difficult,” confirms April Morris, director of employee development and training at Grimmway Farms in Bakersfield, CA. Each worker, she explains, has unique personal motivators that helped build this particular mindset, resulting in his or her current behavior. Altering that behavior is complicated.
Identifying Burnout One of the key ways burnout manifests itself in the workplace is through sleep deprivation. As little as a half-hour less sleep every night can have a profound effect on job performance, and according to a 2016 study by the Hult International Business School, can result in not only work-related problems like a lack of focus, inability to learn new skills, diminished creativity, and reduced motivation, but also create difficulties in physical and mental health, such as decreased immune system function, irritability, and higher levels of stress.
The same qualities that make an employee go that extra mile—more hours, joining committees, or earning certifications—often carry over to personal life activities and commitments. While these go-go-go qualities to fit as much as possible into a day are admirable, they can lead to both stress and exhaustion.
Is there such a thing as too much? And is there a link between off-hour activities and on-the-job performance? We talked to go-getters from throughout the perishables supply chain to discuss the signs of overcommitment and how it can impact both personal and professional lives.
The Doubled-Edged Sword Employers like to hire people with plenty of outside interests. Work/life balance is the watchword that has replaced being ‘married to the job’ and committing to after-hours activities—whether it’s family, fitness, education, or charity work—can make potential hires more attractive.
A study by the Corporation for National and Community Service found job candidates who volunteered had a 27 percent greater chance of being hired. But the very qualities that make people with an active private life attractive—energy, focus, dedication, and commitment—are a double-edged sword as they can make it more likely these very same individuals will become burned out, fatigued, and distracted, which can adversely impact their careers.
Lifestyle & Performance Burnout is a very real and growing threat. A Kronos survey in January 2017 revealed that feeling burned out may be responsible for as much as 50 percent of annual workplace turnover. What makes this an especially thorny problem is the traits that make employees work hard both in and away from the office aren’t necessarily the ones employers want to discourage and aren’t easy to manage.
“Dealing with overcommitted employees is often difficult,” confirms April Morris, director of employee development and training at Grimmway Farms in Bakersfield, CA. Each worker, she explains, has unique personal motivators that helped build this particular mindset, resulting in his or her current behavior. Altering that behavior is complicated.
Identifying Burnout One of the key ways burnout manifests itself in the workplace is through sleep deprivation. As little as a half-hour less sleep every night can have a profound effect on job performance, and according to a 2016 study by the Hult International Business School, can result in not only work-related problems like a lack of focus, inability to learn new skills, diminished creativity, and reduced motivation, but also create difficulties in physical and mental health, such as decreased immune system function, irritability, and higher levels of stress.
Morris suggests a number of tactics to skirt the chances of overcommitting in a way that might lead to a lack of sleep, including office rules that dictate how early (and how late) employees can be on the premises, disallowing emails before 6:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m., and meeting times that cannot be set early Monday or late Friday.
Setting Realistic Goals “When commitments are unhealthy due to nature or quantity,” Morris says, the result can be “decreased motivation and energy at work.” In such cases, she explains, “Managers must be willing and able to have very direct and ongoing conversations with the overcommitted employee about small steps that can lead to change and progress. We all want what’s best for our employees, but managers must be realistic and accepting of what can and cannot change, just as the employees must accept the consequences of their actions.”
This degree of overcommitment is especially common among highly motivated employees—particularly ones who have a strong sense of responsibility to their community. In many workplaces, employers recognize this bond and encourage it: the number of large companies offering volunteer time off rose from 16 to 60 percent in the five years between 2008 and 2013.
But it’s important for both managers and employees to be realistic about the time commitment required by volunteer work. “There is always a possibility of overcommitment,” admits Diana McClean, director of marketing for Ocean Mist Farms, headquartered in Castroville, CA. “Prioritizing is a key talent I’ve learned over the years to evaluate when to say yes or no to additional activities.”
McClean says she carefully balances opportunities against time requirements to avoid burnout. “Getting clarity on what is being asked in regards to your level of time and resources helps make this decision.”
Maintaining Priorities Of course, pursuing a passion isn’t just attractive to employers, it has tangible benefits for workers as well. A study by the employment administration of the Canadian province of Alberta showed employees who volunteer can build networks, acquire new skills, and have a better chance at promotion. This makes it even more important for employees to be honest with themselves about their motivations for pursuing outside interests.
Jin Ju Wilder, director of marketing at LA & SF Specialty in Santa Fe Springs, CA, pays close attention to her volunteer hours. “My priorities are my family and my work, so I have to be careful about the role I take in the various organizations I support. Sometimes I have the time and energy to commit to being in a leadership position; if not, then I am very straightforward about being unable to commit but will offer my support in other ways. I don’t volunteer for the sake of volunteering; I only volunteer when I have a passion or strong interest, and when I think my skill set and experience can add value.”
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.
Finding the Sweet Spot Most people will say there is a proper balance for work versus personal life responsibilities. Yes, the lines blur occasionally, and of course, defining and actually implementing said balance can be tricky.
Saying No Nobody likes to say no. In the workplace, refusing a task can make employees feel they’re being perceived as negative, uncooperative, or not a “team player.” Declining an outside commitment makes many fearful of missing out or concerned they may not seem supportive enough of an activity or a cause. Most organizations would gladly take a small contribution from a balanced and stable volunteer over a big commitment from someone on the verge of a meltdown.
There is, however, universal agreement that learning the right time and circumstances to say no is the most essential tool to achieving a work/life balance.
“When I find the right opportunity, it’s either with an organization I have been a part of outside of work or in an industry I feel passionate about,” shares Alex Jackson Berkley, senior account manager at Frieda’s, Inc. in Los Alamitos, CA. “But I make sure I’m able to commit fully and with my best self. If I feel I cannot fulfill the time commitment or put forth my best work for the benefit of the organization, I don’t pursue the opportunity.”
One effective strategy for saying no, cited in a recent study by the Journal of Consumer Research, is to say “I don’t” instead of “I can’t” to specific commitments. I can’t, the authors say, comes across as an excuse that someone ‘can’ be pressured to change their mind, while I don’t implies agency, conviction, and boundaries without seeming dismissive.
Saying yes is often tempting, as few want to admit to an employer they’re stretched too thin. But a partnership between workers and human resources departments can realistically evaluate if volunteering fits an associate’s current workload and will be beneficial.
Weighing the Toll “I have seen both positive and negative impressions of highly committed and overcommitted employees,” observes Morris. “Overcommitted employees are often seen as being at their maximum potential,” she explains. “They don’t have the time or skills to take on a wider scope of work for any reason, as it appears to be taking more time than they have to get their work done.”
“When you start feeling rushed to hit deadlines for your volunteer responsibilities, or start missing events or meetings because of other commitments, you’re overcommitted,” asserts Jackson Berkley. “To avoid burnout, I only commit to one volunteer opportunity outside of work at a time,” she says. “You have to learn to say no to the benefit of the organization asking for your time. It’s always okay to say you’d be interested in committing at a later time.”
Support and communication are also key. “I have a great support system at home if I feel a work or volunteer opportunity is a unique one. Having open communication with my loved ones has helped me find balance,” she notes. “Without communication, any type of balance is impossible.”
As in most relationships, pairing work and private lives is largely a question of establishing boundaries. Business authors Dan Guerra and Dana Gionta recommend rating feelings of discomfort from 1 to 10 when feeling overwhelmed: if your rating is from 7 to 10, you’re crossing boundaries and risking your mental well-being.
These boundaries, according to Morris, are the difference between a highly committed employee and an overcommitted one: “An overcommitted employee has fluid boundaries that he/she chooses to shift on a regular basis, based on the real and perceived needs of work, at the expense of time outside of work.
“Highly committed people have a set of self-defined boundaries in place that allow them to make the most of their time to keep a balance across all of the priorities in their lives,” Morris explains. “While both types can be focused on achieving goals and delivering results, there is a definite difference between the two that can be seen in their behaviors during and after the work day.”
Time Well Spent Volunteer, recreational, educational, and family goals outside of the office can be just as personally rewarding as professional goals at work.
But without the ability to say no, to establish firm boundaries, and to recognize the signs of burnout and the ways to remedy it, you can easily become overcommitted and not realize any of those rewards.
“I have had to regretfully decline some opportunities to avoid being in a situation where I wouldn’t have had the time and energy to provide thoughtful or meaningful contributions,” says L.A. Specialty’s Wilder. “If I’m going to volunteer and spend time away from my office and my family, then I want to ensure it’s time well spent on learning, contributing, and leading change.”
