- A new study found that European adults who report an inadequate work-life balance are more likely to rate their general health as poor.
- People who work long hours may also experience a higher risk of stroke and certain mental health disorders, previous studies have found.
- Career coaches recommend setting priorities, taking breaks and staying active to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
As many people are working extra hours from home during the coronavirus pandemic, maintaining a healthy work-life balance has never been trickier. But setting boundaries between work and personal time is important for your physical and mental health.
Adults who report an unsatisfactory work-life balance are twice as likely to report poor overall health, according to a new study published today in BMC Public Health. Researchers analyzed the results of the 6th European Working Condition Survey, which included responses from 32,275 working adults in more than 30 countries.
The women surveyed had a slightly stronger association between work-life balance and health, although men were more likely to express dissatisfaction with how their work fit into their lifestyles.
This study by a team of German researchers is not the first to associate working behaviors with quality of health. In a meta-analysis published in The Lancet in 2015, the authors found that people who work upwards of 55 hours per week have an increased risk of stroke compared to those who work normal hours.
Another study published in The Journal of Vocational Behavior considered how work-life balance relates to mental health, as well as job and life satisfaction. Across seven different cultures, people who reported a strong work-life balance were less likely to experience anxiety and depression.
While all signs point to the importance of work-life balance, setting clear boundaries is often easier said than done. Insider spoke with two career coaches about how to excel at the balancing act.
"I call it 'perfectionistic overfunctioning' — doing more than is healthy, appropriate and necessary and trying to get an A+ in all of it," Caprino wrote in an email to Insider.
To avoid taking on too much, Caprino recommends setting clear priorities and honoring them. She suggests asking yourself questions like, "What matters most to you personally?" and "What will you regret not doing when you're at the end of your life looking back?"
"For most people, the answer to these questions isn't 'I wish I worked harder,'" she wrote. "It's more about connection with others, physical activity, time in nature, experiencing more joy … etc."
Eefke Jansen, a career coach who specializes in work-life balance, says it's important to truly switch off your work when you're taking a break.
"Not just turning [your phone] on silent — literally switching off so you don't get interrupted by that buzzer in your pocket," Jansen told Insider. "That enables you to let go of your work, especially nowadays when work is all around us."
This also applies to lunch breaks, Jansen said. Although you may be tempted to grab some food and eat in front of your computer, you're actually more productive after a 30-minute break. Eating in another room or taking lunch outside will help you break up the day and recharge.
"Exercising is very important to reduce stress because it brings out the feel-good hormones, the endorphins," she said. "It also teaches the body not to overreact to stress."
If you don't want to go for a run, that's OK — you can get similar benefits from going for a walk or doing other outdoor activities, Jansen said. Even better, active time can serve as an opportunity to be with family and friends.
But without the ability to take a step back, many people will work themselves to the point of exhaustion or burnout, she wrote in an email.
"If we don't speak up and stand up for what we need and want in our lives, and if we don't make the stand to balance our work lives with other non-work endeavors and activities … our physical and emotional wellbeing often suffers for it."
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Adults who report an unsatisfactory work-life balance are twice as likely to report poor overall health, according to a new study published today in BMC Public Health. Researchers analyzed the results of the 6th European Working Condition Survey, which included responses from 32,275 working adults in more than 30 countries.
The women surveyed had a slightly stronger association between work-life balance and health, although men were more likely to express dissatisfaction with how their work fit into their lifestyles.
This study by a team of German researchers is not the first to associate working behaviors with quality of health. In a meta-analysis published in The Lancet in 2015, the authors found that people who work upwards of 55 hours per week have an increased risk of stroke compared to those who work normal hours.
Another study published in The Journal of Vocational Behavior considered how work-life balance relates to mental health, as well as job and life satisfaction. Across seven different cultures, people who reported a strong work-life balance were less likely to experience anxiety and depression.
While all signs point to the importance of work-life balance, setting clear boundaries is often easier said than done. Insider spoke with two career coaches about how to excel at the balancing act.
Set priorities by asking yourself what's important to you
A common pitfall of working people is overcommitting, said career and leadership coach Kathy Caprino."I call it 'perfectionistic overfunctioning' — doing more than is healthy, appropriate and necessary and trying to get an A+ in all of it," Caprino wrote in an email to Insider.
To avoid taking on too much, Caprino recommends setting clear priorities and honoring them. She suggests asking yourself questions like, "What matters most to you personally?" and "What will you regret not doing when you're at the end of your life looking back?"
"For most people, the answer to these questions isn't 'I wish I worked harder,'" she wrote. "It's more about connection with others, physical activity, time in nature, experiencing more joy … etc."
Schedule true breaks
So you've scheduled some quality time, but your phone keeps going off. Or maybe it's hard to mentally log off when your workspace is in your living room.Eefke Jansen, a career coach who specializes in work-life balance, says it's important to truly switch off your work when you're taking a break.
"Not just turning [your phone] on silent — literally switching off so you don't get interrupted by that buzzer in your pocket," Jansen told Insider. "That enables you to let go of your work, especially nowadays when work is all around us."
This also applies to lunch breaks, Jansen said. Although you may be tempted to grab some food and eat in front of your computer, you're actually more productive after a 30-minute break. Eating in another room or taking lunch outside will help you break up the day and recharge.
Make time for exercise
During those breaks, Jansen recommends engaging in whatever level of physical activity is comfortable for you."Exercising is very important to reduce stress because it brings out the feel-good hormones, the endorphins," she said. "It also teaches the body not to overreact to stress."
If you don't want to go for a run, that's OK — you can get similar benefits from going for a walk or doing other outdoor activities, Jansen said. Even better, active time can serve as an opportunity to be with family and friends.
Don't feel guilty if you need to take a step back
Most of the professionals Caprino works with need and want more time off work, but they feel guilty or ashamed to ask for it.But without the ability to take a step back, many people will work themselves to the point of exhaustion or burnout, she wrote in an email.
"If we don't speak up and stand up for what we need and want in our lives, and if we don't make the stand to balance our work lives with other non-work endeavors and activities … our physical and emotional wellbeing often suffers for it."
