Organizations are full of hardworking individuals. However, when hardworking individuals are grouped together at an organization, the competition can become fierce. One may become obsessed with the idea of being the best employee, to the point where work slowly begins to take precedence over their personal life.
Life is precious and short. Younger generations joining the workforce are beginning to realize their life does not need to be consumed by long hours at the office. More and more top talent is demanding equal balance between work and life. However, many employees still feel that if you don’t put in as much time at the office as others, you’re falling behind. You’ve always been told to work your hardest and be the best that you can be. Coming in early and staying late are the traditional ways to show your dedication. After all, you want to be a valuable, irreplaceable employee at your organization; but does working long hours every day and sacrificing your health and happiness truly make you number one? Here are a few ways for you to relax and live your life, without sacrificing your position:
- Vacation- Plan a trip with your family or friends. It can be a long weekend trip or a week-long trip. Go explore new areas that you don’t have the chance to see on an average day. Everyone needs a break from the office to recharge their productivity and creativity. You will return to work feeling fresh, motivated, and rejuvenated.
- Bucket List- Create a list of things that you want to do before a set date. Make it a goal to check at least one thing off this list each week, month, or year. You will feel a sense of thrill and accomplishment unrelated to your workplace achievements.
- Take a Road Trip- Load up the car, turn on your favorite playlist, and take off on the winding roads. You don’t need to have a plan or a destination in mind. It doesn’t even have to be scheduled on your Outlook calendar. Sometimes the best things are done on a whim.
- Develop an After-Work Routine- Quit the habit of coming home from the office and continuing to work; you already put in your time for the day. Find something that you love to do, whether it is taking a bike ride, going for a walk, or any other activity to unwind your mind. Eat a healthy meal for dinner, watch some TV, prepare yourself for the next day, and get a good night’s sleep.
- Disconnect- Turn off your phone, computer, and any other devices. When you leave the office, you’re done working for the day. The same goes for the weekends. Spend time on your hobbies and take time to discover your other interests outside of work.
All in all, your occupation is a very important aspect in life, but it’s even more important not to overdo it. As the “overwhelmed employee” is becoming a top-of-mind issue for business leaders, more organizations are developing programs to enhance the work and life balance of their employees. Although there is no set formula to measure the amount of hours in a day that you should spend working, versus the amount of hours you should spend doing other activities, Robert Owen’s slogan, “eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest” can be a good starting model. Allotting time to spend on work and life is the greatest balancing act of all time. Work hard, play hard, and don’t forget to enjoy your life.
This DATIS Blog was written by Ally Edwards, DATIS, on August 12th, 2015 and may not be re-posted without permission.