Your Work-Life Balance for Optimal Mental Health
In this article we will discuss the importance of striking a healthy balance between your work life and your life in general.
We live in an age where many of us feel torn between our heavy workloads, family responsibilities, relationships and maybe even some outside interests. It’s no wonder many of us feel stressed and overwhelmed. Continued feelings of stress are decidedly not healthy.
There are feelings of having to “get it done” at home and at work. To push through sometimes without taking a break. At that pace it is easy to see why our stress levels rise and our productivity plummets. Constant stress can make it hard to concentrate, it can make us irritable and depressed and can hurt our personal and professional relationships. It can also lead to a weakened immune system which can then make us susceptible to many different illnesses. In some cases, it can double the risk for having a heart attack.
It is important to recognize the signs of increased stress and then try to achieve a balance. It is important to achieve a healthy work-life balance. This is something that is very attainable. Finding that balance will help you be happier and more productive at your job and will lead to fewer days that you may be sick.
Finding balance at work
Set goals – manageable goals each day. Make a to do list completing each task by order of priority. Eliminate the unessential ones.
Be efficient with your time at work. It’s easy to procrastinate when a task seems overwhelming. Try breaking the large task into smaller pieces of the whole. Complete them one at a time and before you know it the large task is complete.
Take a break. It is often encouraged to take a break from time to time. It will help clear your mind for a few minutes and help you refocus.
Communicate. Keep the channels of communication open if you find yourself in a bind. Brainstorming can be an effective way to problem solve. It is always good when stuck to get another person’s view of the situation. Doing so will reduce your anxiety causing stress. And may also help you come to the conclusion necessary to complete your assignment.
Allow yourself to make a mistake without beating yourself up. Remember no one is perfect. Mistakes will happen, it’s the way you handle them that will cause you unnecessary stress.
Finding balance at home
As important as it is to find balance at work it’s that important to find balance at home.
Unplug. As much as we live in a world of technology it is important to remember that too much is truly too much. Find the time to just sit, get some fresh air, and have a cup of coffee. Recharge and relax.
Delegate. Remember no one can do everything alone. Divide up the daily responsibilities not only will this give you a break, but it will help get everything done faster.
Don’t overextend yourself. Remember you are only one person. Don’t add unnecessary stress to your daily life by committing to many activities. Remember it is ok to just say no.
Share. Lean on your friends and family when you feel overwhelmed. Sometimes a good gab session is just what you need. It is important to have a good support system to help alleviate the stress you feel.
Stay active. The physical benefits from exercise have been proven to help reduce stress, depression and anxiety. So find the time to go to the gym or take a walk. 
Treat your body right. It is so important to learn to eat right and get plenty of sleep.
If you find that you are still overwhelmed, then seek professional help. There is no shame in admitting that you need help from a mental health professional. Remember getting help is not a sign of weakness. It is actually a sign of strength and wisdom. Being smart enough to know that you can’t do it on your own and strong enough to take the steps to get that help.
Finding the right balance is so important. We all strive to find the perfect relationship, the perfect job, the perfect life. But what are we sacrificing in order to get all of that? Do we find ourselves sacrificing our health, wellbeing and sense of self? Do we find that we are living under the constant veil of stress and anxiety? If so then we must find the balance. After all, how can we enjoy the life that we so painstakingly raced to if we have made so many sacrifices. Can we truly be happy? We need to take a break, breath and re-focus on our mental wellbeing so that we can truly enjoy the life we have created.
