5 ways to strike the right work life balance

Long and unpredictable hours at work, excessive job demands, unrealistic targets to chase and a hotheaded boss - the increasing challenges in a fast paced work environment has left most people today juggling the demands of career and family.

Leaning to any one side leads to dissatisfaction on the other front and more often, personal lives are left disrupted.

Reeling under burgeoning workload, employees either have to stay up till late or wake up early to increase productivity and prove their mettle to the merciless MNCs, little realizing that sleep deprivation may in fact prove to be counterproductive – both at work and at home.

It would be appropriate to highlight here that a new study from researchers at Stanford and Harvard have found that workplace stress is about as dangerous to one’s health as secondhand smoke. So even if you are not a smoker, you still maybe one! This and more such startling researches have now left even the companies worried and pondering about the happiness of their staff.

“Getting four hours sleep, frantically checking emails on returning home, losing appetite, taking to alcohol are all signs that one has not been able to strike the right work life balance,” says Dr Vipul Rastogi, Associate Consultant in Behavioural Neurology and Psychiatry at Medanta hospital.

He is approached by a mix of people – those who have start-ups and are not doing well, others who are with MNCs, those running their own business and those who are working on US and China time following erratic lifestyle pattern.

“Ladies have little more pressure with managing the house work alongside their profession. There’s a sense of guilt for not being able to spend enough time at home,” he says, adding high stress levels are disturbing the family support structure like never before.

Amid such a disturbed mental state, is it possible to strike the right work life balance and lead a happy, balanced and satisfying life? Dr Vipul tells us yes it is and here’s how:

HEALTHY BALANCE BETWEEN STRESS AND RELAXATION

Stress and relaxation should be in equal proportion. There should be time to unwind. That doesn’t mean watching TV or surfing internet, instead doing activities that involve body and mind like Yoga, running, Zumba or aerobics. It doesn’t matter how long you do it as long as it can help you forget the stress.

MAKE MOST OF YOUR FREE TIME:

While taking public transport, listen to songs, play games, solve word puzzle.

DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE, SEEK HELP

Seek help if you need. It is very easy to brush things under the carpet and be in denial but eventually things can go out of hand leading to depression, addiction to alcohol or drugs in a bid to cope.

INCULCATE HEALTHY EATING HABITS

Eat healthy meals regularly and get good sleep - at least 6 to 8 hours.

LEAVE YOUR WORK AT WORK

Do not get back home thinking about the pending work. It’s only going to contribute to stress levels. Your mind needs rest to be able to work the next day and your family needs attention. So relax and unwind with them!

(Image credits: blog.action.org)