How To: Balance Work & Mental Health

We all know the saying: “Work hard, play hard.” In many cases, people have a hard time balancing their fun and professional lives. It doesn’t need to be a 50/50 split, however. Some days will require more work than fun, and other days will be more relaxing than stressful.?

Today’s society puts a ton of pressure on work, and this is very damaging to the mental health of society. It has become way too normalized to skip meals because of heavy work schedules and/or lose countless hours of sleep. Humans are sacrificing their basic needs just to turn work in on time. However, this is only hurting us, as we are damaging ourselves both mentally, and physically in order to do it.?

So, how does one work efficiently without driving themselves crazy? The first step is to take a step back and really look at the way you work. Are you better at working in the morning? Try to get the bigger projects out of the way earlier in the day. If you know you need to work in quiet, invest in a more expensive pair of headphones. Whatever will help you get your work done in the most efficient and healthy way, do it! Check out these tips for more ways to balance your schedule and live a happier life!

• Stop skipping breakfast. I know you did this morning. And yesterday morning. Probably every other morning this week as well. It isn’t called the most important meal of the day for nothing. We need food in the morning to energize us and get our bodies ready for the day. No, that cup of coffee isn’t a good enough meal. In fact, it isn’t a meal at all.?
• If you work from home or remote, it can be hard to focus. Try to find a quiet space that is different from your usual setting. For example, if you work from home, try to do work outside of your bedroom. There is no reason you should be on a Zoom call in the same spot you watch Netflix. A change of scenery can really help your mental health and it will boost efficiency. It also creates a boundary between work and relaxation and helps to break up the day. Other places to try to work if you are remote could be a library, or if you are a college student like us, find a quiet study room! Doing work on campus makes it feel like school, a setting you are already used to working in.
• Factor in time to forget about work. Don’t take this literally, but it is important to turn your brain away from your busy schedule and let it breathe. Make some time to hangout with friends or to just watch a movie. No one can work 24/7. If you work remote, this can be a challenge, which is why it is important to separate the location of your working from your relaxing. If you do work in an office, it’s okay to check out once you leave for the day. Leave work, at work. Unless you are close to a deadline or need to continue a project at home, let your office be your office and let your home be your home.?

These are just a few things you can do to help improve your work-life balance and also improve your mental health. As important as the work itself may be, your health and well-being is even more important, especially in the long run. You can be successful while also being healthy!