balance | Journey

There’s an art to balancing work life with personal life, and it’s not easy for everyone. In fact, a recent study from Good Technology revealed that finding balance for workers has either become less of a priority or more of a struggle. The study found that an alarming 80% of people continue working after they leave the office each day. This includes half of respondents who check their email in bed, 78% who check it before 8 a.m., and half who believe they have no choice but to work after hours.

According to the study, the average amount of work occurring outside normal working hours is seven hours per week, almost a full day. This equates to nearly 30 hours a month or an additional 365 hours per year. At a salary of $10 an hour, that’s $3,650 in unpaid wages for hours worked.

By far, the biggest culprit for working outside of office hours is email. According to the survey, 57% of respondents checked email on family outings, 38% checked it at the dinner table, and 40% checked it after 10 p.m. Perhaps the most alarming figure, 69% reported that they can’t go to sleep without checking their email.

Women in the Workplace
According to Forbes, women are particularly prone to lacking work-life balance. Data from McKinsey research reveals that women hold 53% of corporate entry-level jobs, a number that drops to 37% for mid-management roles and 26% for vice presidents. Further, men are twice as likely as women to advance through career stages, which McKinsey Research suggests means men are more likely than women to be in positions that allow them less workplace burnout. In fact, men are 25% more likely to take breaks throughout the day for personal activities, 7% more likely to take a walk, 5% more likely to go out to lunch, and 35% more likely to take breaks in order to relax.

A Shift for the Future?
Brian & Company recently released a study that suggests the tides may be turning. According to their research, work-life balance is no longer just a women’s issue. When asked if they plan to prioritize non-work commitments over career progression, 50% of men and 51% of women currently in an MBA program said they do. Similarly, 42% of men and 40% of women reported the biggest obstacle to reaching their career goals is keeping some balance in their lives.

Since these MBA students report anxiety over derailing their careers for the sake of their families and personal lives, it may be time to rethink work culture. Julie Coffman, author of the report, points out that 80% of women and nearly 70% of men reported that they intend to have a joint parenting role in their family. “That starts to raise the question: Is it really feasible to parent and have a big job?” she said.

Time to Take Action
The struggle with work-life balance in the workplace can be remedied if all parties are willing to take action. Schools should offer more courses or programs that address the challenges of having a family and a powerful career, and companies should shift the way they reward employees. Harvard economist Claudia Goldin suggests that instead of rewarding those who work long hours outside of the office, employers should develop flexible career models that allow people to work their way to the top via different paths. Additionally, instead of rewarding tangible accomplishments, they should recognize those who work behind the scenes or go above and beyond to make the workplace enjoyable.

Employees can also do their part to make work-life balance less of a career stumbling block. The following steps may help those who experience workplace burnout:

Prioritize. Decide what matters most to you and work with your manager to keep it a priority. Work hard and give your all in the workplace, but don’t let that affect the things that are important to you – like family dinners or your children’s extracurricular activities.
Take care of yourself. Healthy habits improve how effective you are at work and help you combat the build-up of stress. Exercising regularly can help you blow off steam, and your lunch break may be the perfect time to do so.
Set expectations. Know what is expected of you after hours and on the weekend so you are prepared when a project, phone call, or email sneaks up on you. If you set the expectation with your boss that he or she will only email you after hours if it’s extremely important, you’ll know that action needs to be taken if your receive an email on the weekend.
Log off. Breaks are important, especially if you’re not on the clock. If you’re spending time with friends, are at a family event, or are enjoying a vacation, don’t check your emails or use your phone. Prep your team ahead of time so the expectations are set and a plan is in place for your work to be accomplished while you’re away.

How do you unplug from the office? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

How would you say you manage your time through the workday? Have you taken on a bigger workload, find yourself working longer hours, or feel like you have never-ending projects staring you in the face? Before you get overwhelmed with your to-do list and the stress sets in, here are a few tips to help you manage your day and keep your projects in check.

Keep your project list up to date. It’s never a good feeling when you have projects that seem to just sneak up out of nowhere. Try to always be aware of what is coming up that you need to do. Using a project list as a time management tool and keeping it updated will help you prioritize. For example, outline all of the projects you need to accomplish for the week and when they are due. From there, outline the daily actions you need to complete in order to finish the projects. Prioritize what needs to be done first, second, third, and so on. Breaking larger projects out into smaller steps will also help you better manage them and not get so overwhelmed.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about your projects, don’t shy away from talking to your manager about them. Having open and clear communication is important for you and your manager. Make sure you talk through the details of your projects to help you complete your tasks in a timely manner. Also, keep your manager in the loop about your progress and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Learn how to prioritize. Let’s face it. There are only so many hours in a day, so there’s only so much you can get done. What projects are most important for you to complete right now and which ones can wait? Always talk to your manager first to learn how to prioritize your tasks and outline your day. If there is something that needs to be done right away and you don’t have the time to do it, find out if someone else can cover that project or if the deadline can be shifted? Don’t adopt the superman or superwoman mentality that you can do everything by yourself and in record-breaking time. When you’re already dealing with a full plate, trying to make room for one more thing isn’t always easy. Overextending yourself by agreeing to take on additional projects when don’t have the time will not leave a good impression for your employer if you under perform.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, but someone comes to you for help with another project, be honest with them about what you’re working on. Let them know you will visit with your manager regarding the project and will get back to them about when it can be completed or who can take the project on. This still shows the initiative that you want to take on new duties, but also that you’re responsible about how much and when you can do them.

Make time for you. Do you get time for lunch each day? Do you use that time to get away from the office or can you be found at your desk still doing something work related during that time? Use your free time to get up from your desk, grab something to eat, or stretch. Just getting away from your current tasks for even a little bit can give you the chance to refresh and refocus for the rest of your day. Take time to recharge yourself throughout the day with a few little breaks and you can see a big difference in the amount of energy you have to accomplish your priorities.

These are just a few ways to help you get through the work day with less stress. When you have more control of what you have to do, it won’t control you, and it will help you be a better employee and have better days at work.

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