Job Hunter's Tip of the Week #7 - May 1/07
What is all this stuff I have been reading about called Work/Life balance? Is there really such a thing and how can I get it!
Are you finding it harder and harder to balance all the different elements in your life everyday, and not be completely exhausted by early evening? Are you finding that looking for work is really stressing you out, and you’re taking it out on those around you? If you are working, does it seem that more and more often you are going back to work in the evening, or bringing work home with you? You’re not alone! 58% of Canadians* report feeling “overloaded” when it comes to the many roles we play in our everyday lives. And this is not healthy. Too much stress can affect every part of our bodies, from our concentration, to our sleep patterns, to our physical fitness. Do you find you have some aches and pains you never had before? This could be caused from too much stress! So how do you achieve some balance in your life? Start with taking some control over what happens to you. When you’re at work, take frequent breaks through out the day. Try to take at least 10 minutes every two hours. Your productivity will increase! Learn to say “NO”. One of the smallest words in the English language, and yet so hard to say! Don’t always be the one who’s going to agree to do all the work, or you’ll get stuck with it even when you don’t want it. Remember that every time you say “yes” to something, you’re saying “no” to something else. And most importantly, leave work at work. Don’t bring work home to complete unless it’s an absolute necessity. Choose not to talk about work after hours. It’s ok to vent a little after a hard day, but do it quickly and get it out of your head. Those negative thoughts will linger and cause more stress to pile up. So be good to yourself, find ways to relax at home, and bring your life side back into balance with your work side. Visit www.cmha.ca and take the quiz to see if you’re in balance.
*This statistic was taken from the Canadian Mental Health Association’s pamphlet entitled “Work-Life Balance: It’s a Matter of Time”. For more information, or a copy of the pamphlet please call 755-4060.
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