Balancing Work and Mental Health

By Josh Alston

All work and no play does more than just make Jack or Jill a dull person. It can have a serious impact on your mental health.

Everything has changed in recent years as well, with the COVID pandemic accelerating flexible and work-from-home arrangements, job insecurity and a lack of access to mental health resources are just some of the fresh challenges and disruptions impacting work-life balance.

The latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey shows that employees in Australia are less satisfied with their work-life balance than in the past.

Poor work-life balance can lead to high stress levels at work and poor job performance. This can also have a negative impact on social relationships.

Long or unsociable working hours can cause relationships and friendships to break down. Health and wellbeing also suffer if employees are working too hard or are too exhausted from work to exercise regularly.

Startups and small businesses have become accustomed to working from home, or dealing with change from every angle, making it difficult to switch off. We explore how to create space in your life by engaging in mindfulness exercises and other activities that will benefit your work-life balance.

Adopt Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexible work schedules reduce stress levels, increase productivity, and help employees balance work and life. It is a good idea for workers to ask their employer for flexibility in work hours or to be able to work from home or to bring their kids/pets to work occasionally.

For small business owners and startups, it is beneficial to offer flexible work arrangements to workers to help them maximise their work-life management and in turn deliver greater productivity for your business.

Set Clear Boundaries
With many workers now operating partially or completely from home, the boundaries between work and private time have become blurred. It is vital to set clear boundaries between the two.

Workers should be encouraged to take dedicated lunch breaks, not eat at their desks. Designated workstations should be set up at home, as working in common areas like the living room or kitchen can blur the lines. Routines should be established to clearly define which hours of the day are for work and which are for personal time.

Do Nothing as Often as Possible

It is common to feel overly busy because we fill every free moment with stuff (mostly inconsequential). If you want to feel truly relaxed and spacious, you should carve out time to do nothing. Consider taking a break for a midday workout, mindful breathing, or a quick stretch in the afternoon. In addition, you may plan to sleep more, spend more time away from the office, and take longer holidays. Research has shown that taking more breaks boosts creativity, productivity, and health.

Make Tech-free Time a Priority
It is hard to escape technology in the modern world. We have phones, computers, televisions, and tablets in our homes, in our pockets and even in our cars. It is hard to truly disengage when your devices are constantly screaming work alerts at you.

Do dedicate time every day where all technology is turned off and put away. Use that time to do something for yourself or your family. Walk the dog, take the kids to the park, and enjoy a walk or a spot of shopping. Without being distracted by work alerts.

Feel like you are struggling to achieve a positive work-life balance in your workforce?

Contact us to learn more about how you can create a positive culture for yourself and your team.

Feel free to contact us for anything that relates to your business finances so we can help with your success.

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