In recent years, America has been recognized as one of the most over-worked countries on earth. There are various reasons for this title; one such reason is America’s average workweek. There are currently 134 countries that have set a maximum cap to the hours their citizens are allowed to work each week. American citizens have no set weekly limit, and full-time American employees are known to work anywhere between 40-80 hours a week. iPlum, the number 1 rated mobile virtual line provider, understands the importance of a healthy work-life balance and the daily struggle not to continue working after office hours. Today, iPlum will review the best practices for keeping a healthy work-life balance.
Understand Perfection Isn’t Possible
The first tangible step to improving work-life balance is understanding perfection doesn’t exist. Many people who work extra hours believe their work performance must be “perfect” and that they must go above and beyond when performing their duties. While this drive is admirable and will likely help the employee go far in their organization, it can also lead to unneeded stress. Working additional hours outside the office rarely leads to fewer tasks in the future; more likely, it sends a message to an employer that the worker is available to take on additional tasks outside of work hours.
Keep Your Personal Phone Number Separate
One of the easiest ways to ensure a healthy work-life balance is to keep a separate personal and business phone number. A business phone number allows the user to set boundaries for contacting hours more easily. Having a business phone number gives the user the ability to choose when they want to be reachable and removing the temptation to overwork. iPlum has helped numerous employees keep their work-life separate by offers free secure texting and HD quality calling that does not use your carrier minutes.
Master the Art of the Email
People will often continue to check their work email long after they have completed their workday. Either to continue to sort through work emails or to look for an important expected email. When possible, it is essential not to form a habit of checking emails after work hours. Employees will inevitably receive emails after work hours; however, there should not be an expectation to respond until the following workday for everyday emails.
Prioritizing Work and Home Life
Generally, people believe a healthy work-life balance looks like an overly productive worker who leaves the office at 5 to go to an event with family or friends. This is unrealistic and should not be made the ideal for any working professional. Having a job means sometimes staying late to finish a project; it is to be expected. However, this becomes unhealthy if an employee staying after hours becomes the norm. A healthy work-life balance more closely resembles someone who, somedays, stays after work to finish a project before a deadline and, on occasion, will leave to take their child to a doctor’s appointment.
