In today’s fast-paced world of 40 hour work weeks, tight deadlines, and just two weeks of vacation time Americans, struggle with the work-life balance. We have come to a point in time where our jobs define us instead of our dreams, hobbies, and interests. Constantly on the move, we have become workaholics, sometimes without even realizing it. As a result, we miss out on time with family and friends, chasing our dreams and reaching our full potential.
Is it really worth it to sacrifice that weekend to meet that deadline or miss that family party to get to double-time pay? Studies have shown that we miss the mark as Americans and would be much happier with a healthier work-life balance. A healthy work-life balance means that your professional and personal lives are separated and don’t intrude on each other. Both are important, but it’s essential to have a balance. Here are five reasons to maintain a work-life balance.
Improve Mental Health
Not only does overworking take away from your free time, but it is detrimental to your mental health. Constantly stressing overwork can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health issues. The more you worry about work, the more pressure you put on yourself to succeed, leading to burnout and chronic stress disorder. Having a healthy work-life balance allows you to take a step away from your work and enjoy things that genuinely matter, leading to a happier lifestyle.
Physical Health
Long days at the office without breaks or time for yourself means little exercise and unhealthy eating habits. Sitting at your desk all day eating takeout will significantly impact your health and overall well-being in a negative way. Just taking small breaks throughout your day to walk or go to the gym can vastly improve your lifestyle and physical health.
Increase Productivity
Ever get so frustrated at work that you feel like your performance is declining? Just because your putting in the time doesn’t mean you’re producing quality work. Sometimes a vacation or even just a sick day can be exactly what you need to get back on track and reset.
Develop More Skills
Taking time away from work allows you to explore hobbies and interests you never had the time for in the past. Whether it’s learning a new instrument, painting, working out, or any other activity, finding a hobby outside of work will transform your life in ways you’ve never thought possible.
You Only Live Once
As cliché as it might sound, you only have this one life. So don’t spend your whole time stressing and thinking about work. One of the top five regrets of the dying is that they wished they didn’t work so much. Spending your time with friends and family doing what you love will lead to a much more fulfilling life.
Companies like MCA Connect are inspired by people living out their dreams. Visit https://mcaconnect.com/careers/ for a healthy work/life environment.