Mental Wellbeing And Work-Life Balance

Regardless of the nature of the job, having mental well-being and work-life balance is a herculean task in the present day. It is essential to harmonize work life and personal life so that one doesn’t affect the other. The determination to succeed professionally can sometimes take precedence over everything else. Having a work-life balance also enhances one’s emotional, physical, and, most importantly, mental well-being.

With the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, work-from-home has presented new challenges making it all the more difficult to balance work-life balance. Balancing the increased responsibility at work and home with children around and working longer hours, etc., are a few reasons that lead to poor work-life balance. Working hours and working boundaries are blurred. There is no set time for work and shuffling between work and home chores makes it tedious.

Mental health, just like our physical health, needs to be looked after as it enhances our creativity and motivation. Several studies show the risks of not looking after mental health in the workplace causing burnout due to excessive pressure, anxiety, stress, and depression.

Though several companies have begun providing mental health benefits and assistance, such as therapy and some time-off, the exact needs to be prioritized.

How do we prioritize mental health to achieve work-life balance? With the inputs of Saadhvi Raju, Counselor, and Psychotherapist, Medall Mind, here are five simple things to be kept in mind.

Set Goals

Setting realistic goals can motivate you to accomplish more and have a positive outlook on life. Try paying attention to when you are most productive, and try setting your goals based on your priority and schedule. This can help you take less stress and achieve your goal.

Set boundaries and work timings

Avoid taking office pressure/ stress home as it will result in mental and physical burnout. Making it clear to your colleagues about your boundaries and working hours will ensure mental wellbeing and curb employee expectation. Try maintaining separate gadgets for work and home. Sticking to your work timings would also help in focusing on your job better.

Effective Communication 

To avoid miscommunication with your colleagues and seniors, it is essential to communicate your goals for the day or discuss your plans and ideas. Openly communicating can eliminate unwanted expectations and establish clarity around perceptions, leading to meaningful discussions., Thereby, both at the workplace and personal front. People will have clarity on what to expect and what not to expect.

Support System

Reach out if you require support and/or help if you have a problem. Providing access to therapists and counselors and promoting support lines and the significance of mental health will enable and encourage the employees to seek advice if necessary. Sharing your feelings and problems with even your friend and family or your own support network can improve your mental health and declutter your thoughts.

Take a break

As much as achieving in your professional life is essential, that’s not all your life is about. Taking a break improves your performance and refreshes your mind.

It is vital to take some time off, be it spending time with your loved ones, a small break, lunch break, or going on a vacation.

As people are working from home for the past year now, sending out emails for the smallest of issues has become a way of contacting a colleague, and the whole ‘work atmosphere’ is lost. There is no specified time to work, employees end up working overtime and even on holidays. Having the right resources and tools to communicate to a colleague is not available for all, making it all the more demanding to connect. Though working from home can be flexible as people save up on travel time, energy, and money, it does not equate to working in a workplace setting. Focusing on constant improvement and adapting to changes supports the workforce dealing with continuous changes, especially in the pandemic.

Overall, several people at the workplace experience mental health issues, and very few are vocal about it. When everything is shared and discussed through email, it is vital to consider an employee’s burnout state and the stress and pressure they face. It is critical to spread awareness and encourages open conversations about mental health. By keeping the points mentioned above in mind, one can take a step towards creating a peaceful work-life balance and simultaneously succeed on both fronts.