How Our Blurred Work-Life Boundaries Are Affecting Us In and Out of the Office
As a culture, we’re becoming increasingly busy. For many, our work life doesn’t simply end after we leave the office or close our laptops; we take it home with us, in some way.
With entrepreneurs and business owners, their work and their business(es) are just extensions of their personal lives. But while that sounds grandiose and wonderful, it surely has its well-documented downfalls.
These blurred lines between our work and personal lives have overarching problems that can bleed into to every aspect of our days. Here’s a rundown on the most pressing issues caused by our insistent need to always be “on.”
We’ve Lost Our Sense of Free Time
One of the more obvious roadblocks caused by our overstuffed work-life relationships is losing access to free time.
Contrary to public belief, free time isn’t wasted time, but rather time away from things, giving us time to rethink, recalibrate, and recover. Being that sleep and work occupy roughly two-thirds of our daily lives, how we spend that other one third really does matter. Many psychologists have said, in fact, this one-third block of time is “where are human lives,” stressing its importance further.
So, how do we reclaim our sense of human-ness? Easy, really: Get more organized and focused during the workday, and make sure to “shut-off” and limit screen time afterward.
Research shows that most people are, frankly, scatter minded and unproductive during the workday, bouncing between personal tasks, social media use, and other procrastinating activities. And to further compound the problem, people, once they’ve clocked-out for the day, huddle behind screens — which they’re already doing at work — to wind down; excess screen use, too, has been linked to a cornucopia of problems.
To recover your sense of free time, actively try to be more focused during the workday, setting limits on your personal smartphone use, methodically planning out the day’s tasks, etc.. Then, when the clock strikes 5 pm (or whatever time you usually decide to close-up shop), pry yourself away from that phone and television set. Take up crafting, reading, meditating and in-person socializing, all of which help you feel like you’re getting the most out of your unworked hours.
Our Creativity is Plummeting
Our world is filled with white noise, be it from our always-pinging smartphones or growing inboxes, which is directly affecting our creativity.
The immediacy and high-paced needs of our modern-day jobs require us to be perpetually busy. In these situations where our brains are constantly overworked, our creativity plummets as a result. Studies support this notion as well, documenting how working long hours can have drastic effects on your creativity levels.
To safeguard your creativity from work-mule-like mentalities, it’s imperative you create boundaries. Learning to just say “no” to work and personal activities or tasks you have no desire to do, perhaps, is one of the best ways to start building strong, healthy boundaries. Because, after all, creativity thrives when your mind is clear of to-dos.
Start putting your metaphorical foot down to free up your schedule, and your creative muses will thank you for it later.
It’s Taking a Toll on Our Bodies
The perpetual “hustle” that business owners and entrepreneurs take pride in is, quite literally, destroying our bodies.
When our minds are constantly running and you’re working basically every waking hour of the day, your body rebels against you. Everything from your posture to sleep cycles, blood pressures to blood sugar levels are all negatively affected by having no work-life balance.
As Dr. Brené Brown has said: “The body keeps score, and it always wins.” And in this particular situation, at the expense of our well-being.
Countless studies have proven that working these long, never-ending days, opens the floodgates to a host of both mental and physical problems. People who work incredibly long hours regular report increase feelings of depression and anxiety, as well as declines in their overall physical health. And unless you’re among the small slice of human beings that can thrive on six hours or less of sleep, your relentless hustling is at the cost of some much-needed shut-eye.
To get back on track with your health, you need to put your “human” life first — above your work life. If that means working fewer hours to better your mental health, do it. Need to focus on getting more deep sleep? Leave work at work, and never take your inbox to bed. Stop spending your hour-plus-long lunch breaks on your smartphone and, instead, go for a walk or engage in some sort of physical activity.
A healthy mind and body is the key to success, both in and out of the office.
We May Not Be As Productive as We Once Were
Ironically enough, overworking has been shown time-and-time again to decrease levels of productivity.
When we’re overworked — or in the process of becoming overworked — our brains begin to look for ways to conserve energy, i.e. slow down. Why? Because they’re not sure when they’ll have a chance to rest next.
If this is the case, then how do you find your sweet spot, the point where your work schedule isn’t at the expense of your productivity? Well, unfortunately, there isn’t a hard-and-fast, scientifically-proven reference point; each person has their own unique tipping point. However, consider the following things as indicators that haven’t found it yet:
● You’re feeling burnout out and unmotivated at work
● Your sleep is suffering
● Your mental health isn’t faring all too well
● You’re suffering from headaches or body aches
● You’re becoming pessimistic on your outlook of work
Heed the above as red flags and warning signs you need to quickly course correct.
Some Final Thoughts on Today’s Workhorse Culture
If you haven’t already guessed it, the hectic, feet-to-the-track work culture we’ve created isn’t boding too well for us outside the office. And, arguably, it’s not helping us while we’re there, either.
Take to heart these problems — many of which you’re probably experiencing (statistically speaking). Building and fostering a healthy relationship with your work will make your life better, all around.
