Feeling tired? We’re not surprised. Research suggests that many employees put in an astonishing 68 days of overtime each year, with those in capital cities spending more time at their desks than anyone else. To put things into perspective, 68 days is almost as long as Columbus’ voyage to America, and about 15 times as long as the voyage of the Titanic.

Studies have found that people in Mexico work the most hours: a staggering 2,246 hours a year, or 43.2 hours per week. Other countries topping the list are Costa Rica, South Korea, Greece and Chile.

Despite being glued to our desks, working more hours does not equate to improved productivity — in fact, it can have the adverse effect.

So why are we doing it? Some suggest it’s become almost fashionable to boast about the amount of overtime we work; it’s seen as a symbol of success. Others blame the rise of smartphones blurring the distinction between work and leisure — after all, it’s far easier to be contacted outside of working hours than ever before.

So in pursuit of a healthier work-life balance in 2018, we spoke to five professionals to discover their tips for bucking the trend:

Toby Peyton-Jones, Human Resources Director, UK

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ‘switch off’ — with research suggesting that one in three of us check our work emails outside of office hours. To fight against this, Toby stresses the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between work and leisure. Living in the countryside in the Lake District, UK, he spends his weekends either rock climbing, kayaking, sailing, running, or hill walking — and it’s only when he’s in the midst of these outdoor pursuits that he’s able to gain new perspectives.

“If I go for a run on my own,” he says, “I find my mind can sometimes sort things out, but what I don’t do is sit down and do what I call ‘work’ when it’s the weekend. These precious two days is a time to let the mind settle and spend time with family. I’m pretty good at compartmentalizing in that way, and making sure that I look after that part of my life.”

Victoria Sargeant, Head of Commodity Management, UK

For Victoria, her attitude to work-life balance has developed over time. During her late 20s and early 30s, she felt the need to deliver 130% to her employer. She admits she constantly had work on her mind, would work late into the evening, and regularly create proposals to improve productivity from both herself and her teams. “As I moved into my mid 30s,” she says, “life became less about what I should be doing to meet everyone else’s approval, but more about what I think is acceptable.”

Now aged 38, Victoria starts work at 8.30am and leaves by 5pm. “As a leader of 10 individuals, I believe I need to lead by example, so by leaving at a healthy time to eat with my family and enjoy my evenings, I like to think that my team members also share this mentality,” she says.

She explains that Siemens offers flexitime, which means she can decide when she starts and finishes work. Having the freedom to adapt working hours makes it simpler to plan her personal life, such as booking doctors appointments. “I believe every employer should offer their staff flexitime; my team use it and I get more from them by providing trust and transparency,” she says.

Sebastien Gilson, Project Manager, Saudi Arabia

Rather than spending more time in the office, working more efficiently is key to Sebastien’s work ethic. “You have to work smartly — you can work longer hours, but what does that really mean? You can often do your work in the same amount of time, but just faster and smarter,” he says. During busy periods in the past, he has set an alarm to go to bed and another to wake up as his free time has been so limited. His mindset has changed as he has advanced in his career.

These days, he leaves the office with his wife — who also works with Siemens — which helps to ensure they are both strict with themselves when it comes to overtime. “You need to have something beyond the job,” he says — for him, it is not wanting to miss out on family time.

Pablo Javier Miranda, Lead Country Compliance Officer, Colombia

Pablo admits that he finds it challenging to achieve a work-life balance, but he looks to young people for the answers. He believes millennials (those born between the 1980s and the early 2000s) have achieved this more successfully than those from Generation X (people born between the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s).

“I admire the younger generation,” he says. “They are integrated in this concept. I am from Generation X, so I tend to split those concepts: personal life in one hand and professional life in the other. It’s difficult for people of my generation to integrate them, but I am doing my best to learn from the younger generation.”

He also believes the rise of technology provides more flexibility when it comes to the workplace — for example, offering employees the opportunity to work from home if needed. “I try to find sufficient time to fulfil the expectations and needs that Siemens has, but also take care of my family,” he says. “Technology helps a lot with that.”

Daniel Bacea, IT Service Specialist, Romania

Finding a hobby he’s passionate about has helped Daniel to achieve his work-life balance. When he’s not at work, he’s a member of the American Football team, the Cluj Crusaders — and to reach the peak of his performance, he needs to train three to four times a week.

Such a demanding regime means he needs to be strict with himself when it comes to finishing his work on time. “It can be tempting to do overtime, but it’s really important to also find time for yourself and relax,” he says.

Do you have any tips for achieving a positive work-life balance? Let us know in the comments below!