4 warning signs that indicate you need to restore your work-life balance

Ever heard of the saying that ‘life is a balancing act’? Well, it stands absolutely true, especially in the modern era which is characterised by a hyper-competitive culture. In the bid to progress professionally, we often forget that we’re simply not giving equal focus to other aspects of life that includes relationships and personal development. Yes, we’re talking about work-life balance. 

To be able to fix the imbalance, you need to acknowledge that you’ve allowed your work life to take over your personal life. 

Here are four signs that you’re letting work take undue priority over everything else in life, and need to work towards restoring the work-life balance:

1. You talk about work beyond work hours

When you’re prioritising work over your personal life, it becomes a part of each and every conversation. From speaking about your work commitments with friends to discussing your work environment with your family, it is definitely time to reanalyse your priorities when you start talking about work, even once work is over. The only reason you’d talk about work so frequently is if it is constantly on your mind. This clearly represents a serious imbalance between work and personal life.

2. You cannot stop checking your emails during downtime

Are you guilty of not being able to resist checking your email after work hours? If you find yourself checking your email or WhatsApp messages on the office group during a night out with friends or vacation with the family, you’re allowing work to take over your personal space. Not only is it disrespectful to those taking out the time to meet you, it also doesn’t allow you to live in the moment and simply enjoy the company of your near and dear ones.

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3. You’re struggling with your relationships

When we let work become our top priority, life often becomes about spending most of our time doing office-related work. Obviously, this leads to cutting down on the time we spend with our family and friends. In addition, we’re unable to cater to the emotional demands of our loved ones due to being preoccupied with work. Over time, it can create negativity and hostility in relationships.

4. You don’t remember the last time you gave time to your hobbies

When was the last time you sat down to read a book or enrolled yourself for a cooking class? When work takes over our whole life, it doesn’t just affect our personal relationships but also leads to us compromising on the much-needed ‘me time’ that helps us in our personal development. 

From playing a musical instrument to unwind or signing up for a heritage walk, there are so many hobbies and activities that you can try out. If the only reason you haven’t given time to other things is because of work, you need to re-evaluate and find a balance.

If you’re guilty of these aspects, you need to definitely reschedule everything and make time for other things in life too—and maintain work-life balance.