homework work life balance

How Does Your Homework Affect Work-Life Balance?

Last week my kids went back to school. As much as they groaned, I felt myself grumbling even more knowing that our “relaxing” evenings were about to become a cyclone of homework and school projects. With two working parents, three kids in elementary school, and a prevailing over-achiever mentality, I often wonder how much we are benefiting from the homework that all five of us are doing.

There is much research arguing against homework. In his book The Homework Myth , Alfie Kohn states that it’s positive effects are overblown. Homework reduces necessary quality time with family and does not significantly improve learning or academic results. Kohn writes:

For younger students, in fact, there isn’t even a correlation between whether children do homework (or how much they do) and any meaningful measure of achievement. At the high school level, the correlation is weak and tends to disappear when more sophisticated statistical measures are applied.

Other studies agree:

• In The Battle Over Homework , Duke University Professor Harris Cooper found little correlation between the amount of homework and achievement in elementary school and only a moderate correlation in middle school. Even in high school, “too much homework may diminish its effectiveness or even become counterproductive.”
• Many countries with the highest scoring students on achievement tests (Japan, Denmark, etc) are assigned little homework, while the more homework-dependent countries (Greece, Thailand, etc) consistently have some of the worst average scores, according to a four-year study.
• Even pro-homework advocate Tom Sherrington cited a popular mega-study concluding that homework has minimal benefits for kids under the age of ten.

These are pretty clear-cut findings on school homework, but do they only pertain to our kids? Is our work-related homework any more useful?

I don’t generally like the phrase work-life balance , but it is hard to deny the negative affects of an unbalanced life. Health problems, depression, and impaired sleep are commonly associated. These conditions hurt the employee and the organization, resulting in burnout, a long-term lack of productivity, turnover, and a generally actively disengaged workforce. Mind you, I’m writing this from home after a full day of work, so I may not be the best example of balance, but I am trying to get better.

Here are a few ways you and I can strike a better balance between home and work:

Carve out family time . A study by the University of Michigan found that family meals are the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems for children. It’s also a nice way to decompress after a busy day.

Forget about a 50/50 split . Reasonable expectations are key to a work-life balance. Some days are going to be work heavy, while other days won’t allow for the amount of work you’d like to complete. You may still get frustrated, but anticipating your reality can often make it less wearisome.

Stop blaming your phone . You can decide whether to read and respond to every text as they arrive.

Get organized . Work-life balance will not happen without a systematized schedule, a way to capture to-do items, or focus. Maintain priorities and stick to your daily plan (as much as you can).

Being home is not being lazy. I make it a priority to be home for dinner. I then help get everyone to bed and go back to work. Is it ideal? Maybe not, but I find it relaxing to get a few things off my to-do list before morning.

Get a hobby. As much I enjoy doing some work at night, I don’t do it every night. Find something non-work related that you enjoy. Exercise, reading, etc are great ways to get rid of stress. And TV does not count as a hobby (no matter how much I’d like it to).

Homework for both you and your kids is inevitable. We can complain about it or accept that work-life balance is not based on a set period of time where one turns on and the other off. A healthy mindset involves the ability to integrate family with work/school priorities. Find the balance that works for you so you can spend the rest of your free time checking your daughter’s algebra… as I’m about to do.

Share here:

• Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Privacy Policy
• Terms And Conditions

Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance: Differences between Homework and Work at the Workplace of the Company

IZA Discussion Paper No. 13504

35 Pages Posted: 29 Jul 2020 Last revised: 19 May 2022

Lutz Bellmann

Institute for Employment Research (IAB); Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Olaf Hübler

University of Hannover; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Working remotely can complement and sometimes completely substitute conventional work at the workplace of the company. Until the COVID-19 crisis the share of remote workers was relatively low and empirical investigations show inconsistent results. The recent work has highlighted a dramatic shift toward working from home The objective of this contribution is to empirically analyze the relationship between working remotely and job satisfaction on the one hand, as well as between working remotely and work-life balance on the other hand, based on three waves of the German Linked Personnel Panel.Our control variables are personality traits, skills, employment and job characteristics. We present average effects and demonstrate under which conditions remote work is advantageous for employees. Work-life imbalance may be induced by job-related causes. A private life can reduce work-life balance under specific conditions, namely, if remote work takes place outside of contracted working hours and during the first phase of remote work. On average, remote work has no significant impact on work-life balance, which is conditioned by private interests.However, the termination of remote work causes a clear imbalance. In contrast, the introduction of remote work increases job satisfaction, although only temporarily. When we compare employees working from home with those who want to work at home, we find that the former are happier. If we consider remote workers only, our results reveal that job satisfaction is higher, and work-life balance is not worse under a strict contractual agreement than under a nonbinding commitment.

Keywords: work-life balance, telecommuting, remote work, effects on employees, job satisfaction, COVID-19

JEL Classification: J22, J29, M54, M55

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Lutz Bellmann (Contact Author)

Institute for employment research (iab) ( email ).

Regensburger Str. 104 Nuremberg, 90478 Germany +49 911 179 3046 (Phone) +49 911 179 3297 (Fax)

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240 Bonn, D-53072 Germany

University of Hannover ( email )

Institute of Quantitative Economic Research D-30167 Hannover Germany +49 511 762 4794 (Phone) +49 511 762 3923 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on ssrn, paper statistics, related ejournals, iza institute of labor economics discussion paper series.

Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic

Organizations & Markets: Motivation & Incentives eJournal

Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic

Labor: Human Capital eJournal

Labor: personnel economics ejournal, decision-making & management science ejournal, industrial & organizational psychology ejournal.

• Join Our Newsletter
• Post a Listing
• Your Listings
• Your Profile
• Your Subscriptions
• Payment History
• Sign up for Daily Headlines
• Sign up for Notifications

Geoff Johnson: Piling homework on kids is a mistake that undermines work/life balance

• Share by Email
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share via Text Message

Many educators, me included, question the value, educationally and otherwise, of ­homework.

But let’s back up a moment and consider the importance of the work/life balance and time to play that we adults consider to be essential to our own well-being.

Mental-health advocates applaud ­maintaining a work/life balance, while ­recognizing that preserving that balance is easier said than done.

As our careers develop and our ­responsibilities increase somewhere between childhood and adulthood, “leaving it at the office” becomes increasingly difficult and we adults stop playing and start working into the evening.

We forget that play relieves stress and can trigger the release of endorphins, which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Continuing the day’s work at home or at the workplace defeats those benefits.

In fact, taking work home may be a form of workaholic neurosis that reverses any personal physical and mental-health benefits that should be the part of life after work.

Trust me, as a recovering workaholic who always had difficulty shaking the day off and separating the day’s challenges from my “real life,” I speak from experience.

To that end, I have always advised young teachers to make sure they are as fully ­prepared as possible for the next day before heading out the door when the final school bell rings.

That same need to separate work from other aspects of life in the interests of health should also apply to kids who spend five hours of 185 days a year sitting in ­classrooms.

There is an indisputable and growing amount of research indicating that for kids, spending more than the prescribed 5-6 hours a day sitting, then adding more hours of seatwork after school, could eventually be the source of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and even cardiac problems.

Along with many of my colleagues, I’m no fan of homework — not for adults, not for elementary-school children and certainly not for grades 8-12, when a student might meet four or even five subject teachers each day.

In a high-school environment, students can leave each classroom with homework tasks assigned by teachers who are unaware that their colleagues have also assigned after-class schoolwork.

Kids then head home for what amounts to another full day of school.

Even before I realized years ago that my students were not deriving much, if ­anything, of educational value from ­homework, I could never grade homework assignments equitably, because each ­student’s homework was being attempted in home environments that could be vastly ­different.

As we discovered during the pandemic shutdowns, and the subsequent reliance on online lessons, education at home is not ­conducted on an even playing field.

Some parents simply did not have space available at home to set up quiet spaces where students could focus on their work uninterrupted by the distractions common to every household.

Even if that was possible, homework that was intended to facilitate practice, such as working on solutions to math ­problems or reviewing a poem or prose piece, could result in a student simply practising ­mistakes over and over again.

In other words, class work being extended into a non-learning environment with no support from the teacher who assigned the work was defeating the gains accomplished in class that day.

Then class time needs to be devoted to correcting individual homework mistakes before progress can be made on that day’s lesson.

If work/life balance is important for adults, it’s just as important for kids from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Play, it has been said, is an essential part of a child’s work — and I’m not talking about hours in front of a screen.

According to child psychologists, active play improves brain function, stimulates the mind and boosts creativity.

Young children often learn best when they are playing — a principle that applies to adults, as well. Play stimulates imagination, helping both children and adults adapt and solve problems.

At some point in our adult lives, we begin to understand why taking our work home with us is both counterproductive and unhealthy.

And that may be the strongest argument about why piling on homework for kids is a developmental and educational error.

[email protected]

Geoff Johnson is a former superintendent of schools.

• See a typo/mistake?
• Have a story/tip?

This has been shared 0 times

More opinion.

Featured Flyer

Voices Blog

The Elusive Work-Life-Study Balance

8 tips to find your harmony.

Work-life balance. What does it even mean? And when you do come up with a definition that works for you, how do you overcome the challenges to achieving and maintaining it?

Technology and corporate culture has us connected 24/7. Do we need to always be “on” for work? A proposed California bill ( AB 2751 ) would seemingly help employees to disconnect outside of working hours, but there’s a flipside that could lead to even less work-life balance for many, including families and those with other commitments that overlap with designated work hours. When a 40-hour work week looks more like 50-hours-plus, is there time left to actually include the “life” in the balance?

Ask yourself: When you leave—be it from your at-home desk or an office—for the day, do you find yourself checking work email at a late hour? Or worse yet, while you’re on vacation? While waiting for your favorite prime-time TV show to begin, do you rattle through a to-do list that awaits you tomorrow morning? While helping your children with their homework, are you thinking about your own business report that’s due tomorrow?

“When we can’t let go of work while we’re out of the office, we don’t get to enjoy the benefits of time away,” writes Harvard Business Review author Art Markman, Ph.D. “To wean yourself off work —and unwanted thoughts of work—you can use a combination of new habits and lessons from cognitive behavioral therapy.”

We all know that there are benefits of unplugging from work and focusing on self. You need to recharge so that you can be productive and successful at work. Being “in the moment” with family and friends produces strong relationships that will buffer you from work stress. In fact, the Mental Health America organization reports that “one in four Americans describe themselves as ‘super stressed.’ And that’s not balanced nor healthy.”

But what happens when you add going back to school to your already crowded schedule?

There are numerous resources at your disposal to ensure that you don’t go off-balance when taking a single course or a full certificate ’s curriculum. Maintaining a healthy work-life-study balance can be challenging, but you can manage your time effectively and reduce stress. From creating a schedule to taking short breaks , these eight tips are not only helpful, but—more importantly—doable. Just ask our graduates.

1. Set clear goals.

Being able to define your priorities for work, study and personal life and having clear goals will help you allocate your time more efficiently. The first step might be acknowledging what you want to get out of furthering your education right now.

Lauren Jesse , an alumna of our Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program , gives this advice on understanding your academic goals: Do your research. For example, “If you are applying to P.A. school, look at requirements for schools that you are interested in to help guide you in which courses to take. Most importantly, make sure you have strong study habits in place before enrolling in a post-bacc. Schools will place these grades in high regard and use this as a measure of whether you are ready to handle the rigor of the curriculum.”

The same is true for deciding to pursue a certificate over a master’s degree.

“For me, why I chose your certificate is that I was able to do the program from home ,” says Alis Vazquez , a Certificate Program in Clinical Research Conduct and Management graduate. “The overall program was perfect for me. I started it during the pandemic, and I was so motivated to complete the certificate. I could fit the courses into my work-life balance.”

You might even use what you are learning in your courses to help you plan out your educational and career goals, like Juan Resendes , one of our Certificate Program in Construction Management and Leadership graduates, did. “Creating a Gantt chart helped me tremendously to visualize the timeline of the courses that I need to take to complete the certificate and to make decisions about the classes I wanted to take.”

Whatever your priorities, remember your end goal is to be successful and to not lose yourself in the process.

“First: Never give up on your dreams. Second: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result. UC Berkeley Extension’s post-bacc allowed me to make the changes that I needed to pursue a dream that I have had since I was six years old.” — Jennifer Jacobsen , Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program

2. Create a schedule and prioritize tasks.

After you’ve set clear goals and defined your priorities, develop a schedule for them. Don’t forget that includes not only dedicated time for work and study, but also time for relaxation, exercise and social activities. (More on “me time” a little later.) Try to stick to this schedule as much as possible to establish a routine.

When you’re taking an online course, it’s important to create a schedule so that you don’t fall behind and stress yourself out. When you’re not expected to show up to class every Wednesday evening, it can be very easy to “postpone” your assignments to next week when your schedule looks a bit lighter.

Identify the most important tasks for each day and focus on completing them first. This will help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed by your workload.

Gina LaMothe , a Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparatory Program graduate, says, “Take your time with your classes but make deadlines for yourself if you’re doing them online and self-paced. I was working with midwives at a birth center when the COVID shutdown happened, so my work schedule and responsibilities shifted quite a bit. Being able to do my classwork around my work schedule was a game-changer.”

Also, knowing all of your commitments in advance will help you allocate time to schoolwork and maintain that needed balance. Keep track of deadlines, assignments and appointments using a planner or digital calendar. Use phone apps with reminders at 1-week, 3-day and 1-day intervals to remind yourself of homework assignments. Check out more online tips .

You know you have to be at work by a certain time, so use that same concept when taking a class.

“It’s important to have a routine throughout the semester,” says UX Design graduate Lisa Jacquiot . “Going to class twice a week for three hours after work, and putting in 12 hours of homework per week can be hard when you have a full-time job and need a little bit of a social life. Be organized (set homework times) and keep a good routine (set exercise/relaxing times and go to bed early).”

“Organize your schedule, set clear study goals and stick to a consistent routine to manage your time.” — Sheena Gaynes , Certificate Program in Marketing, on how to succeed in lifelong learning

Related: Fighting Procrastination When Taking an Online Course

3. Learn to say no. (Until you want to say yes.)

This may be one of the hardest things to do. If you say no to a new work project or assignment, are you passing up a great opportunity? But if you keep adding to your plate at work, will you have time to complete your studies—which can help you get a promotion or other career advancement? Decide what you’re willing to give up to make time for assignments. You can’t do it all!

It's okay to decline additional responsibilities or social invitations if they interfere with your work or study schedule. You don’t need to answer your phone, or check your work email or Slack, if it is after work hours and maybe even during a designated professional development time. Remember, setting boundaries is essential for maintaining balance.

But sometimes, those extra responsibilities are in line with your goals and what you ultimately want to achieve. Such as the case with Krist Mejia .

“We were initially outsourcing our digital marketing to an agency and I was the web designer,” says this Certificate Program in Marketing graduate. “When we stopped our contract with the agency, I was transitioned into a more digital marketing–focused role. I knew I could do it because I was taking my marketing courses.”

4. Reinforce and expand your support system.

In the same vein as “you can’t do it all,” rely on family and friends to help you out. Ask your partner or roommate to take on additional household responsibilities. Reach out to a friend to watch the kids for a few hours so that you can finish your project. Let your colleagues, classmates and family members know about your schedule and boundaries. Effective communication can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.

And remember, you’re taking classes with other folks who are also feeling the work-life-study balance pinch. Rely on each other for support—you’re going through the same experience and you never know what amazing tip you can get from a classmate.

As post-bacc health alumna Brhan Eskinder found herself chipping away at completing prerequisites at night while still teaching during the day, she also found a sense of community in each of her classes.

“They were spaces where you walked into the room and we all knew why we were there,” Brhan describes. “So there's a sense of collaboration, and the majority of the other students were also working during the day. It felt good to be with other working professionals because a lot of other post-bacc programs will put you in a class with undergrads.”

“I was joined in my Extension classes by friendly classmates who were excited to study and learn together, share our backgrounds and career goals, and support each other through the challenging and engaging content of the courses,” adds Jeremy Goodman , Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparatory Program graduate. “I was able to identify and connect with some students specifically interested in the clinical laboratory. We shared knowledge about the application processes for various programs.”

Take advantage of the relationships that you can build with your instructors and peers.

“I have long struggled with anxiety surrounding social situations, which unfortunately hindered me from reaching out to professors and classmates when I was in undergrad,” says Emilie Biondi , who completed our Advanced Biosciences Program and whose personal experience can help others from becoming off balance while keeping their goals in mind. “For me, the Advanced Biosciences program wasn't just an opportunity to boost my GPA; it was also an opportunity to make the professional connections that I hadn't been able to previously.”

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

It’s not just your classmates and colleagues with whom you need to communicate. Our instructors and staff, as well as your employer, also play important roles in helping you reach your goals.

If you need additional guidance on deciding priorities, seek out your employer’s human resources (HR) department to address your concerns or to get tools that can help you on your path. Workplace Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) “are designed to improve or maintain the productivity and healthy functioning of an employee, as well as assist with personal- or work-related concerns,” says instructor Dana Walsh , M.A., LMFT.

“There is a big drive these days for companies to have extensive work-life benefits and to promote wellness and balance; a crucial part of this is mental health, or emotional wellness. Many companies, in trying to attract and retain employees, want to meet these expectations. Having an EAP is a benefit both to the employer and the employee: Employees who are emotionally healthy and resilient can help keep workplaces safe and the company successful.”

Mark Love , a Certificate Program in Human Resource Management graduate, used his employer's program to grow in his career. “I loved my job and the field of employee and labor relations, but I wanted to enhance my knowledge of other human resources fields so that I could grow my career in a competitive environment,” he says. “I took advantage of [an employer's] reimbursement program and registered for the human resource management certificate because of the highly relevant curriculum.”

But it’s not just your HR department that can provide needed assistance to ensure you are on the right path and ease any uncertainty. In the case of Professional Sequence in Editing graduate Megan Rupert , she followed the advice of our instructors to network and build a peer group and attended webinars related to the field she wanted to be in. “Having those additional tools and making connections within those groups also really helped prepare me to make this a successful career,” she says.

According to post-bacc health alumna Charlotte Young , our program staff made the extra effort to keep students’ careers on track, especially during the height of the pandemic. Staff also contributed valuable advice on course load and schools that would showcase her strengths and more.

“I truly felt that my advisers gave customized advice that applied to my goals. For example, my adviser helped me decide the appropriate number of courses I should take each semester after assessing my other time commitments —work, studying for the MCAT and volunteering . I felt that there was a team of people behind me invested in my success.”

MJ Aguillon confides, “For about two years, I took one to two classes a semester while commuting an hour to and from work. I did struggle to stay focused during my evening classes, but my instructors were very understanding of my work schedule and accommodating to my learning speed and needs.”

Remember, advocating for yourself and your needs helps your connections be able to see where you are and meet you there.

6. Practice self-care and ALWAYS schedule in some “me time.”

Don’t feel like you’re being selfish by slotting in some time just for yourself. Make time for self-care activities such as exercise, meditation or hobbies that you enjoy. Taking care of your physical and mental health is crucial for maintaining balance .

You need to decompress, unplug and center yourself before jumping back into the Monday madness at work followed by the Monday evening spent reading or working on homework. Whether that’s scheduling every Sunday morning to read the paper or take a walk, just knowing that you’ve carved time out for yourself can be that week’s light at the end of the tunnel. You’ll look forward to that time.

Related: Mental Health Matters

Your self-care routine should include breaks when you are in the thick of a work project or homework assignment, or just after typing on your computer keyboard for an hour. Taking regular breaks is essential for productivity and mental well-being. This also means minimizing distractions such as social media, emails and phone calls while you're working or studying to help you stay focused.

Sheila Hallsted-Baumert —a Certificate Program in College Admissions and Career Planning  graduate (now instructor!), independent educational consultant and podcast host—says her podcasting is her “me time.”

“One of the great pieces of advice I received from my mentor in this field was to take time away from the office . For me, that also meant a mental stepping back and reflecting. I thought my monthly musings might be a way to slow things down, take the time to really look around and perhaps give others a chance to think about the industry in a different way.”

Another healthy activity for “me time” might be community time. Giving back and volunteering brings its own rewards to our mental health and life balance.

As an associate director in clinical research, Cecilia Yu ’s work-life balance means she also uses her project management skills to volunteer with Girls on the Run Bay Area (GOTR), an organization that means something to her. “I help increase awareness of the program by participating in a variety of strategic and fundraising initiatives to deepen the outreach of GOTR.”

Daniel Zakaria ’s self-care incorporates his go-to sport, which acts as both a release and a personal development opportunity. “Playing a competitive team sport has taught me a lot about collaboration with others from different backgrounds. The game continues to teach me to persevere through challenging situations. I have found these types of skills to be directly transferable to a workplace setting, where we often work in teams to achieve incredible things.”

Sometimes self-care and “me time” means recognizing that you need to not only step back, but step away.

After Amber Lowi began taking some of our interior design courses, she needed to temporarily halt her student journey in order to achieve her work-life balance. “I took a few to start, had some life events that slowed my progress and then came back to finish the program ,” she relates.

Maintaining your balance might mean you need to accept that your schedule may need to change due to unexpected events or emergencies. Stay adaptable and be willing to adjust your plans accordingly.

7. Make it relevant.

This is what clinical research certificate graduate Jennifer Brandl did to maintain that balance. “One of my classes was about regulatory documents, and at the same time, my boss had requested I go to one of our clinical trial sites and gather regulatory documents for the sponsor and site files,” she says. “Part of my homework was to create a regulatory document checklist. So for the class, I made the checklist; for work, I brought the checklist and did what I needed to do to gather the documents. I’m learning and implementing as the course goes, and that’s how you really retain what you’ve learned.”

Starting with small, aligned side projects can also bring the curriculum into personal focus—and help you test the waters.

“I started by offering free ‘light editing’ to friends for low-stakes projects they had at work, something an instructor essentially encouraged us to consider,” Megan Rupert says of her experience in the editing sequence. “That was really excellent advice. The exercises we were doing for coursework were very practical and relevant, but adding extracurricular practice with actual projects was really valuable not only for my confidence, but also for the scope of my experience. By the time I was done with the program, I was able to take myself more seriously with public-facing text and was much more prepared to bill for my services.”

Balance can also come from aligning your personal interest with your educational or career goals.

Marine Danielyan based her career change on something related to her previous field and that was close to her heart—marketing. “I started studying marketing , and at the same time got my first job in an introductory role as a marketing assistant. I worked with marketing, sales, product and customer-success teams, and assisted with growth and customer-facing initiatives. This really helped me learn new skills and define my future career.”

It was a personal connection to community-building that inspired Alex Guidici on his new career path in construction management and leadership. Instructor Miguel Galarza and his Preconstruction Estimating: From the Design Development Stage to the Final Bid Process course impressed Alex and had him seeing his career shift and its potential path in a new light.

“I learned something much larger from Miguel,” Alex lauds, “something zoomed out from my construction career: How our jobs relate to our communities. His lesson plans were full of real-life construction stories around the Bay Area having an impact. From housing elements to environmental protection, labor laws and homelessness, I was captivated to hear about how people were using their construction jobs to elevate our communities.”

When you maintain a work-life-study balance by engaging in any one or more of these tips, you’re also motivated to stay on the path to a successful and fulfilling career. Which brings us to our final piece of advice …

8. Celebrate your commitment!

Investing in your education is an extremely rewarding experience. Remember that achieving a work-life-study balance is an ongoing process, and it may require some trial and error to find what works best for you. When you’ve finished your studies, you’ll have a new set of skills and experiences that will propel you forward in your career.

So be patient with yourself and celebrate your accomplishments along the way. And when it all feels like too much, just breathe.

“Completing your program meant overcoming a huge hurdle for me,” relates Gina LaMothe of her CLS prep program accomplishment. “I have always struggled with school and being able to complete all the courses gave me the confidence that I needed to enter the Providence Sacred Heart School of Medical Laboratory Science (PSHMC MLS) program and feel like I deserved to be there.”

For Krist Mejia, the completion of the Certificate Program in Marketing symbolizes his success and deserves to be showcased. “I have the certificate right here on my shelf as a reminder that I have achieved this and nobody can take that away.”

“I am proud of my achievement and the foundation I have established for a long and successful career in the clinical laboratory,” says Jeremy Goodman. “I have finally found a career path that meaningfully contributes to health care, while also providing me the stimulation and potential for development and growth that I was searching for.”

And for Elaine Chan , a college admissions and career planning certificate graduate, it all comes back around: “Helping students through their college planning process has been a full-circle experience in coming back to my initial desire to be in a helping profession.”

Work-life-study balance can be achieved; it doesn’t have to be elusive. And that is a reason to celebrate.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Then get back to it because it’s worth it.

“The only way out is through. You're here for a reason . Show up every day and do what you need to do. No matter what anybody tells you, figure it out, hustle hard and make it happen.” —Brhan Eskinder, Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program

Related Posts

Celebrating Juneteenth

The Future of Work Podcast—New Episode!

June 25 Event: Pitch Global

View the discussion thread.

• Military & Veterans
• Transfer Students
• Education Partnerships
• COVID-19 Info
• 844-PURDUE-G
• Student Login
• Request Info
• Bachelor of Science
• Master of Science
• Associate of Applied Science
• Graduate Certificate
• Master of Business Administration
• ExcelTrack Master of Business Administration
• ExcelTrack Bachelor of Science
• Postbaccalaureate Certificate
• Certificate
• Associate of Applied Science (For Military Students)
• Programs and Courses
• Master of Public Administration
• Doctor of Education
• Postgraduate Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology
• Master of Health Care Administration
• Master of Health Informatics
• Doctor of Health Science
• Associate of Applied of Science (For Military Students)
• Associate of Science (For Military Students)
• Master of Public Health
• Executive Juris Doctor
• Juris Doctor
• Dual Master's Degrees
• ExcelTrack Master of Science
• Master of Science (DNP Path)
• Bachelor of Science (RN-to-BSN)
• ExcelTrack Bachelor of Science (RN-to-BSN)
• Associate of Science
• Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Master of Professional Studies

The average Purdue Global military student is awarded 54% of the credits needed for an associate's and 45% of the credits needed for a bachelor's.

• General Education Mobile (GEM) Program
• AAS in Health Science
• AS in Health Science
• BS in Organizational Management
• BS in Professional Studies
• AAS in Criminal Justice
• AAS in Small Group Management
• AAS Small Group Management
• Master's Degrees
• Bachelor's Degrees
• Associate's Degrees
• Certificate Programs
• Noncredit Courses
• Tuition and Financial Aid Overview
• Financial Aid Process
• Financial Aid Awards
• Financial Aid Resources
• Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions
• Financial Aid Information Guide
• Tuition and Savings
• Aviation Degree Tuition and Fees
• Professional Studies Tuition and Fees
• Single Courses and Micro-Credentials
• Time and Tuition Calculator
• Net Price Calculator
• Military Benefits and Tuition Assistance
• Military Educational Resources
• Military Tuition Reductions
• Military Spouses
• Student Loans
• Student Grants
• Outside Scholarships
• Loan Management
• Financial Literacy Tools
• Academic Calendar
• General Requirements
• Technology Requirements
• Work and Life Experience Credit
• DREAMers Education Initiative
• Student Identity
• Student Experience
• Online Experience
• Student Life
• Alumni Engagement
• International Students
• Academic Support
• All Purdue Online Degrees
• Career Services
• COVID-19 FAQs
• Student Accessibility Services
• Student Resources
• Transcript Request
• About Purdue Global
• Accreditation
• Approach to Learning
• Career Opportunities
• Diversity Initiatives
• Purdue Global Commitment
• Cybersecurity Center
• Chancellor's Corner
• Purdue Global Moves
• Leadership and Board
• Facts and Statistics
• Researcher Request Intake Form

Most Commonly Searched:

• All Degree Programs
• Communication
• Criminal Justice
• Fire Science
• Health Sciences
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Legal Studies
• Professional Studies
• Psychology and ABA
• Public Policy
• Military and Veterans
• Tuition and Fee Finder
• Financial Aid FAQs
• Military Benefits and Aid
• Admissions Overview
• Student Experience Overview
• Academic Support Overview
• How to Balance Life, Work, and School

How to Balance Life, Work, and School: A Guide for Busy College Students

Working full-time takes a significant portion of your week, added to the time and stresses of home and family responsibilities. If you're thinking about going back to school as a means to change or advance in your current one, the burden increases.

The U.S. Department of Education reported in 2017 that 43% of all full-time undergraduate students and 81% of part-time students were employed while enrolled. Graduate students have it harder, according to a study cited in The Atlantic . It says 76% of graduate students work at least 30 hours a week. Nearly 20% of these students have children.

If this is you, you’re probably wondering: "Where will I find the time for college, a job, my family, and a life?" The answers lie in planning and organization. You can create a work-school-life balance that helps you maintain a healthy life and positive relationships.

>> Read Health and Wellness Guide for Busy College Students

The following 8 steps can help you plan for a healthy and happy work-school-life balance.

1. Consider an Online Program

Earning a degree online offers the convenience of studying from practically anywhere at times that make sense with your schedule. For example, ask your employer whether you’re allowed to tackle coursework during your lunch break. Or, wake up an hour earlier each day to focus that time on assignments. 

With a little time management, you can complete your studies without missing the important things happening at the office and home.

>> Read Classroom vs. Online Education: Which One Is Better for You?

2. Build a Support Network

Going back to school while working full-time is a big decision. Before you register for classes, have a serious conversation with your family, mentor, friends, and manager. Ensure you have a support network that can help you through this next phase of your professional journey. 

An employer who understands your goals may help you arrange a flexible work schedule. Your partner, extended family, or close friends can pitch in to help you with housework, children, and other obligations when you are studying.

When you start classes, build a network there, too. Keep an open dialogue with your instructors and connect with other students. Also, take advantage of school resources that can help you in your journey.

3. Schedule Time Off for Studying

Don't be a hero when it comes to managing course requirements, work, and personal obligations. As soon as you get your course syllabus, evaluate how much time you will need to prepare for important exams or assignments. Schedule time away from work so you can study.

Experiment to find the best times for you to study and to find how often you need breaks. Also, figure out the best place for you to focus where all your materials are accessible.

Here are more ideas for making the most of study time:

• Dedicate each study session to a single subject
• Have a study goal for each session
• Plan to study when you’re most alert, whenever that is

4. Manage Your Time Wisely

Every minute counts. Do you usually sleep in on the weekend? Give up that luxury and use the time for classes. Enjoy binge-watching the latest new series on Netflix? Do a half binge instead; the show will still be there next week. Spend some of that time getting coursework done. 

Here are a few more ideas for prioritizing your time as a college student :

• Break up large tasks into smaller components
• Keep an up-to-date schedule
• Make a weekly to-do list
• Plan time for relaxation and seeing family or friends
• Set deadlines for yourself

Remember the goal you're working towarda promising future and greater opportunity. Once you've attained your goal, you will be able to take more time for other activities.

5. Minimize Distractions in Your Home Environment

The flexibility of online learning allows you to be at home with your family rather than commuting and sitting in a classroom. Nonetheless, you are still attending college, even if you aren't physically going anywhere. Make a space for yourself where you can concentrate. Ensure your family understands that your study space is sacred. You need a place without distractions, so you can focus and learn.

Also, remember that minimizing distractions isn't just about preparing the right space for your studies . You also need to ensure you've limited all desktop and mobile distractions. Close social media platforms and messenger apps. Don't check your texts or email until you've finished studying.

Here are some more tips to relieve distractions:

• Don’t fret what about what you’re not doing
• Stay focused on the task at hand
• Don’t let work intrude on school, and don’t let school intrude on work

6. Access Your Online Classroom Regularly

When you take an online class, you may be tempted to take it a little easy. Maybe you don't log in to your classroom very often. If you let too much time lapse between checking in to the student portal, your next visit may leave you feeling overwhelmed. 

By checking in regularly, you’ll be less likely to miss an assignment. You’ll also have a chance to discover resources and tools that can help you complete assignments and continue your progress.

7. Don't Wait Until the Last Minute

You've got a busy life, and it's going to be even busier when you start working toward a degree. Don't let other things get in the way of your education. If you don't prioritize school, you will end up waiting until the last minute. If you manage your time well, you will be able to manage professional and personal concerns that may arise. 

To that end, plan ahead to avoid the stress and anxiety of trying to beat a last-minute deadline. Take time to revise and edit your work, which will also lead to a better finished product.

8. Take Time for Self-Care

Your basic needs often get lost when you're balancing work, school, and home. Ignoring your physical and mental health can have serious consequences. Try to find ways to take care of your health while you pursue your degree. Among the things you can do to help yourself are:

• Eat a healthy diet
• Get enough sleep
• Practice positive self-talk
• Relax through massage, meditation, or breathing exercises
• Take a walk

If you need it, don’t hesitate to ask for extra help from friends or family.

Balancing Life, Work, and School is Possible

Do you have concerns about work-school-life balance? Request more information today, and learn how an online program with Purdue Global can help you grow your opportunities.

About the Author

Purdue Global

Earn a degree you're proud of and employers respect at Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. Accredited and online, Purdue Global gives you the flexibility and support you need to come back and move your career forward. Choose from 175+ programs, all backed by the power of Purdue.

• Alumni & Student Stories
• General Education
• Legal Studies & Public Policy
• Online Learning

Your Path to Success Begins Here

Learn more about online programs at Purdue Global and download our program guide.

Connect with an Advisor to explore program requirements, curriculum, credit for prior learning process, and financial aid options.

How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance

Achieving a work-life balance has been particularly difficult for academics who were already accustomed to toting home sheaves of grading or looking at a grading queue with a seemingly insurmountable number of files. Now, add to that “homework” trying to balance the demands of students and administrators who expect immediate responses to emails or texts and helping family deal with their new Covid realities, and it’s easy for one day to melt into another in a never-ending carousel of wake, teach, grade, sleep, repeat.

Establishing a healthy work-life balance can be difficult, but there are a few ways to get started:

• Set rituals. When working from home, our old rituals such as the commute or the stop at the coffee shop are gone. These rituals were important for signaling to ourselves the transition from home to work. Developing new routines for a new schedule, according to Cody McClain, host of the MindHack podcast, is vital to help to reinforce boundaries between work and home. Don’t forget to perform these rituals in reverse at the end of the day. If you have a home office with a door, shut it at the end of the day.
• Avoid chasing notifications. Set specific times for responding and checking emails. We quickly train ourselves to jump when we hear the ping of an incoming notification. Lauren Huddleston, writing at edutopia.com, describes how after a few weeks on the treadmill of email and texts, she found herself at her wit’s end: “After speaking with administrators, faculty at my school were given an ‘end of day’ time for email responses.” Even easier is setting a few “check and respond” times during the day. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure to let students and others know (diplomatically) that you won’t be participating in the 24/7 email culture.
• Use Timers. When working on campus, interruptions come in a constant stream: colleagues stopping by the office to ask questions or gossip, students asking for advice, and meetings to walk to across campus, or lunch or coffee catch-ups with friends. At home, the day is streamlined enough that getting sucked into a task is much easier and much more dangerous. Set a timer (I like the simplicity of the Toggl Timer so that you don’t start grading papers and then look up five hours later with a sore neck and the rest of your to-do list untouched. Schedule an amount of time for working on a task and when that time is up, move to the next one. You may not complete everything, but you’ll return to the task the next day with a more productive mindset. While many people swear by the Pomodoro Method, you don’t have to choose anything that formal. Use the timer for scheduling breaks as well. Take some time during the day to talk to a friend, listen to music, or otherwise spend time on something that you enjoy. The break doesn’t have to be long for you to return to your laptop refreshed with a clear mind.
• Get some exercise. I never realized how much I walked around campus before the pandemic. Likewise, my daily in-person yoga class seemed more like a pleasant diversion than a necessity. However, after a week of sitting in front of my computer for eight hours a day, five days a week, my body hurt, my mind was fogged, and my posture was shot. Set a time and a timer each day to be physically active to create a habit. The activity could be as simple as a walk in the evening with family.  Moving your body every day has benefits beyond the physical. YouTube has dozens of free yoga and meditation classes and apps like Headspace and Calm have found large audiences. Try some options out until you find the one that’s right for you.    

Finally, give yourself some compassion and let those around you know how you’re doing.  Acknowledging that your work life has changed, communicating that stress to those around you, and accepting that it’s normal to feel stressed can help to establish boundaries between your work life and your home life. Taking care of yourself will make you a better, more compassionate teacher and a happier human being.

Attending a conference?

Checkout if mcgraw hill will be in attendance:.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Balance Homework and Chores

Last Updated: December 15, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. This article has been viewed 97,629 times.

Sometimes you are so busy with things like doing the dishes, cleaning your room, mowing the lawn, and doing your homework that there’s not enough time for the fun things in life. While homework and chores are important, it doesn’t mean that they need to occupy all of your time. Balancing your homework and your chores will give you the extra time you need to socialize and enjoy your favorite hobbies.

Getting Yourself Organized

• As you complete each task, cross it off on the list so that you remember that you don’t have to do it anymore.
• Create your list on a piece of paper or your cellphone. Storing lists mentally leaves room for you to forget what you need to do.
• During the day you may get additional chores or homework assignments. When you do, make sure to add them to your list.

• Your schedule doesn’t need to be as specific as an hour-by-hour schedule, but the more specific you are the better. A day-to-day schedule will allow you to plot out important chores per day so that by the end of the week you’ll have completed all of them.
• 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Homework
• 5:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. - Vacuum Dining Room
• 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Clean Room
• 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - Socialize!

• Throw things away like empty bottles of water or loose pieces of paper as soon as you don’t need them anymore.
• The more you stay on top of your clutter, the less work you have to do all at once.

• Keeping a binder or trapper keeper with separate compartments can help you keep any important homework.
• Make sure to keep things you don’t need anymore in a separate place. You don’t want your folders to become cluttered and unorganized.
• Be careful when you throw away things you get in class. You may need it for a quiz or test in the future.

• Reading assignments can take a long time if you wait to read the material. By using your free time to read, you can start working on the essay portion of the assignment quickly.

Staying on Task

• If you like playing video or computer games, save it for after your homework. You want to keep your mind sharp so you can get good grades and still get it done as fast as possible.
• Social texting is pretty normal, but every time you break your concentration and do something else you’re making the time you have to spend on homework longer. Text the person back and let them know that you’ll get back to them when you’re done.

• The more you procrastinate the more that you’ll be stressed about not having enough time to finish all of your chores and your homework. Do it early so you can sit back, relax, and have a good time with your friends.

• Even though chores are important, education comes first. Do your homework before you do your chores when you get home.

• Don’t be rude. Explain to the person that you need to get your homework done or else it will affect your grades. You aren’t trying to be mean, you just want to stay on task.
• If you’re not used to telling people “no,” the only way to get used to it is to practice. Your friends will understand.

• Offer something in return for fewer chores, like better grades or A’s on your report card.
• If you have siblings try to trade chores with them.
• Don’t get mad at your parents if you realize that you have too many chores to get everything done. Simply explain to them first and then negotiate the alternatives.

Maintaining a Healthy Body and Mind

• Exercising can also be a hobby, like a sport that you enjoy. As long as you are getting out there and moving, it’s better than sitting around!
• Gym isn’t enough exercise for most people. Make sure that you take up another physical hobby like basketball, hockey, martial arts, tennis, dance, or something else that’s challenging. Try out different things to see what you like best. [5] X Research source

• Going outside and taking a 10-minute walk to get fresh air is a great thing to do when you take a break.

• If you are between the ages of 14 to 17 you'll need around 8 to 10 hours of sleep to feel fully rested. If you are over 17 you'll need at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep to feel good.

Expert Q&A

• Doing all three methods together will give you the most time to be social and practice your hobbies. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Try taking on an active or physical hobby so that you can stay active while still doing something you love. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• On Friday you can relax since you have the entire weekend to do what you need! Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21228167
• ↑ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/lack-of-physical-education-in-schools-concerns-parents/
• ↑ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mental-downtime/
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21075236

About this article

To balance your homework and chores, start by creating a schedule of the work you have to do and the time you have available. Then, clear your study space of any games or electronics that might distract you, and try to focus on finishing your work as efficiently as possible. However, everyone needs breaks, so give yourself 5 minutes off every 30 minutes. Try to prioritize your homework over your chores, but talk to your parents if you feel overwhelmed by it all. Keep in mind that they may ask you to prove you’re doing your homework to justify getting out of chores! For more tips, including how to stay healthy during school term, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

Reader Success Stories

Oct 22, 2018

Did this article help you?

Aug 8, 2016

Dec 7, 2023

Nov 23, 2017

• About wikiHow
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

How to find better work-life balance

In a time when work emails are often read on personal phones and more offices are set up at home, it’s clear that personal and professional lives are becoming increasingly intertwined. In striving to strike a sustainable work-life balance, we’re often told to draw a hard line between these 2 worlds. But is this still possible? Or is it time to try a different approach?

Evaluating our work and home balance tends to become a priority for many of us once we notice an underlying feeling of dissatisfaction or imbalance in our daily lives. Perhaps it feels like the candle is burning at both ends or that it's a struggle to be present or to give ourselves fully to anyone or anything. Maybe quality personal time is suffering, becoming shadowed by extended deadlines or stressful thoughts about work.

Should we find ourselves here (or even if we haven’t reached this point quite yet), reassessing how we show up in both our personal and professional lives can ultimately lead to a more mindful and balanced state.

How can we achieve a healthy work-life balance?

Key takeaways:

• There's a difference between workaholism vs work-home balance
• Mindfulness can shift the way you view work-life balance
• Practical tips can also help improve work-life balance when working from home

Related articles

• How to deal with burnout
• How to be mindful at work
• Mindfully transitioning to wfh culture
• How to create a mindful home office

What happens when home life and work life are imbalanced

When most of us look at the energy we give to our work versus our personal lives, the scales often tip towards work. While it’s common to end up in this scenario, placing too much emphasis on our jobs or careers may result in burnout — a sense of feeling exhausted, emotionally drained, unproductive, and unmotivated. In 2021, this is something more than half of America’s workforce struggles with.

If work-home balance feels off-kilter because of an internal compulsion to work beyond what’s expected, this might indicate workaholism, a behavior that can have implications on all facets of life.

In addition to being more susceptible to burnout, workaholics may also deal with physiological issues caused by the heightened stress experienced on a regular basis. Researchers have even found that this behavior often results in more work-family conflict and poor functioning outside of work compared to people who don't identify as workaholics.

As we craft the road map to a healthy work-life balance, it may feel like the best first step is to reduce the number of hours spent at work each week. While this may certainly help, it’s not always an option. Instead, we might consider how weaving mindfulness into our day may help both worlds feel more rewarding.

Using mindfulness to create a better work-life-balance

Most solutions for creating an ideal work-life balance tend to center around scheduling, like allowing 8 hours a day for work and taking regular 10-minute breaks. Establishing boundaries like this may help if they’re available, but, as our way of working evolves, it’s not always possible to draw this definitive line in the sand.

Instead, what if we reframed the ideal work-life balance to be less about the number of hours split between personal and professional duties and more about how fulfilled we feel at the end of each day?

Getting to this place may be easier by adopting a meditation practice. Learning to sit with the mind can nurture not only heightened awareness but increased clarity, allowing us to zoom out and notice when we’re working beyond what’s expected of us.

In time, meditation affords us a clearer perspective on life, allowing us to better see healthy and unhealthy patterns or boundaries.

Another benefit is that, by better understanding how the mind works, we can learn to be less reactive and handle stressful situations better. Rather than frantically trudging through busy days at work, we can realize when it’s time to pause and reprioritize. In short, awareness can be the key to working smarter, not harder.

Guided meditation can also teach us how to be more present and fully engage with each person or task in front of you. On a tactical level, this can cause an uptick in productivity , meaning we may be able to get our work done at a faster rate, allowing for more personal time.

How to establish work-life balance when working from home

Whether we’ve been working out of our home for years or we’re one of the millions who was thrust into remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve likely come to find that conducting business in the same space we use to unwind can come with a unique set of challenges.

To mindfully manage our work-from-home work-life balance, we might consider using these 3 tactical strategies in addition to a daily mindfulness practice:

Establish a morning routine. Ever feel tempted to roll out of bed and jump straight into your first morning meeting? Consider learning how to become a better morning person by creating a mindful morning routine. This means we get to start the day with dedicated time designed just for us. As an added bonus, this AM ritual may even help us to feel more relaxed, inspired, and productive as we move into the workday afterward.

Create a designated workspace. Having an entirely separate home office isn’t possible for everyone, but mindfully creating a workspace that exhibits some sense of separation between where we relax and where we work can help us achieve a greater sense of overall balance. Designating a corner of a room or tabletop in a common room might work for some, while others might configure a setup that can be put away at the end of each day. The act of setting up and taking down your workspace each day can signal to the brain when work is about to begin or end — an important boundary.

Take yourself through a fake commute. Like assembling and breaking down a home office, a daily commute can help the brain transition between home and work roles. If a traditional commute is no longer a part of our workdays, we can create a similar effect by scheduling an activity that takes us outside of the home, like a neighborhood walk, bike ride, or something as quick and simple as stepping outside for a 10-minute guided meditation .

As different as all of our work situations may be, striving to feel content as we move between our personal and professional time is something we all have in common. If it's been a struggle to craft a balance that feels sustainable and fulfilling, using mindful intention and awareness throughout the day may be the key to finally unlocking a way of life that, up until now, has felt out of reach.

Try a free meditation to help with work-life balance

Be kind to your mind

• Put your mind to bed with sleep sounds, music, and wind-down exercises
• Make mindfulness a part of your daily routine with tension-releasing workouts, relaxing yoga, Focus music playlists, and more

Similar articles

• © 2024 Headspace Inc.
• Privacy policy
• Consumer Health Data
• CA Privacy Notice

• Deakin Home
• Student news
• StudentConnect
• Help and contact us

Study, work and life balance

A good work-life balance means you have harmony between the different aspects of your life. Work-life balance is about learning to blend your work, study commitments and personal life successfully for optimal wellbeing. If you’re finding it more challenging than ever to juggle the demands of your life, then you’re not alone. The tips in this article will hopefully get you back on track.

Staying balanced

The best type of work-life balance for you will vary over time, sometimes even on a day-by-day basis. University workload changes over the trimester, work commitments vary, and time with friends and family is always in flux. There is no need to strive for a perfect balance. The best work-life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities and different lives.

A healthy work-life balance allows time for work, study and all the other aspects of your life. Here are some tips to help you achieve a balanced life.

• Identify your passions and interests and make time for the things that make you feel alive.
• Build downtime into your schedule. When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends, and activities that help you recharge.
• Keep track of where your time goes and cut down on unnecessary time wastage.
• Prioritise your health. Regular exercise has proven benefits for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
• Eat plenty of health food and get enough sleep at regular times.
• Unplug. Set limits on your work time and set time aside for enjoyable and relaxing aspects of life.
• Positive relationships and social support build resilience to cope with stress, but these take time to nurture and develop. Prioritise time with your family and loved ones.
• Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way.

If you are continually feeling overwhelmed, it may be time to seek help from a mental health professional or counsellor . Asking for help is not a sign of weakness—taking care of yourself is a sign of strength.

Getting support

Make an appointment with Deakin's Counselling service to speak with a counsellor or mental health professional.

The DeakinWELLBEING app can help you to create and maintain healthy habits and find balance in life.

More help and advice

Organise your week by scheduling in time for work, study, fun and rest using our  weekly planner .

ReachOut has tips on how to nail your study-life balance .

We use cookies to improve your experience. You consent to the use of our cookies if you proceed. Visit our Privacy policy for more information.

Your browser is outdated. To ensure the best experience, update to the latest version of your preferred browser. Update

Creating Work-Life Boundaries

Over the past decades, laptops and smartphones have changed how people work. Many people feel they need to always be available, always online. These conditions blur the boundaries between work and personal lives, often leading to exhaustion and burnout.

Work-life boundaries help you separate work from the rest of your life, helping you shed your work persona, engage more in your personal life, and rest and relax.

Our Creating Work-Life Boundaries worksheet provides practical steps and examples for setting and reinforcing boundaries. The steps described are:

• Set an intention
• Modify your surroundings
• Change your behavior

Use this worksheet with clients who experience work stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm. After going over this handout, help your client find energizing or relaxing ways to spend their time after work. Clients should use these strategies consistently, as the benefits will add up over time.

Download Fillable Worksheet

Instructions.

PDF reading software is required to use fillable worksheets. This software is pre-installed on many devices. However, if it is not on your device, it can be downloaded for free. We recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader .

Notice: Opening a fillable worksheet directly within an internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Safari) may prevent work from being saved. Instead, the file should be saved to your device and opened with a PDF reader.

To learn more or share these instructions, visit the Fillable Worksheet Instructions .

Download Customizable Worksheet

Use custom worksheets for the purpose of education and treatment.

Download, print, and share unlimited copies of custom worksheets.

Do not remove or alter copyright information.

Do not redistribute on a website, or as a part of a database or library.

Do not sell or sublicense custom worksheets.

Read our complete Terms and Conditions of Use .

PREVIEW - Page of

Download Options

Related Tools

Values Discussion Questions

Worry Drop-Off

3, }" style="overflow-wrap: anywhere;" >

Become a Member!

• Customizable Worksheets
• Interactive Therapy Tools
• No More Ads
• Support Therapist Aid

Your account has been created.

Would you like to explore more features?

Recommended

Professional

Customizable and fillable worksheets.

Unlimited access to interactive therapy tools.

Support the creation of new tools for the entire mental health community.

Ad-free browsing.

Work-Life Balance?

An internal debate.

Posted September 26, 2019

So much has been written urging us to strive for work-life balance. An offshoot of that is the exhortation to meditate, do yoga, etc.

There is an under-discussed counter-position. So here is an ego/alter-ego debate on the issue.

Work less: Not only don’t you get paid more, but your co-workers also get annoyed with you for “showing us up.” Your wife is annoyed with you for not spending more time with the family.

Work more: Being productive, making a difference, is more important than all that.

Work less: How much difference do you really make? If you worked less, sooner or later, they’d hire an additional person to get it all done. And so by working so much, you’re actually depriving someone of a job.

Work more: I make a difference by working more—I do my job quite well, and besides, I’m not sure the employer would hire. The work just might not get done.

Work less: You could make a bigger difference by spending more time with your wife and kids.

Work more: I subscribe to the quality-time argument. If I come home at 6 instead of 8, yeah, I’ll talk a few minutes more with wife and kids, but usually, they’d just as soon do their own thing. I’m not convinced that coming home earlier makes so much difference. Besides, home is more stressful than work. So much conflict, like, “Mommy! Mommy! Daddy is making me do my homework. You said I could do it later!”

Work less: If you dedicated more time to family, maybe there’d be less conflict. Besides, if you worked less, you'd have more time for fun.

Work more: Do I really find recreation that much more pleasurable than working? I like what I do. I'm good at what I do. So not only do I enjoy it, I feel more contributory.

Work less: They say that workaholics die young. You don’t realize the toll on your health those long work hours take.

Work more: If stress kills, I’d die younger if I worked less —Like I said, home is more stressful than work.

Work less: Is the whole world wrong? Every expert from Aristotle to today’s pop-psych gurus stress work-life balance.

Work more: Remember how often the experts are wrong, even the consensus of medical scientists, some of the smartest people. For decades, they said, lower your dietary cholesterol. Now they say that’s not so important. For decades, they said to eat margarine instead of butter. Now they say the opposite. For decades, they said, take baby aspirin to prevent heart attacks. Now they say, don’t. I have to rely on common sense, which says that if anything, I’m more relaxed at work.

Work less: You’re forgetting your obligations to your wife and kids. You chose to get married and have kids. That imposes a responsibility. And they’re merely asking you to do what’s standard for people who are married with kids.

The integrated ego/alter-ego: Who the hell knows? Do I wimp out and simply strike a middle ground? Or does the wise person within me think that, at least at this stage in my life, I should emphasize the “work” part or the “life” part of work-life balance?

Dear reader, do you think you should work more or work less?

I read this aloud on YouTube.

Marty Nemko, Ph.D ., is a career and personal coach based in Oakland, California, and the author of 10 books.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• International
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that could derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face triggers with less reactivity and get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

By navigating on the Owl Labs website, you agree to our use of cookies during your browsing experience. Learn More .

One of the biggest perks of remote work is greater flexibility. With the ability to work remotely, employees can take advantage of this by working from home and creating a flexible schedule to take care of work and personal responsibilities.

But with this flexibility sometimes comes increased pressure. If you're working non-traditional hours, or if you're not getting in face-time with your teammates every day, you might feel pressure to spend more time online and working than you otherwise would in the office. And without coworkers around to remind you to take breaks, eat lunch, and leave the office for the day, remote workers might find themselves working additional hours, and not having as much free time as they otherwise would.

What Is Work-Life Balance?

Work-life balance is a term used to describe how workers distribute their time between professional and personal obligations. When someone has a good work-life balance, they're able to allocate their time so they don't overwork and can focus on other aspects of their life like family, friends, hobbies, or social activities.

Why Is Work-Life Balance Important?

Poor work-life balance negatively impacts workers' health and happiness. They become more stressed and feel less in control at work and in their personal lives. Those who have a good work-life balance are often happier and less stressed. When you're happier you're more likely to be more motivated, productive, and do better work.

Remote workers cite better work-life balance as the top reason they work remotely . They have the autonomy to structure their workday so they can be their most productive, get their tasks done efficiently, and make time for activities outside of work.

How to Balance Work and Life

Finding work-life balance is all about prioritization. Planning and scheduling, time management, communication tools, and productivity techniques help you manage your workday so you can complete the tasks on your to-do list quicker. Here are some work-life balance tips for a healthy relationship between your professional and personal life.

Work-Life Balance Working Remotely

1. set a schedule, and try to stick to it..

When you have the flexibility to work from anywhere, it can sometimes feel like you need to be available and online anytime, too. And if you're working on a different schedule than the rest of your team, this flexibility can sometimes lend itself to a lack of work-life balance.

If you're working remotely, try setting a schedule and sticking to it. This will be helpful for your team and for your sense of work-life balance: That way, your team will know exactly when they can and cannot reach you, and you'll be able to plan personal activities during your day outside of work, wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, and work a manageable number of hours.

If things come up on a regular basis that require you to log on early or stay online later than those hours, that could be a good nudge for you to change your working hours to be available during that time while still being mindful of using your personal time to recharge.

2. Use communication tools to indicate your online and offline hours.

Once you've determined a daily schedule that makes sense for you and your team, use different tools to publicize that schedule so your team members in different locations and time zones are mindful and respectful of that time.

In order to help your work-life balance, working from home can include setting your Slack availability so you don't receive notifications before or after a certain time of day, and you can indicate your working hours on Google Calendar so you automatically decline events taking place outside of your daily schedule. And by publicizing your hours, your coworkers will be more mindful of your personal time, and might send you an email or schedule a meeting with you instead of sending you a barrage of Slacks early in the morning or in the middle of the night where you're working.

3. Use personal errands or activities to take breaks throughout the day.

One of the perks of being able to work remotely is greater productivity. Without commuting, walking around the office, or office chatter, you can spend more time getting work done. That said, the monotony and solitude of remote work can sometimes get lonely, and make you feel like you don't have a minute to yourself when you're working.

Instead, to help you balance work and life, you can use personal errands to break up your day when you need to take a couple of minutes away from your desk or computer. That way, you'll be able to take breaks from work that are still productive and help you get personal tasks done so you can spend your time offline exercising, cooking, or relaxing, instead of rushing around to run errands the way you'd have to if you worked in an office.

4. Make plans for your after-work hours to help balance work fatigue.

If your living space and your workspace are the same place, it can feel hard to truly step away from work at the end of the day, even if you've closed your laptop and signed off. Sometimes it can feel like there isn't a reason to log off at a certain time if you're already working from the home office.

To that end, if you're a remote worker seeking a little more work-life balance, make plans for your after-work hours, and stick to them. Whether the plans include happy hour drinks with a friend or attending a workout class, if you have somewhere to be at the end of your workday, you'll be more likely to actually sign off and stop working.

Work-Life Balance Working from Home

The work-life balance tips above also apply to people working from home, but the tips below are specifically for flexible workers who spend some of their working hours in an office, and some of their working hours working from home.

5. Get ready for work the same way you do when you're going to the office.

When you work from home, you don't have to rush around in the morning the same way you do when you go to work in the office. But instead of dedicating the time you normally spend commuting to an extra half hour of snoozing your alarm, get ready for the day the way you normally do. Take a shower, make coffee and breakfast, and get dressed. That way, you'll wake yourself up and mentally prepare for being productive and working hard even though you aren't at your usual desk, and you'll be less tempted to take it easy by hanging out on the couch or feeling sleepy halfway through the day.

6. Work in a space that's distinct from the rest of your home.

Along the lines of preparing yourself for a productive day of work from home, you can set yourself up for a productive day if you choose the right workspace.

Working from home can be a lot more distracting than working from the office. For one thing, you're alone, without any coworkers nearby to motivate you to stay productive and busy. For another, your home offers more things to do than the office. If you work from your couch where you normally binge-watch your favorite true-crime series, you might get distracted halfway through the day. If you work from your dining room table that's covered in laundry that needs to be put away, you might do that instead of working.

Instead, work from a neat and clutter-free space in your home that's specifically dedicated to work. Maybe that's your home office , a desk, or the lobby of your apartment building. Choose a spot where you're able to work productively, and keep that space distinct from other parts of your home so you can unplug from work when you're done.

7. Don't cancel or move any of your meetings.

Don't use working remotely as an excuse to be less productive. You might be tempted to move meetings so you're able to hold them while you're in the office, but that might just make your next day at work more challenging if you over-stuff your schedule. Instead, use video conferencing tools to hold live meetings from home so you're able to keep up with your workload even if you take advantage of working from home.

8. Eat a proper lunch.

When I first started working from home, I took full advantage of working steps away from my fridge and would spend those days grazing on snacks. And as delicious as this was, it wasn't always great for my productivity or my sense of work-life balance.

In an office, you might feel more compelled to take a proper lunch break in the middle of the day for 30 minutes or an hour, but when you work from home, there are no coworkers or cafeterias to remind you to do so. By setting aside lunchtime for yourself, whether you work from the office or from home, you'll be able to take a proper break from work to nourish yourself and recharge for the rest of the afternoon.

9. Take a walk.

Getting up and head outside, even if it's just for five minutes. You can stand up, stretch, and get a quick dose of Vitamin D. Walk your dog, take a stroll around the block, or visit your favorite park during your lunch break. No matter which you choose you'll be energized and ready to tackle the rest of your to-do list when you return to your desk.

We hope these tips help you maintain a sense of work-life balance, no matter where you're working remotely. To learn more, read our list of remote work subreddits next.

I connect U.S. manufacturers with their workforce. A career in manufacturing provides purpose, connection, and work-life balance

Taylor Evans is president of Cleveland-based Rust Belt Recruiting .

The world has seemingly unraveled. We are raising children to believe that status and possessions are more important than purpose, stability, and community.

We are a nation built on growth and continuous improvement, yet we have lost sight of some foundational aspects of the human condition. On the heels of the pandemic, we are more isolated than ever, often knowing neither our neighbors nor the people in our communities.

Fortunately, there is a place where our next generation can find connection, success, and most importantly, fulfillment. That place is manufacturing.

Meaningful work

There are countless jobs that provide employment without purpose, where you clock in and clock out simply to obtain a paycheck. Yet we spend more time at our jobs than anywhere else in life. Shouldn’t we feel a sense of happiness and contentment when we commit that much of our lives to something?

Manufacturing provides a meaningful career path in which your everyday work involves producing something for the world. You can be part of building vital parts for the Defense Department to keep our country safe, or producing a component for a bridge that allows people to travel safely through your region, or assembling an appliance like a refrigerator that helps a family put a quality meal on their table each night. At the end of the day, making something for others is a great way to feel personal satisfaction. 

Community, not isolation

More than ever, people are disconnected from each other and feeling isolated. With the rise in remote work, the ability to connect meaningfully has reached an all-time low . Years ago, communities used to rally around the major employer in town, providing their support for families in the area. The parents would have a connection as coworkers and their children would grow up knowing each other. Future generations would come to work with their fathers, uncles, or family friends. That referral loop kept the workplaces strong and the accountability high.

Various factors have disrupted the way in which people find work. Mobility has increased. People are able to travel more easily and pursue work elsewhere. Social mobility has increased as well, allowing people to pursue roles that they may not have previously had access to. The workplace has been democratized through access to information about the employer, their environment, and what they stand for. People can (and will!) do their homework on a workplace before committing 40-plus hours of their week to them.

Connection in the workplace has broken down socioeconomic barriers for centuries. People who may not have been connected otherwise get to know one another and share their lives for eight hours each day. Naturally this creates a bond and strengthens communities as a result.

While some embrace remote work, others yearn for ongoing connection and purpose. As an example, my business, Rust Belt Recruiting, could easily be run as a remote one. Recruiting companies do it all the time. However, we are in-office together three days a week to maintain a connection and build a workplace that matters.

With manufacturing, there are few remote jobs—and certainly none on the production floor. Those roles require people on-site to produce things. For many, that workplace makes sense and gives them a place to convene.

Showing up to work on a daily basis to make something that matters with people who become your community—that’s the good stuff in life. That type of work delivers purpose and allows an internal contentment that we all yearn for, regardless of income level.

Career growth, valuable skills

A manufacturing workplace provides an environment where you can develop many different skills that will advance your career, in some cases rapidly. Manufacturers are seeking bright talent to come in and solve critical issues. They have the infrastructure and willingness to train you for skills that will carry you throughout your career.

Rather than pursuing a finance, legal, or medical path like so many parents pushed their kids toward in the ’80s and ’90s, the movement now is for the next generation to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled. This can be accomplished through the ways of the past, within the four walls of a factory just as much as in a downtown tower or other white-collar environment.

Allowing future generations to have the freedom to pursue their interests and dreams, to be the doers and the makers , will be the greatest gift that we can give them, as well as our country. Creating workplaces with a convergence of various socioeconomic groups that learn from one another is essential to the ongoing viability of our country. 

Stability and work-life balance

Manufacturing has had its ups and downs in terms of employment stability. However, the future looks bright in that reshoring is proceeding at a rapid pace . The return of American manufacturing is happening before our eyes. When you think of career stability, manufacturing provides an often-overlooked bright spot.

The value of a stable manufacturing environment extends beyond employment. It also shows up in your personal life, providing time for family, hobbies, and other fulfilling pursuits beyond “work.” This type of work-life balance is proven to increase productivity in the workplace and also creates a broader sense of contentment in all areas of life.

Another form of stability is in how a controlled environment like a factory increases safety compared to other industrial careers like construction and transportation. With countless safety protocols in place and ongoing training around it, the ability to get home safely to your family at the end of the day shows up favorably.

Manufacturing has long had a perception problem and it is time to spotlight the positives of the industry. Working with your hands, making something meaningful, and leaving your workplace fulfilled through connection is invaluable. As we look ahead, manufacturing careers will be a promising choice for young people to regain all that work offered to prior generations.

More must-read commentary published by  Fortune :

• 3 in 4 Gen Zers are interested in vocational training as uncertainty and AI shape the minds of the next ‘toolbelt generation’
• America has a huge manufacturing labor shortage —and its education system is nowhere close to plugging the gap
• For the first time in 50 years, Democrats and Republicans are both embracing industrial policy —but that doesn’t mean it will pay off for workers
• Small brands are the future of U.S. apparel manufacturing

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of  Fortune .

Latest in Commentary

Why the nation of Alan Turing is poised to revolutionize AI despite the recent dip in investment, according to a venture capitalist

The Tulsa Race Massacre court ruling is disappointing—but it should serve as a catalyst for justice

Housing insurance is melting down in several property markets as climate change renders old assumptions obsolete

As presidential campaigns court the votes of 50 million crypto investors, it’s time to reintroduce America to blockchains’ real benefits

Why the Pentagon’s overtures to the private space industry are good news for Europe

As a CEO I inadvertently inflamed emotions over political ideology. Other leaders can learn from my mistake this election year

Most popular.

LVMH’s Bernard Arnault got a letter from 93-year-old Warren Buffett saying he was making a mistake by upping his retirement age to only 80

Netflix wants managers to ask themselves whether they would rehire their current employees—and fire them if the answer is no

Prepping for the ‘unthinkable,’ Norway is stockpiling 30,000 tons of grain, citing the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, and climate change

U.K.’s richest family jailed for confiscating workers’ passports and only paying them once every 3-6 months

Believe it or not, there is a housing surplus—but not for people who can’t afford a home, study finds

Real estate CEO says pandemic boomtowns in Florida and Texas are overvalued—and in some cases, are crashing

More From Forbes

5 tips for encouraging a healthy work-life balance for your employees.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Kent Ingle is president of Southeastern University , author of several leadership books and host of the Framework Leadership podcast.

When you look at your team, do you see a group of individuals who are fulfilled, balanced and thriving? Or are they generally unproductive, fatigued and dissatisfied? If so, your team may be struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Establishing a healthy work-life balance is essential to creating a thriving workplace. A recent study revealed that 70% of workers said having a positive work-life balance mattered more than pay or benefits. If employees highly value work-life balance, then it should be valued by leaders, too.

Here are five tips I’ve learned in my years of leadership that can help your team establish a healthy work-life balance.

1. Make your expectations clear.

When deadlines and workload expectations are not clearly communicated, your team may feel the need to work after hours to keep up. Other employees may unintentionally fall behind or prioritize the wrong things because they don’t know what is expected.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Share your expectations with your team. Establish what the office hours are, be clear about deadlines and expectations for projects and discuss time-off and sick leave policies. Remind your employees to unplug after hours and take advantage of their paid vacation time.

2. Get to know your team.

The best way to improve your team’s work-life balance is to know their wants, needs and concerns. From there, you can make improvements that will help your team succeed in the long run.

Get to know your team on a personal level. Be sure you’re aware of their individual circumstances, needs and goals. Take note of who is a parent or caregiver, and be flexible with them. Ask your employees about their goals outside of their careers and support them in pursuing those goals. Consider their work styles and preferences, such as when and where they work best.

By caring for your employees on a personal level, you create an environment of trust and collaboration with your team.

3. Rethink your communication methods.

Have you ever called your employees after hours or emailed them over the weekend? Or maybe you told them about an upcoming project right before they were about to leave for their vacation. While you may be trying to get something off your list (or make them aware of what’s coming up), communicating like this can bring work-related stress into your employees’ personal lives and negatively impact their work-life balance.

Make it a point to contact your team only within designated working hours. Reach out to your team members using their preferred contact method whenever possible to give them time to finish their current tasks and respond when they are available. When you give them time to rest, you can help your team prioritize their workflow during working hours and return the next day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

4. Evaluate your workplace culture.

Whether you realize it or not, you are setting an example for your employees. If you tend to be a perfectionist or often work after hours or on weekends when it’s not required, you may be subconsciously expecting the same from your employees.

Remind yourself and your team of your department’s expectations, including working hours, workloads and responsibilities and expected timelines for larger projects. Regularly check in with your employees and ask how they are handling their assignments. Having these types of conversations will give your employees a chance to share their feedback and be honest about when they are overwhelmed.

5. Move toward flexibility.

It can be easy to subconsciously micromanage your team or constantly monitor their progress. However, if you can’t trust your employees to manage their time and complete their tasks, you create a culture based on mutual mistrust and control.

For many salaried positions, it can be helpful to focus on project completion instead of on the amount of hours worked. Consider allowing your employees the flexibility to work when they are most productive and give them the option to work remotely or have a compressed work week.

Improved flexibility can also mean allowing for more vacation time. At the university where I am president, full-time employees get Discretionary Time Off (DTO), which allows them to take as many vacation days as needed throughout the year. In addition, employees get paid holidays, including paid vacation days for Christmas, so they can rest and enjoy time with their families.

Ultimately, you set the standard for having a healthy work-life balance. Remember to prioritize your well-being by communicating boundaries with others, unplugging after hours and taking vacation time as needed. Having a healthy work-life balance will strengthen your leadership and show your employees they can do the same.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Research: Using AI at Work Makes Us Lonelier and Less Healthy

• David De Cremer
• Joel Koopman

Employees who use AI as a core part of their jobs report feeling more isolated, drinking more, and sleeping less than employees who don’t.

The promise of AI is alluring — optimized productivity, lightning-fast data analysis, and freedom from mundane tasks — and both companies and workers alike are fascinated (and more than a little dumbfounded) by how these tools allow them to do more and better work faster than ever before. Yet in fervor to keep pace with competitors and reap the efficiency gains associated with deploying AI, many organizations have lost sight of their most important asset: the humans whose jobs are being fragmented into tasks that are increasingly becoming automated. Across four studies, employees who use it as a core part of their jobs reported feeling lonelier, drinking more, and suffering from insomnia more than employees who don’t.

Imagine this: Jia, a marketing analyst, arrives at work, logs into her computer, and is greeted by an AI assistant that has already sorted through her emails, prioritized her tasks for the day, and generated first drafts of reports that used to take hours to write. Jia (like everyone who has spent time working with these tools) marvels at how much time she can save by using AI. Inspired by the efficiency-enhancing effects of AI, Jia feels that she can be so much more productive than before. As a result, she gets focused on completing as many tasks as possible in conjunction with her AI assistant.

• David De Cremer is a professor of management and technology at Northeastern University and the Dunton Family Dean of its D’Amore-McKim School of Business. His website is daviddecremer.com .
• JK Joel Koopman is the TJ Barlow Professor of Business Administration at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M University. His research interests include prosocial behavior, organizational justice, motivational processes, and research methodology. He has won multiple awards from Academy of Management’s HR Division (Early Career Achievement Award and David P. Lepak Service Award) along with the 2022 SIOP Distinguished Early Career Contributions award, and currently serves on the Leadership Committee for the HR Division of the Academy of Management .

Partner Center

• Entertainment
• Submit Your Story

Has working from home solved the problem of work/life balance?

The number of people happy with their work/life balance has fallen over the last two years despite a rise in flexible and hybrid working, a new survey has found.

Figures from leading employee experience consultant People Insight show the number of people who feel they are striking the right balance between home and work has fallen by almost 10 per cent in two years.

In 2024, only 61 per cent felt the balance was right, down from almost 70 per cent in 2022, while that number dropped further to 59 per cent in education.

Positivity around work/life balance was not the only area which has seen a drop. The number of people who felt their organisation did enough to support health and wellbeing at work has also fallen in the last two years - from 66 per cent in 2022 to 59 per cent in 2024.

This area also revealed a marked difference in sectors with those in financial services most likely to feel their workplace cared about their mental health at 73 per cent compared to only 50 per cent in private education.

People Insight has surveyed thousands of workforces across the UK, working with firms such as Greggs, Vinted, Cote Brasserie and Virgin Active.

Head of consultancy Kate Pritchard said the findings should be both a warning to bosses and provide an opportunity to turn the tide to see numbers go in the right direction.

Hybrid working has become more popular, leaping from 13 per cent in early February 2022 to 24 per cent in May 2022 according to ONS. As of June 2023, 29 per cent of people worked from home some of the time.

But, added Kate, this had not seen a similar rise in the amount of people feeling this benefitted their overall work life balance – so important to everyone’s mental health.

“These results should be a warning to bosses that we can do more to listen to what workers need to feel that their well being is a priority and that they are being listened to,” added Kate.

“The increase in hybrid working has seen such a rapid rise but that may mean there is some catching up to do to get all the right structures and support in place for it to really improve how we get that balance right between work and home life. And we may need more sectors like education to consider how they can better support their staff when hybrid working is not possible.

“Employees' expectations have risen and it is important for them to feel they have a voice and action will happen as a result of them having a say."

The survey findings did reveal that almost three quarters of those in professional bodies would feel confident about raising an issue regarding their well being with someone at work. That figure rose to 81 per cent in the private sector.

Numbers were also above 70 per cent when it came to those who felt their manager cared about their well-being across both private and public sectors.

“There are also some positive findings from these survey questions and ones which highlight that employees are very open to talking more and that leaders can do a great deal to encourage such a positive culture," Kate said. "While there is more work to be done, that is reassuring.”

Hednesford double murder: Ambulance service tribute to young paramedic found by colleagues Plus Crime | 9 hours ago

Paramedic found dead along with woman at house in Hednesford featured on hit Channel 4 show Plus Hednesford | 3 hours ago

Work on track to open two new railway stations in Black Country Business | 15 hours ago

New Wolves kit deal leads to cut in shirt prices Wolves | 10 hours ago

Ousmane Diakite: West Brom's dynamic midfield 'bargain' tipped for big things Plus West Bromwich Albion | 5 hours ago

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

These nurse managers were burnt out. Then their hospital gave them a 4-day workweek

NURSE MANAGERS 4 DAY WEEK

Nurse manager Danielle DiLella sits in her office, with a long to-do list on her whiteboard behind her. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption

The four-day workweek has won converts in offices , government agencies, even manufacturing . Now it's making inroads into health care.

Since the pandemic, a handful of hospitals, including AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, have begun offering a four-day workweek to nurse managers, who are akin to CEOs in their level of responsibility overseeing big teams of nurses and ensuring proper care.

The move to the shorter workweek was prompted by alarming rates of turnover since the pandemic. Ten months in, AtlantiCare has seen no negative impact on patient care. No nurse managers have quit.

How have rising prices affected you? What questions do you have about inflation?

Instead, they are reporting greater job satisfaction and better work-life balance. After an extra day off, AtlantiCare's nurse managers report coming back to work feeling recharged, even smiling more.

Accountable 24/7

To understand why it's working, it pays to spend some time with a nurse manager.

On a recent afternoon, Danielle DiLella is cheerful but all business as she goes about her job overseeing 86 bedside nurses on her unit known as One Meadow.

A manufacturer tried the 4-day workweek for 5 days' pay and won't go back

Her days are split between administrative and clinical tasks. She's responsible for all of the recruiting, scheduling and payroll of her large team. She’s also accountable for the care they provide, working to minimize falls, pressure injuries and infections, and handling patient complaints.

Throughout the day, she’s checking to ensure patients are getting discharged in a timely way, so that One Meadow can receive patients waiting in the emergency room.

The days are long and her to-do lists even longer. And because hospitals never close, the responsibilities never end.

“You are accountable for your unit 24/7,” says DiLella. “That weighs on me.”

'Like a godsend'

The vast majority of nurse managers come from the ranks of bedside nurses, who typically work three 12-hour days.

The move to a standard workweek can be a deterrent for those considering leadership roles.

Kathryn Dixon worked as a bedside nurse for 15 years before taking a job as a nurse manager. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption

“Sometimes I say it was way more easier at the bedside in the ER which sounds bananas,” says Kathryn Dixon, the nurse manager on Two Meadow, who worked in the emergency room for 15 years prior to her current role.

As a single mom, Dixon says it's nice to once again have a day when she's home before her teenager.

“That extra day is like a godsend,” she says.

In a recent study by the American Organization of Nursing Leadership, two-thirds of nurse leaders identified their own emotional health as a major challenge.

It's no wonder turnover among nurse managers soared during the pandemic.

"We’ve seen that across the country. The pandemic was really, really crippling,” says AtlantiCare’s chief nursing officer Barbara Cottrell.

Barbara Cottrell, AtlantiCare's chief nursing officer, says the four-day workweek for nurse managers has not had a negative impact on patient care and none of them has quit. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption

Before the pandemic, she says, nurse managers would typically stay in the job about five years. Cottrell herself did the job for eight. As of last fall, nurse managers at AtlantiCare stayed on average just two years.

That, in turn, was leading to high turnover among bedside nurses. Cottrell knew this was a serious problem.

“Ultimately, it would create an unsafe environment for our patients if we don’t stabilize the workforce,” she says.

A popular move that came with hesitation

When AtlantiCare decided to pilot a four-day workweek last September, the response from most of the nurse managers was jubilation.

But not everyone was immediately convinced, including a few senior nurse managers.

“There were some that were a little nervous,” recalls Cottrell.

Their main concern was quality could slip.

While enduring such growing pains might be the norm in other workplaces, it'd be unacceptable in a hospital.

“People’s lives are at risk,” says Cottrell.

These companies tried a 4-day workweek. More than a year in, they still love it

Even today, about a quarter of AtlantiCare's nurse managers have opted to stick with a five-day workweek.

Dedicated to making it work

The team at AltantiCare put a lot of thought and planning into the move to a shorter workweek, learning about how other hospitals, including Duke University Hospital and Temple University Hospital, had done it.

"I think our whole team was very, very dedicated to making it work," says DiLella.

Now, every couple months, the nurse managers split into pairs, sit down with calendars and coordinate which days they want off.

Each nurse manager then covers for her partner on those days off, responding to any immediate needs, such as a patient issue that the team cannot resolve on their own. They remain fully responsible for their own team of nurses, including their scheduling, payroll and quality of care.

“I think it has actually made us stronger, because when you're covering that other person's team, you have to build rapport with that team. You have to develop trust with that team,” she says. “So it kind of gives you a more global perspective of what's happening in the hospital.”

Having that extra day away from the hospital makes the administrative work seem more doable, DiLella adds. She has more energy and brain space on the four days she is there.

Shots - Health News

Friendships at work can boost happiness. here's how to nurture them, 'you can't ever fill from an empty cup'.

DiLella uses her extra day off to catch up on personal tasks, such as going to the doctor, getting an oil change, or taking her dog to the vet.

“Just those things that you keep putting on back burner,” she says.

As a caregiver, she says it sometimes feels odd to prioritize herself and her own needs.

But the four-day week has led her to an important realization:

“You can't ever fill from an empty cup,” she says. “It's actually really beneficial when you kind of pull back and take care of yourself first, so that you can do a better job taking care of others.”

• four day work week
• work life balance

Life-work balance: Govt committed to ensuring humane workplace, says HR minister

Sim speaks during the Neurodiversity Inclusion Impact Programme here today. – Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): The government is committed to ensuring that Malaysians have a healthy, safe and more humane workplace and working conditions, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.

Commenting on the Global Life-Work Balance Index which placed Malaysia at the bottom of 60 countries, Sim said the government has been making various improvements towards that goal including ratifying the Convention C155 of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on June 11.

He said the move was also in line with the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 from June 1.

“Before the amendment, the Act applied only to 10 economic sectors, now under the amendment effective June 1, it applies to all economic sectors to ensure a safer and healthier workplace environment,” he told a press conference after the launch of the Neurodiversity Inclusion Impact Programme here today.

Sim said, this year, the Ministry of Human Resources in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) targetted to train more than 10,000 Occupational Mental Health First Aid providers in private companies and government departments.

“This is to ensure that our workplace is safe and healthy not only physically, but also balancing mental health,” he said.

Sim said the enforcement of the Employment Act (Amendment) 2022 from Jan 1 last year, which includes provisions related to anti-discrimination and flexible working hours, was also part of the government’s efforts to ensure a healthy work environment and atmosphere.

The Global Work and Life Balance Index released by global human resource services company, Remote, recently ranked Malaysia 59th out of 60 countries with the highest Gross Domestic Product in the world. – Bernama

Sponsored links