Issue 35

August 31, 2024

3 Easy Steps to a Better Work-Life Balance

It’s time to read about one more major mistake I made in my career. Last week I wrote about how to set goals the right way. This week, I want to share why boundaries between work and life are essential.

What I did wrong

It’s never been easier to bring your work home with you. Laptops have replaced desktops. Businesses use cloud-based apps, like Gmail and Slack, to send emails and messages. Unfortunately, this means the line between work and life has become blurry.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but the biggest one was not creating a strong border around my personal life. At times I allowed my work life to penetrate the rest of my life. And this damaged my mental health and job satisfaction.

I used my phone for work

In the past, I’ve added company email accounts and Slack workspaces to my phone. I wanted to see if I got any important emails after I stopped working for the day. I didn’t want to miss a message from my team.

This is one of the worst things you can do when it comes to your mental health and work-life balance. Boundaries weaken and your work infiltrates your personal life. And over time it becomes your new, unhealthy normal.

You might think it’s only five minutes here and there. But those minutes add up. All it takes is one quick email or short message to throw off your emotional balance and ruin the rest of your day. This has happened too many times in my career to count. I’ve finally realized it’s not only unnecessary but also toxic.

I didn’t set my regular working hours

I haven’t always been transparent or consistent with my work schedule. I’ve been afraid of what others might think. And I’ve been more flexible than I should’ve.

When you don’t acknowledge and respect your working hours, you lose precious time away from work. “I’ll keep working on this for one more hour.” “I’ll get up early tomorrow so I can get a headstart on my work.” Saying things like this might seem harmless. But this can turn into a dangerous pattern.

Furthermore, you invite your co-workers to invade this time as well. If they know you usually work evenings or start early, they will think it’s okay to contact you then. You can’t completely protect your time at work and at home unless you communicate when you do and don’t work.

I worked during my time off

I used to say things like:

• “I’m not going far away. Message me if you need anything.”
• “I’ll have my laptop with me. Let me know if anything comes up.”
• “We’re in the middle of an important project. I have to check up on it.”

Working when you shouldn’t results in the following. It shows your co-workers that they can contact you during your time off. And that you’re willing to blur the line between work and life. It also reaffirms to you and your family that work means as much, if not more, than your personal life.

Have you ever used a device while it’s recharging? You won’t be able to fully recharge it if you keep using it. The same goes for you. When you work during your time off, you won’t be able to completely recharge and take a true break from work.

What you can do right

The best time to start creating healthy borders around your personal life is the first day at your new job. The second best time is today. If you’re unable to put these boundaries in place, talk to your manager or someone on the People team. This is something you want to do now before it’s too late.

Keep work off your phone

There's no reason for you to check work email or messages from your phone. If you must check on something after your work day ends, open your laptop, do what you need to do, and then close it.

If your role requires you to be available after hours or on-call for emergencies, ask for a company phone. This is a small business expense for most companies and it’s also safer from a security perspective.

Keeping work off your phone is one of the best ways to foster a healthy work-life balance. It helps you draw a line in the sand between your job and the rest of your life. This supports your mental wellness. And it gives you time to relax, recharge, and enjoy life away from work.

Share your work schedule

If you can, set your working hours and share them with your team. Google Calendar has a feature that enables you to do this.

This sends a clear message to you and your co-workers. There is no confusion about when you work and don’t work. This also helps protect your time.

This doesn’t mean you won’t ever work early or late. Life happens and sometimes schedules get jumbled. However, sticking to a regular schedule most of the time will help prevent burnout. And it also lets you focus on work while you’re working and the rest of your life when you’re not.

Leave your laptop at home

Trust me. If you’re going on vacation, leave your laptop at home. If you’re taking a few days off and staying home, keep your laptop closed.

I’ve brought my work computer on vacation before. I’ve checked work emails and messages on my phone while I was on PTO. Not only was it a distraction, but it prevented me from embracing my time away from work.

If you’re in a leadership position, you have an extra reason to take this advice – your team. They pay attention to whether you’re writing emails or sending messages while you’re on PTO. Model the right behavior for them. Show them it’s not only possible but encouraged to disconnect from work during your time off.

Creating boundaries between work and life is the easy part. The challenge comes when you have to respect and not cross those lines.

Boundaries are like rules. Sometimes you have to break them. Life doesn’t always go as planned. But don’t let that convince you into thinking you don’t need borders.

The secret to a long and successful career isn’t more work. It’s listening to your body and knowing when to unplug from work. It’s doing everything else you love so that you can bring your whole self to work. Make work-life balance a nonnegotiable in your life. You deserve it.

Thanks for reading this week. See you next week! 👋

David Weiss Founder • Made by DW ​Follow me on X, LinkedIn, & Instagram​

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