Finding balance between work and life

What is the problem?

A lot of us work - a lot. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that most parents with kids under 18 are part of the workforce, including most mothers with toddlers. Another stat: Almost half of U.S. workers put in 50-plus hours on the job every week. That's two to three more months of work a year than Europeans. We even out-work the Japanese by about two-and-a-half weeks.

With so many of us giving so much time and attention to work, the line between work life and home life tends to get blurred. It may take some effort, but you can restore the balance.

Signs & symptoms

Your crammed schedule probably means you're hard-pressed to find time for things you should do to take care of your health, like exercise or make healthy meals. And it's even harder to find time for things you enjoy, with family, friends or by yourself. But long-term, failing to find balance between work and personal life can its toll physically and emotionally as you lose your ability to cope with the overload. Some of the results can be:

• Exhaustion
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Careeer or job burnout
• Strained relationships

Who's at risk?

Balancing work life and home life is a challenge for virtually everyone in the workforce. But it's even more of a problem for those with responsibilities like taking care of an elderly parent on top of family duties. Many factors today contribute to work spilling over into personal life, including:

• Globalized business, where companies and customers around the world have needs 24 hours a day that people in the "home office" must meet.
• Advanced communications technology that allows people to work to from anywhere, anytime.
• Dual-career marriages where you have double the work pressure and have to work even harder at juggling commitments to job, home, family and friends.
• Outsourcing of jobs and downsizing, which can mean longer hours. Career advancement can also mean putting in extra time at work.

Professional help is available

When it seems impossible to cope with lack of balance in your life, talking to a professional can help. Ask your company's Human Resources department if you have an employee assistance program (EAP) that can help you.

Priority Health members can check here for information on getting mental health assistance.

What you can do

Many companies offer programs and other help in the area of work/life balance. But in the end, it's up to you to make changes that bring equilibrium to your life.

• Look at your priorities and decide what really matters to you. Set boundaries and stick to them.
• Focus on what you do well. Stop doing things you don't need to do. Let others who are capable take up the slack - at home and at work.
• Lower your standards. At work this might mean meeting your deadline instead of always finishing early. At home, you might have to lower your standards for cleaning.
• Learn to manage your time. You'll be more productive at work and at home. Find out if your workplace offers time-management training.
• Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep. Plan time for exercise, even if it's just a brisk walk at lunch. Eat right.
• Plan time for relaxation and for fun. If you don't plan it, you just might not do it.
• Take your alloted vacation days and other time off. Protect your private time.
• Take advantage of your support network. Talk to friends when you're feeling  overworked or overwhelmed with other responsibilities.