Tips For Balancing Work And Home Life And Maintaining Mental Health

The term “work-life balance” refers to the concept of managing one’s time and responsibilities at work and at home while maintaining overall mental and physical well-being. It’s thought that the term first came into use in the 1980s with the Women’s Liberation Movement, as women’s roles in the workforce began to expand while the expectation of their traditional roles as caregivers in the home stayed the same. Today, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, talk of work-life balance and how to achieve it is widespread.

Adequately balancing work and one’s personal life can be integral for health as well as for quality of life and overall well-being. Here, we’ll look at statistics and research findings about work-life balance and share suggestions for creating more balance in your own life.

Prevalence of work-life imbalance in the US workforce

According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, 77% of workers said they experienced workplace stress at the time of the survey. It also said that 57% say they’ve experienced negative impacts due to work-related stress, such as: 

• Emotional exhaustion
• Demotivation
• Social withdrawal
• A desire to quit their job
• Lower productivity at work
• Irritability/anger with customers and coworkers
• Feeling ineffective at their jobs

Balancing work and home life: Who is the most impacted?

Research indicates that several factors impact work-life balance in the US, many of which are associated with the cultural, economic, and political environments as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the groups most impacted by work-life imbalance as a result of these factors include:

• Women. Historically, women experience higher levels of burnout than their male counterparts, and the number more than doubled between 2019 and 2021. This may have to do with the persistence of traditional gender roles and expectations of modern women to work outside the home but still raise children and do most of the household labor.
• Workers under 30. As they entered the workforce during the pandemic, Gen Z and younger millennials in particular faced challenges associated with the economic and political environment of the time—plus widespread layoffs and concerns about the future impacts of artificial intelligence on the job market. As a result, many of those newer in their careers have experienced persistent uncertainty and stress. 
• Educators. A 2022 Gallup poll indicates that educators experience higher levels of burnout than those in any other industry in the US, with 52% of K-12 teachers reporting they “always” or “often” feel burned out at work. 
• People working from home. The relationship between workplace satisfaction and working from home is complex due to factors like “Zoom fatigue” and blurred boundaries between work and personal life. Post-COVID, many report spending more hours working as a remote employee than they did in the office—largely because they find it challenging to disengage from work during off hours and because they may not have the same technology at home as in the office. 

Practical tips for achieving a healthier work-life balance

Achieving balance between work and family/personal life is essential for many different elements of well-being. Here are some tips for effectively managing your work life, personal life, and personal or family responsibilities to achieve the greatest possible balance.

Strategies to try at work

The strategies you might use to reduce or manage stress and find balance at work can depend significantly on the type of work you do and where you do it. It’s also important to acknowledge economic factors that may make it even harder for individuals who make a lower income and/or face systemic barriers to achieve work-life balance. Supporting legislation related to worker’s rights and benefits may help promote equity in this area.

All that said, some of the following tips may be helpful for finding a good work-life balance in some cases:

• Try productivity techniques. Procrastination can cause overwhelm and add to work stress. Dividing up large or unpleasant tasks into smaller ones may help alleviate such feelings and boost productivity, as may strategies like the Pomodoro method.
• Take breaks. Research indicates that even small breaks may help improve focus, cognitive functioning, and the ability to cope with stress.
• Communicate. If you feel overwhelmed at work, it can sometimes help to communicate honestly with your boss and coworkers about your workload and discuss potential solutions. Delegating or collaborating when possible might also be useful.
• Ask about accommodations. Depending on the job type and industry, some organizations offer accommodations for employees experiencing burnout, such as more flexible hours, remote work options, or even time off for mental health breaks. Reasonable accommodations are also legally safeguarded for individuals with a disability or mental health challenges that may affect their work, so asking about these, if applicable, may also be worth considering.
• Be wary of perfectionism. For some people, it can be easy to fall into patterns of overworking—often at the expense of their mental health. If you’re putting pressure on yourself to achieve perfect output or always go above and beyond, scaling back your standards to be more reasonable and acting with self-compassion might be helpful.

Strategies to try at home

When you’re not on the clock, setting boundaries with your work and aiming to care for yourself as best as possible with the time you have may help you on the road to a healthy work-life balance. Some tips include:

• Practice self-care. Self-care is a personalized set of practices designed to boost your physical, mental, and emotional health. Some examples of self-care can include exercising regularly, making time for hobbies you enjoy, journaling, getting enough time alone as needed, and eating nutritious foods.
• Try relaxation techniques. Numerous studies suggest that regularly practicing techniques like mindfulness exercises, deep breathing exercises, and mindful movement activities like tai chi may help reduce acute and chronic stress and improve mental health in general.
• Schedule downtime. Whenever possible, take time for activities you enjoy that help you relax and recharge. Regularly engaging in things like exercise, hobbies, and a healthy social life can be critical for maintaining a good work-life balance and overall well-being. 
• Limit screen time. Disconnect from work emails and notifications, if applicable, outside of work hours to help you reduce stress, set boundaries, and prevent burnout.

Seeking support for stress or burnout

Symptoms of problematic work stress or burnout may include things like:

• Persistent emotional and physical fatigue
• Feelings of negativity or cynicism
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Feelings of hopelessness and uselessness
• Signs of depression
• Irritability
• Difficulty paying attention and maintaining focus 
• Disruptions in sleep and appetite
• Physical symptoms like headaches and gastrointestinal discomfort
• Misuse of alcohol, drugs, nicotine, food, or other “self-medication” measures
• Increased blood pressure, cholesterol, and/or blood sugar levels 

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms or are otherwise struggling with stress or poor work-life balance, it’s generally recommended that you seek guidance from a mental health professional. When unaddressed, these feelings can lead to more serious mental health concerns like clinical anxiety and depression. 

Despite the importance of seeking support for stress, some people experience obstacles that keep them from getting professional help. For example, commuting to and from in-office therapy can be impossible with a busy schedule, and cost can be a major barrier to care as well.

In such cases, many people find that virtual therapy alleviates some of these barriers to treatment, since it allows you to get matched and meet with a licensed provider from anywhere you have an internet connection. For example, online therapy eliminates the commute to and from an office and often provides more flexibility in scheduling options. 

Online therapy platforms also offer individuals a broader selection of experienced mental health professionals from a diverse variety of backgrounds, making it easier to find the right match. Additionally, online therapy is typically more affordable than traditional in-office treatment without insurance coverage. Research also suggests that online and in-person therapy can be similarly effective in many cases.