How can I better have work life balance?

There are many reasons why we might feel overwhelmed, guilty and stuck at our jobs. 

• Not feeling appreciated is very common.  We dive in head first, give all our energy and time and get nothing in return. This can leave us burned out and unmotivated. 
• Often the company expectations are unclear and we are trying to attain a goal that we think we may be getting close to, but then it changes, usually them wanting more.  This only leaves us feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and confused.
• So many people have a nasty habit of comparing ourselves unfavorably to other colleagues.  We see them getting treated as 'favorites' or think that they just get everything handed to them, while we work harder and harder and remain unseen. 

We try and try to find a way to make some changes and feel better, but change is hard...so we just stay the same hoping that tomorrow will be better.  But there is good news, we can get unstuck and even become inspired. 

1. Take some time to reflect on where you have come from and what your ultimate goal is.  Assess your priorities, what brings you joy, what energizes you and makes you feel alive? Taking time to really think about what you want and need can be a great start toward making better choices.
2. Look into what opportunities may be available for learning new skills.  Advocate for yourself to be included in skills development that could be beneficial to you and the company. We often tend to stick with what we know, but just like plants, if we are not watered, we will wilt.  Stimulating the brain and challenging yourself could make you feel inspired as well as make you a stronger asset for the team. 
3. Recognize how much is too much. Is burning yourself out adding any value to you or the company? What would happen if you stop and take 30 minutes for lunch?  Will the work still be there?  Probably.  Taking time to give yourself a break helps you to reset and have a fresher mind when you return to the job.  It will help you to focus more, be more productive and you have less of a chance of burning out. 

It is not easy to make changes, especially when we often put everyone and everything before ourselves.  But the fact of the matter is, you MUST put yourself in the top 3.  You have to put your oxygen mask on first before you can help anyone else.  If you can't breathe...how can you help anyone?

I hope that this gives you some insight into your issue.   There may be some particulars that are occurring that could be useful to know in order to tailor help to your specific situation.  Things like: are there issues like toxic environment or leadership, poor management or other factors that could be causing you to feel stuck?  These particulars require a deeper evaluation to identify potential solutions.

I wish you the best and hope you are able to find some inspiration for change.