When you’re in the trenches, it can be hard to identify the right time to take a step back.
Q. What is a clear sign you need more work/life balance?
A. You’re Not Enjoying Anything
It was clear to me that I needed more balance when I felt immense guilt or other negative emotions and wasn’t able to enjoy any situations because I wasn’t in the moment. A great way to start to achieve that was to integrate small things into my day like scheduling time to mediate or take a walk, or booking time with friends or family so that it was equally as important as work. – Darrah Brustein, Network Under 40
A. Your Health Is Suffering
Often we push ourselves way too hard to work, whether to meet goals, keep up with competitors or simply to prove ourselves. If you’re getting sick or feeling tired or weak, then it’s time to refocus on health. One way I do this is to ensure I have training sessions at my gym two-to-three times a week, especially during busy times like a launch. Don’t let your physical health sit on the back burner. – Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems
A. Your Kids Are More Attached to the Babysitter
When the kids would rather have the babysitter attend their events and show the babysitter great things they’re doing, you know it’s time for a work/life balance check. I had this happen once a few years back and immediately changed things up so I wasn’t traveling as much. However, I continue to use my status as my “kids’ most important person” as a barometer. – Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work
A. You’re Becoming Irritable
If you find yourself snapping at a waiter, honking way too long, or being impatient with people, you are overdoing it. Women are great multi-taskers, which is a gift and a curse if we are not mindful. Our self-care tank is not like a gas tank. We cannot drain it to “empty” and expect to run at our optimal level. When we are depleted, we get cranky and frustrated. –Christine Hassler, Christine Hassler, Inc
A. You’re Reactive Rather Than Responsive
When we are tapped out of energy and not balancing work and play we become reactive to emails and calls as opposed to responsive. Reactive is engaging emotionally and without longterm thought. This is terrible for team morale and business. However, when we have balance we can be responsive: thoughtful, logical and calm in the interactions in our business. – Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People
A. You Lack Mental Clarity
According to the law of diminishing returns, at some point, overworking will not improve performance or the quality of your work. Balance helps to maintain clarity and the quality of the work. More hours doesn’t always mean more work. Exhaustion and mental fog can reduce focus and performance. By taking breaks, exercising and focusing on balance, your performance will become better across the board. – Marcela De Vivo, Brilliance
A. You’re Feeling Guilty and Distracted
Every now and then, I find myself feeling the pull of guilt in two directions. I feel guilty when I’m with my family and distracted by the things I need to get done, and I feel guilty when I’m spending too much time working on those things. When this happens, I try to pull back and evaluate where I can bring in help to have someone else take part of the burden off my plate. – Allie Siarto, Allie Siarto & Co. Photography
A. Others Start to Notice
As the owner of a company, I get to make my own hours, which often means I tend to overwork. One clear sign that I need to step back and reevaluate my work/life balance is when others start to notice there’s a problem. When someone comments on how much I’ve been working, the decline in quality of my work, or how tired I seem, I know my work/life balance isn’t balanced at all. – Shalyn Dever, Chatter Buzz
A. You Have Sleep Problems
Where work or home stress crosses a line is when our mental health deteriorates, which often manifests in sleep problems. Some of the most common and more obvious symptoms of clinical anxiety or depression is sleeping too much, having difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up too early. When your sleep habits change, look to reduce your overall stress. – Wei-Shin Lai, M.D., AcousticSheep LLC
A. You Find Yourself Using Personal Time to Work
When you find yourself checking and responding to emails during the time that you are supposed to be with family or having some personal time for yourself and it’s affecting your sleep, eating habits and health, you need to slow down. If you keep letting work intrude into your personal life, you will quickly burn out. – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR
A. You Start Dropping the Ball
My life is interconnected. If at any time I feel like I’m dropping the ball (whether that be at work or at home) that’s my indicator that I need to make some adjustments. I’m one person. My aim isn’t to balance the two aspects of my life but to ensure they are working in harmony together. – Amber Anderson, Kayson
A. You’re Having Stress Dreams
As the managing partner of a PR firm, I am always tuned in 24/7 for all of my clients. However, when I wake up in a cold sweat because of a stress dream in which we didn’t accomplish a task for our clients or we lost track of a timeline — that’s when I know it’s time to take a deep breath and snag some “me” time, because I know my team has everything under control. – Bryanne Lawless, BLND Public Relations
A. You Resent Others Who Have Balance
Whenever you resent others doing basic self-care such as leaving on time, exercising, or getting sufficient sleep, it’s a red flag that you’re not taking care of yourself. Notice your thought patterns toward others who do have good work/life balance. If they tip to the negative, it’s time to re-prioritize life outside of work. – Elizabeth Saunders, Real Life E®
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
