While it’s important to find balance throughout the year, the summer months are a great reminder to make more time for fun activities and personal or family time outside of work. A determined focus on one’s career or budding business can be necessary to achieve your goals and grow as a professional, but if left unchecked, it can also leave you feeling unbalanced, tired, stressed and like you’re missing out on precious time with your loved ones.
If you think you may be letting your work life get in the way of your personal one, consider these other signs of overwork, as listed by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Here, they discuss these red flags as well as what you can do to finally achieve work-life balance.
1. You’re Constantly Checking In
If you find yourself constantly checking in on work when you’re out of the office—whether it’s while you’re at your child’s baseball game, during family game night or while you’re on vacation—it’s time to reassess. You should be able to disconnect and enjoy time with your family without worrying about work or feeling guilty. Stepping away is the best way to recharge and almost always makes for a happier, more productive employee. By creating boundaries—like implementing an email curfew or committing to a “no cell phones during dinner” rule—you can ensure you’re striking more of a balance between work and home life. – Samuel Saxton, ConsumerRating.org
2. Your Friends And Family Are Worried
I find that those who are closest to me (friends and family) will usually signal to me when I’m out of balance. So, I try to listen to them when they are telling me that I’m out of balance and spending too many hours at the office or traveling for work and not devoting enough quality time to spend with them. – Jeff Cayley, Worldwide Cyclery
3. Your Productivity Is Waning
One common sign of an unbalanced work and personal life is the lack of productivity. When work life runs amuck, productivity tends to decline. Summer is a great time to reset this balance as most businesses have a higher expectation of PTO, flexible hours and remote working during the sunshine months. You don’t have to take a vacation to reset this balance. Even something as small as incorporating a daily walk outside during your lunch break can help reduce that “go, go, go” mindset. – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR
4. You Have Difficulty Concentrating
It’s natural to want to spend more time outdoors and pursue fun activities as the weather gets warmer. When you’re a kid or student, this is called “spring fever,” and it can affect people of all ages. While adults can’t just drop everything and take vacations whenever they want, they can make some changes in their routines to improve work-life balance. A sign that you need to make some changes is when you’re having difficulty concentrating. If this happens, try to spend more time outdoors and be physically active. Some people can work outside with their laptop. Even if you’re confined to an office, you can make an effort to get out more as days are longer in the summer. Even taking a walk before or after dinner can boost your mood. – Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
5. You Are Dissatisfied Despite Your Success
One sign that you may notice if you need more work-life balance is a feeling of dissatisfaction and emptiness despite achieving success in your career. The constant grind can be draining and leave you longing for a more balanced lifestyle. That’s why it is important to reconnect with your passions and interests outside of work. Make time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, whether it’s pursuing a hobby, spending quality time with loved ones or engaging in personal growth endeavors. Remember to set goals and aspirations beyond your professional achievements, and to strive for a more balanced and fulfilling life that encompasses all aspects of who you are. – Ismael Wrixen, FE International
6. You Feel Physically And Emotionally Drained
A sign that someone needs more balance is when they feel constantly overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed or are struggling to meet deadlines or are feeling physically and emotionally drained. They may notice a decline in their overall well-being, such as disrupted sleep patterns, increased irritability or neglected personal relationships and hobbies. If you start feeling this way, you should reflect and prioritize. Take a step back and evaluate your current commitments and responsibilities. Determine what truly matters to you and identify areas where you can make adjustments or set boundaries. Prioritize your time and energy accordingly, focusing on what aligns with your personal values and goals. It also helps to establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life. – Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage
7. You’re Not Leaving Time For Fun
If someone asks you what’s happening and you can’t think of anything besides work, then you need to get more work-life balance. If you’re using your summer well, you should be seeing places, spending more time with your family and building relationships. So, don’t get stuck with work; make use of your summer and have fun. Innovation, creativity and productivity need breaks and changes in environments to happen. Don’t dismiss work but ensure that you make time for fun. – Blair Williams, MemberPress
8. Work Has Become A Chore
Burnout shows up in many ways, but many who experience it report feeling that they’re no longer energized to show up each day. They start to see work as a chore or obligation. This is a problem for any employee but especially for entrepreneurs who have more at stake and who need to give it their all every day. Any slippage in productivity or performance quickly shows up on your balance sheet. If you’re starting to feel this way, build more breaks into your schedule. Depending on your business, you might not be in a position to take a full week off, or even two days in a row, but you can still schedule time to completely disconnect from your day-to-day—even if it’s just for a few hours at a time. – Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
9. You Feel Guilty For Taking Time Off
One sign is when you’re feeling guilty for taking a holiday while your colleagues are at work. It’s a red flag for a declining quality of life. Neglecting your personal relationships for the sake of your business has its repercussions. A way to counter this is to have an accountability partner who will remind and advise you when you are overextending yourself. Make a conscious effort to schedule personal time and stick to it like you would an important investor meeting. Also, celebrate victories. Reward yourself and your family for all the sacrifices you have made to keep your business running at top speed. You need this change of scenery to stay inspired, creative and anchored to your purpose. You’ll gain renewed energy and perspective that you can bring to your business. – Bryce Welker, Crush The EA Exam