When Work Compromises Health: How to Draw the Line

When Work Compromises Health: How to Draw the Line

It’s time we all admitted it: whether we like it or not, work is a major part of our lives. And more often than not, it finds its way into our personal lives—usually uninvited.

In today’s world, competition is on a global scale, and multi-tasking is the order of the day. With advancements in technology, everything is “now now now” and “go go go.” While you might brush off your work-centric lifestyle as simply being hardworking, this leakage of work into the rest of your life isn’t always a good thing.

These pressures in the workplace can overwhelm even the toughest among us and have a detrimental effect on our health and personal life. Balancing work and home life is a challenge for many, but add the title of mom to the equation and it’s a whole different ball game. Although us moms are the queens of multi-tasking and getting things done, stretching oneself too thin often comes at a cost—to our health.

If you find yourself having to constantly sacrifice your health, your family, and yourself for your career, something isn’t right. We all have different tolerance levels, but if you’re in an unhealthy work situation, you likely already know deep down (especially with that great mom instinct!) that lines need to be drawn and changes made regarding work.

The question many of us face is: What do you do when your job is literally draining the life out of you? How do you draw the line when your career leaves you no time for self-care (or anything else really) and is directly affecting your health and well-being? I’ve pulled together a few techniques to help you start putting yourself first.

Break Up Your Work

As super responsible moms and employees, we try to do it all with the limited amount of time allotted to us each day. As I mentioned in my post on self-care a couple weeks ago, it’s so easy to lose sight of yourself and your own needs as a working mom. Whether it’s at home or in the workplace, we’re constantly sacrificing our own well-being to meet the needs and demands of others.

That needs to stop, now! Make a conscious effort to break up your work day in healthy, productive ways that will make you feel better and give you more motivation overall. Try the following to prioritize your health at work:

Take that lunch break. Stop squeezing in your lunch between meetings or on your way to pick up the kids. Start by taking some time to sit down and enjoy a healthy meal, and let that be the only thing you do during this time. Don’t eat lunch and check emails. By taking some time out to nourish yourself without distractions, you’ll find you have more energy to finish your work and do something fun later.
Don’t overcommit. Prioritize your work for the day with two or three main items that you know you can reasonably complete during work hours. Before accepting responsibility for a new project, consider whether it means you’ll have to overextend yourself. Remember, stretching yourself too thin easily compromises your self-care.
Take a day off. Regularly. You have vacation days for a reason, right?! Your boss can survive without you, no matter what he or she may say.

Consider Alternatives to the Corporate Lifestyle

Being a working mom is no easy task. And we all know that being financially stable is an important part of our lives, especially when we have kids to provide for. But there is more than one way to achieve this, especially when your job comes between you and your health. Without your health, you aren’t much help to your company, your family, or yourself. Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative?

Working from home, when done right, can be a great solution to achieving your financial goals and taking care of yourself and your family. Having the freedom to work on your own time—a time that works for your health and lifestyle—with no limits to your earning potential will give you peace of mind rather than added stress. And let’s be honest, stress and the corporate world often go hand in hand. Take the time to look into work-at-home options that will fit your needs.

It’s All About Setting Boundaries

“‘No’ is a complete sentence.” – Anne Lamott

How nice it would be to simply tell your boss “no” and leave it at that. But the point here is to set boundaries, both with others and with yourself. There’s a difference between compromise and sacrifice, so it’s important to identify what your boundaries or limits are, and communicate them clearly to your boss or coworkers from the beginning.

What makes you feel uncomfortable? When a colleague calls you with a work issue at 11pm and wakes you up from some hard-earned shut-eye? In this case, communicate to your team which hours you’re available for work-related calls (say 8am to 8pm at the latest!), instead of accepting calls at all hours. Continuing to give in to corporate demands and inadvertently be taken advantage of due to a lack of set boundaries only creates a domino effect in your life, negatively impacting your health and your personal life (or lack thereof!).

Get Back to Prioritizing You!

Work-life balance isn’t an unobtainable thing. It is very much a real possibility—and it’s important to achieve for your own sanity and health. By setting boundaries, breaking up your work, and even considering alternative career options, you’ll soon be placing your own health—and that of your family—first rather than always coming in last.

“The only real conflict you will ever have in your life won’t be with others, but with yourself.” – Shannon L Alder

Here at Moms Making Six Figures, we want to help you achieve that elusive work-life balance and start putting your health first. Contact us at (858) 837-1505 or www.momsmakingsixfigures.com to learn how you can work from home on your own terms.