September 29 is World Heart Day, an observance started to raise awareness about different cardiovascular diseases and what we can do to avoid them. When we think of preventing heart disease, having a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting routine check-ups are what probably come to mind. Practicing these habits gives us a solid foundation, but there’s a big factor that we often overlook when it comes to heart health: a healthy work-life balance.
A healthy work-life balance means maintaining a harmonious relationship between your work and personal life. In theory, it seems easy to maintain, but as we grow older and encounter new challenges, the "work" side tends to dominate the scale. As this happens, stress can creep into our lives, which can lead to an increased risk of certain heart conditions.
One study found that people who work more than 55 hours per week are at higher risk of developing health problems such as stroke, anxiety, and depression. Another study found that working longer hours correlated with a decline in physical health, even when adjusting for fairly normal sleep patterns.
Three signs of unhealthy work-life balance
Understanding and recognizing the warning signs of an unhealthy work-life balance is crucial. If you notice any of the signs listed below, it may indicate that you need to rebalance your work and personal life:
- Physical symptoms: Exhaustion, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, upset stomach, sleep issues, concentration issues, gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, and lack of focus.
- Behavioral symptoms: Feeling overwhelmed, irritable, cynical, detached from your job or personal life, having strained relationships, a sense of ineffectiveness, loss of interest or pleasure, and angry outbursts.
- Other symptoms: Frequent illnesses, loss of idealism, depression, anxiety, and motivational symptoms like disillusionment.
Tips for gaining and maintaining work-life balance
As you might guess, taking steps for a healthy work-life balance has been found to reduce the risk of heart-related issues. Try some of these tips for a week or two–doing them all at once may actually add to your stress level.
- Embrace the power of your brain by using time blocking to work in short, focused bursts such as checking in with co-workers and direct reports. (This is one of my favorite tricks for staying efficient.)
- Tune in to a work playlist to reduce stress and anxiety and stimulate creativity and focus. (Here is my Spotify Work Playlist)
- Take a lunch break and go out with a neighbor, friend, or co-worker, or sit outside in nature. Stay off your electronics while on your break.
- Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. Movement breaks of just a few minutes every hour or two will help you clear your mind and reduce stress. The rule of thumb is to get up and move for five minutes every half-hour.
- Cut yourself some slack. No one’s perfect! Allow yourself to be human and do the best you can.
- End your day. Pick a time to end your day and schedule something afterward to help stick to that time.
- Take time off. Time off, including sick time, personal days, vacations, and bereavement, are important ways to nourish your well-being.
- Engage in a hobby. When we play and feel creative, we bring our fresh selves back to work.
- Communicate effectively with your manager or HR. They might be able to help you prioritize, streamline tasks, or assess if additional hiring is needed.
- Invest in self-care. Become more aware of your emotions and physical sensations with meditation or breath awareness. Exercise regularly, drink more water, eat a balanced diet, and practice good sleep habits.
- Get help. A life coach or therapist can help decipher which small changes will have the biggest impact and how to get started.
While work is important, it should never overshadow the need to take care of ourselves. Prioritizing health allows us to be more effective in all areas of life, including our work. So for this World Heart Day, take the first step and assess your work-life situation to ensure you’re living your best life.
