Now more than ever, the day-to-day stress of life can lead to mental health issues. As the pandemic continues to alter our lives, it is important to find new and innovative ways to stay connected with each other.

During these stressful times, we need to stay connected and be there for each other as best we can, stated John Estrem, CEO of Hammer. Our staff have done a great job keeping the individuals they support safe and healthy. We also want to encourage them to take good care of themselves and each other.

Julia Christianson, Community Life Coordinator, has written a series of three articles addressing mental health, showcasing topics for staff to use as a personal resource and share with individuals they support.

The first article in the series talks about Work-Life Balance

In today’s day and age of working from home, technology, financial instability, and many other factors, work-life balance ever more important. As many of you may agree, finding that “perfect” work-life balance is much easier said than done. Balancing work tasks, deadlines, and projects with your personal life is a challenging feat.

However, it is important to find your “perfect” work-life balance no matter how challenging it may be. Every person has their own preferred work-life balance that works for them. When our personal scale of work-life balance begins to lean more to one side than the other, we need to make a change to maintain the equilibrium or negative implications may arise. Some of these implications include fatigue thus affecting your productivity, poor health or worsening of symptoms, lost time with friends and loved ones, substance misuse, and more.

So how do we find personal work-life balance and how do we improve it?

It is important to begin by understanding that no two person’s work-life balance will be alike. From varying job requirements, hobbies, personality, and life circumstances; we each need to find a balance that works for us. Do keep in mind that this balance may change throughout your life; therefore, it is important to continually re-evaluate and make changes along the ride.

In addition, an important concept in work-life balance is to set limits. This includes managing your time and not overscheduling yourself and learning to say “no”. Another way to set limits is to find ways to detach from work. This may involve turning off your work email after hours or setting specific times throughout the day to answer work emails and calls.

Finally, a major part of work-life balance is caring for yourself and finding ways to cope with stress. Be sure to focus on eating well, getting enough sleep, include physical activity in your schedule, and find various ways to relax. In addition, be sure to develop a support system that includes co-workers, friends and loved ones.

For further information about work-life balance, check out the resources below:

• Work Life Balance | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)
• Work-life balance: Tips to reclaim control – Mayo Clinic
• Top 10 Ways to Balance Life and Work (thebalancecareers.com)
• What Is Work–Life Balance & Why Is It Important? (positivepsychology.com)