When you have a high-pressure job, leaving work at work is almost an impossible feat.
But when you take the stresses of your day home with you, you’re never really “off the clock.” And that’s a major problem for managing the work-life balance.
In this post, we’re going to cover a few key ways to improve your work-life balance while maintaining your high-pressure job.
Ideally, you want to find a way to maintain a healthy balance in both, but ultimately, you may have to decide which is more important.
1. Leave work at home
This one is much easier said than done, but try to make a concerted effort to leave the stress of your day in your office. If you get paid by the hour, think of it this way: No one is paying you to leave your mind at work when you’re supposed to be at home. The same is true if you’re on salary, but it’s just not as obvious.
This tip applies to the mental stresses of work, but it also applies to physical work. If you’re finding yourself working at home after a full day in the office, this needs to stop. It’s not a healthy work-life balance — especially if it’s a regular thing.
2. Find healthy ways to manage stress
If you aren’t using any healthy stress-relief techniques already, now is a great time to start. Having healthy outlets to relieve work stress won’t keep the stress from coming into your life, but it will help you manage the cortisol spikes that inevitably come throughout your day.
Things like meditation or yoga and other exercise can help you manage your stress levels naturally. You may also want to consider talking to a counselor about any problems you’re having. Because even small personal issues can seem monumental when you’re dealing with the high-stakes of a stressful job.
3. Do more of what you love
When you’re stressed at work, you’ll probably be tempted to live more of a reclusive life. This allows you to sit with your troubles and let them ruminate. And that’s never a good idea. Instead, try to plan things that will get your mind off of your troubles. Combined with your concerted effort to leave work at home, this could have a major impact on your home life.
4. Avoid alcohol
So many people handle work stress by having a nightcap before bed. But this is counterproductive in so many ways. You may think alcohol will help you sleep, but the opposite is likely true. Alcohol may help you pass out when your head hits the pillow, but it will likely keep you from getting a deep, restful sleep.
Instead, try chamomile tea as a healthy substitute. Also, regular alcohol consumption will only add to your stress levels and weaken your body’s ability to handle stress. If your job is high-pressure, you’re going to need all the help you can get in handling stress.
5. Set clear boundaries
If your job is messing with your work-life balance, talk to your employer to find ways to make things better. If you’re overloaded with work, maybe an assistant would help. Or maybe you need to change jobs. We can’t underestimate the importance of making money, but it’s not everything. We must remember that work and money is nothing more than a means for us to enjoy our free time. And if it’s getting in the way of that, the job may not be worthwhile.
High-pressure jobs usually come with larger paychecks, but all the money in the world doesn’t really matter if you can’t enjoy it. Do what you can to maintain a positive work-life balance — even if it means making some tough decisions.