We’ve all been there. Do I say “yes” to my boss too much, take on too much work? And as employers, why is it so tough to straddle that line between “tough love” and asking too much of burnt-out employees? Read Ello Group’s guide to work-life balance below for the answers you’re looking for.
Kristina Singleton
02-07-2025
The term ‘work-life balance’ means finding an equilibrium between your job and your personal life. Put simply, it means doing what you need to do to perform well at work, but without working to the point that you become stressed and unhappy. It’s about turning your phone off in the evening or when you’re on holiday; it’s about not thinking about work when you’re eating dinner; it’s about not letting work-from-home become work-at-two-in-the-morning.
Maintaining a work-life balance can be particularly tough if you have a drive to do well. If you do, the old refrain of ‘it’ll only take five minutes!’ should sound familiar. The problem is, you can use that excuse for anything, and if you get the balance wrong, there may be consequences.
Before long, all those extra five-minute work tasks begin to take up far more of your life than they should. That’s when you start feeling the effects of a bad work-life balance: burnout.
Burnout is physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. What used to be particularly common for high-stress occupations – heart surgery, big city banking, teaching – has become common in other professions, too, now that work-from-home and “taking your work with you” are possible.
If you feel helpless, under constant pressure, detached, unmotivated, fearful of failure, or empty because of your job, burnout could be the cause. These symptoms arise because of chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels, which can cause a whole host of problems that affect the body’s normal functions. Burnout decreases well-being, decreases productivity, and, from the employer’s point of view, is awful for staff retention.
The other side of the equation is when you put too little of yourself into your work. This, of course, means you can struggle to get ahead in your career. Finding that balance is the difficult part.
Having a good work-life balance isn’t easy – otherwise, everyone would do it! Here are some tips that could help:
Setting boundaries. Knowing when and how to say “no” is a very valuable skill.
Setting expectations. You don’t have to do it all. Sometimes it’s OK to have a microwave meal. Sometimes it’s OK to spend your free time zoning out instead of on some monetisable hobby.
Planning appropriately. Planning helps you keep on top of tasks without feeling overwhelmed. At the same time, don’t plan to the point of obsession – this can become its own free-time-eating task.
Asking for help. Parents, friends, and partners can all lend a hand in some way if you’re becoming burnt out. It could be cleaning, it could be shopping, it could be career advice, or just offering a listening ear.
Self-care. The human body and mind didn’t evolve to focus on a screen for eight straight hours a day. Take stock of how your body is at times during the day: are you hungry, thirsty? Too hot, too cold? Take breaks and address your physical and mental needs.
Acceptance. You might feel that if you set boundaries and take breaks, your employer will pass you over for a promotion or a bonus. If the choice is between that and your health, accept it before your body and mind leave you no choice.
All of this is much easier said than done. But if you applied even half of the effort you put into your work into your health, instead, it would be a lot easier.
Employers who can help their employees maintain a work-life balance have a distinct advantage. Their employees are more motivated, have better job satisfaction, and face less burnout, meaning productivity and staff retention levels improve. Even when it comes to hiring, employers that can onboard new hires without a 10-stage interview process are better placed to acquire new talent.
A common strategy is to offer flexible working opportunities. That could be flexible office hours – 7 to 3, 8 to 4, 9 to 5, 10 to 6 – or it could be work-from-home or hybrid arrangements. Promoting mental health support and a generally supportive and positive work culture helps, too. At an operational level, realistic expectations go a long way; if current working processes mean that working late is an everyday occurrence, look into additional hires or potential workflow efficiencies.
At Ello Group, we help businesses create bespoke benefits schemes that genuinely support employees. We work with 1000s of businesses, creating tailored loyalty and rewards platforms with all sorts of work-life balance perks. Did you have dining rewards and entertainment benefits in mind? Or do you prefer the idea of coffee shop rewards and cinema rewards? Whatever the case, we’re pretty sure your staff will love the savings that Ello Group can offer them.
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