According to Headspace’s annual report of mental health trends in the workplace, nearly every employee surveyed (98%) stated that work stress has negatively impacted their personal lives. How can our work lives and personal lives feel balanced if, statistically, almost all of us are carrying our work stress home with us? 

To understand the cost of lingering work stress, we have to think about its cyclical nature. When people are unable to fully unwind at home from a particularly tough day at the office, it impedes their ability to fully show up both on and off the clock. The work stress that seeps into their personal time can impact how they care for their own minds, bodies, and relationships, and that impact can carry over into a lack of focus and productivity back at the office. And so the cycle repeats. 

Mental Health Awareness Month is a great time to reflect on the multitude of ways to mitigate work stress before it interferes with free time. 

Firstly, it’s important to understand that if you’re coping with work stress, you’re certainly not alone – feelings are a full-time job, and it’s tough to find personal fulfillment when the scales of work/life balance are tipping in work’s favor. If you’re not sure where your scales are weighing more heavily, consider what you value most in life – for example, spending time with family or practicing a hobby. Is your current schedule or routine aligning with what you value most? Where can you make changes in order to give more of yourself to what you value? This might look like establishing a mindful “clocking out” routine or setting boundaries around checking emails during off-hours. 

Ideally, the go-to method to improve work/life balance would include trimming down the hours spent working versus the hours spent otherwise – but realistically, this may not always be an option. Consider smaller steps you can take to reduce the impact of work stress: connect with like-minded coworkers who may be able to relate, and take advantage of your company’s mental health and well-being benefits. By being mindful of how we show up in our personal and professional lives, we can make strides towards feeling more fulfilled and present – both on and off the clock. 

Interested in learning about how Headspace can help your organization reduce stress and improve employee mental health? Contact us here.

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