Many people find it difficult to focus on their careers while maintaining work-life balance. In some ways, modern society perpetuates the idea that your career should always be the most important thing in your life, but that often comes at a heavy price.
Jeremy Goldstein is a New York-based lawyer who has found a way to achieve success in his career while keeping his personal and extracurricular passions at the forefront of his life. There are several things that you can do to ensure that you do the same.
Here are six signs that you could improve your work-life balance and what to do about them:
- Your work bleeds into your personal life.
Many people are working from home for the first time in their lives and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. While working from home does have its benefits, it also makes it harder to establish and maintain a boundary between your professional and personal life. Even if you don’t work from home, you’ve probably experienced this challenge before.
If you find that you’re still thinking about work after hours or have trouble stopping work and shifting to something else in the evenings, consider setting more strict boundaries. Keep work at work and home at home, even if you work from home. You can do this by forcing yourself to stop working at a certain time and making a workspace that is separate from the places where you like to relax, like your bedroom or living room.
- Your productivity stalls or decreases.
If you find your concentration ebbing more often than usual throughout the day and have a hard time motivating yourself to get things done, both at work and at home, you might want to reevaluate your work-life balance. Try taking frequent breaks, go for short walks throughout the day, and have snacks on hand. If you’re getting bored with tasks before you can finish them, try switching more frequently between projects to keep yourself interested and your mind fully engaged.
- Your mental health and/or relationships are suffering.
If you find that your mood has suddenly decreased, your temper has become harder to control, or you’re growing distant from your friends and loved ones, you might be sacrificing your mental health for the sake of your career. Make sure that your loved ones know that you’re struggling so they don’t take it personally, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you have the means, consider investing in some talk therapy sessions. Alternatively, you can pick up some mindfulness techniques on your own. Try downloading a meditation app, or do a short yoga flow every morning from your living room.
- You’re having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because you lie awake at night thinking about all of the things that you have to do the next day, you’re probably focusing too much on work. Also, if you suddenly find that you require more sleep than usual, you’re probably not taking care of your mind and body, and the stress of work is likely to blame.
Try establishing a more routine schedule by going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning. You can also build healthy bedtime habits that help your mind and body wind down. Try drinking a cup of soothing herbal tea or taking an evening bath or walk. Also, try to minimize your electronic use during the hour before you go to bed.
- Your body doesn’t seem to be cooperating.
If you have new or worsening headaches, digestive problems, fatigue, or sore and stiff muscles, you might be abandoning your body in the interest of career success. Try taking up a workout regimen of some sort, getting enough sleep each night, and taking frequent breaks to stretch throughout the day. If possible, consider investing in monthly massage therapy or joining a yoga studio.
- You turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
If you find that you require a glass of wine to get through most evenings or have fallen into compulsive habits, like binge eating or excessive online shopping, find ways to replace those unhealthy coping mechanisms with healthier habits. Exercise regularly, read a chapter of a book a day, or take up a new hobby like cooking. These habits will nourish both your mind and body and keep you focused on what’s important to you outside of your professional work.
Another alternative to unhealthy coping mechanisms is devoting some of your time and energy to volunteer work. You can often merge one of your hobbies into your philanthropic efforts. For example, if you enjoy playing with dogs, consider volunteering at an animal shelter. That way, you’re fostering a new hobby, learning some new skills, positively affecting the lives of others, and getting some exercise in.
Jeremy Goldstein is no stranger to devoting himself to philanthropic efforts. The managing partner of Jeremy L. Goldstein and Associates is heavily involved with an organization called Fountain House. Fountain House’s mission is to help people with mental health conditions integrate into society and live fulfilling lives. It does this by operating on a working community model and helping members heal through various types of work within the organization. As a part of its board of directors, Jeremy Goldstein fills many roles during his work with the organization. Each year, he works with the rest of the Fountain House board of directors to plan and organize the Fall Fete, which allows the organization to raise funds for its various programs and initiatives. “I love working with the Fountain House charity, and am honored to be on their board of directors,” said Jeremy Goldstein in an interview. “I discovered that this charity could uniquely fit with my business, as it put a new spin on how I approach legal problems. Plus, it has given me a great sense of personal gratification to be able to help this wonderful nonprofit.”
If you have the means, consider investing in some talk therapy sessions. Alternatively, you can pick up some mindfulness techniques on your own. Try downloading a meditation app, or do a short yoga flow every morning from your living room.4.You’re having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because you lie awake at night thinking about all of the things that you have to do the next day, you’re probably focusing too much on work. Also, if you suddenly find that you require more sleep than usual, you’re probably not taking care of your mind and body, and the stress of work is likely to blame.Try establishing a more routine schedule by going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning. You can also build healthy bedtime habits that help your mindand body wind down. Try drinking a cup of soothing herbal tea or taking an evening bath or walk. Also, try to minimize your electronic use during the hour before you go to bed.5.Your body doesn’t seem to be cooperating.If you have new or worsening headaches, digestive problems, fatigue, or sore and stiff muscles, you might be abandoning your body in the interest of career success. Try taking up a workout regimen of some sort, getting enough sleep each night, and taking frequent breaks to stretch throughout the day. If possible, consider investing in monthly massage therapy or joining a yoga studio.6.You turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.If you find that you require a glass of wine to get through most evenings or have fallen into compulsive habits, like binge eating or excessive online shopping, find ways to replace those unhealthy coping mechanisms with healthier habits. Exercise regularly, read a chapter of a book a day, or take up a new hobby like cooking. These habits will nourish both your mind and body and keep you focused on what’s important to you outside of your professional work.Another alternative to unhealthy coping mechanisms is devoting some of your time and energy to volunteer work. You can often merge one of your hobbies into your philanthropic efforts. For example, if you enjoy playing with dogs, consider volunteering at an animal shelter. That way, you’re fostering a new hobby, learning some new skills, positively affecting the lives of others, and getting some exercise in.Jeremy Goldstein is no stranger to devoting himself to philanthropic efforts. The managing partner of JLG and Associates is heavily involved with an organization called Fountain House. Fountain House’s mission is to help people with mental health conditions integrate into society and live fulfilling lives. It does this by operating on a working community model and helping members heal through various types of work within the organization. As a part of its board of directors, Jeremy Goldstein fills many roles during his work with the organization. Each year, he works with the rest of the Fountain House board of directors to plan and organize the Fall Fete, which allows the organization to raise funds for its various programs and initiatives.“I love working with the Fountain House charity, and am honored to be on their board of directors,” said Jeremy Goldstein in an interview. “I discovered that this charity could uniquely fit with my business, as it put a new spin on how I approach legal problems. Plus, it has given mea great sense of personal gratification to be able to help this wonderful nonprofit.”