Striking the perfect work-life balance is important to Aussies. One way to achieve this goal is to be well rested, both physically and mentally. Keep reading to discover how Australians maintain a healthy work-life balance.
What is Work-Life Balance?
We Aussies are very hard workers. On average, 1 in 10 people work more than 50 hours a week. This is most often the case for young people, men, and anyone with a demanding full time job. Australians who work overtime often find it difficult to pay enough attention to themselves and their families.
Work-life balance is essential for everyone. quite simply, if you’re not able to find this balance, you may have difficulties in both work and life. People without work-life balance start to feel like they don’t have time to do anything. If you do manage to find work-life balance, you’ll feel more in harmony. Outside of work, you will be able to find enough time to socialise with family and friends, care for yourself, and enjoy various hobbies. All of this will contribute to your overall well-being.
Lastly, there is an alternate side to work-life balance: If a person does not work enough, and has a lower income than they desire, it can lead to stress and deterioration of a person’s mental health if their income is not enough to pay bills or daily expenses.
Positives and Negatives of Work
Of course, working brings people money, and not working can mean struggling and having to do without. But there’s more to it than dollars and cents:
Pros:
- Work gives structure to your daily life
- You become an active person
- You feel a sense of belonging to your place of work and the mission of the company
- Work can give meaning to a person’s life
- You can develop friendships with other people
- And, of course, one can achieve financial independence through work.
Cons:
- An unsuitable place of work can make you feel lonely
- You may not be paid enough for the effort you put in
- Some employers make you be on call on weekends
- Overwork can cause health problems.
Burnout Risk
Burnout is linked to excessive work without rest. It can also occur in people who do not maintain a work-life balance. Some symptoms of burnout include:
- You feel tired physically and mentally for long periods of time
- You do not feel like going to work
- You lose interest in your work responsibilities
- You find it difficult to cope with simple daily tasks.
People with burnout may experience sleep and health problems. They become lethargic, apathetic and less creative. They may also experience irritability. In fact, burnout can be called an extreme form of stress. Whilst it’s often work-related, it can emerge from other aspects of a person’s life, such as raising a family.
Tips for a Healthy Work-Life Balance
If you’d like to avoid the risks associated with burnout, you need to maintain a healthy work-life balance. There are a few tips to help you do this:
Prioritise: You need to understand what is important to you in life. Make time for your priorities!
Practice time management: This will help you use your time more efficiently. Say, working from home will save you time travelling to the office. Ordering delivery from the shops will eliminate the need to go shopping yourself, etc.
Set boundaries: It’s important to differentiate between work and life. Let your coworkers know what times you are off the clock. Turn off your phone and work email if coworkers don’t understand this.
Revisit your financial goals: Do you really need a new car or a house bigger than the one you have? You’ll be surprised when you realise how many things you can do on your own without spending money. Consequently, you won’t have to work as hard!
Take care of your health: Working can undermine your health, so try to exercise and get a good night’s sleep. Drink less alcohol and eat healthy food. All of these also help reduce stress.
Know how to rest: You don’t have to work all the time. Plan hours and days in your weekly schedule for leisure time.
What are some leisure activities for relaxation?
Being well rested is an important step in building the perfect work-life balance. We Australians love to have a good time, both in the company of close family and friends and alone.
Outdoor activities are super popular and there are ample opportunities for a variety of outdoor activities here. Whether it’s playing cricket and soccer or going surfing, camping or hiking, the pristine nature of our beaches and national parks beckons lovers of the outdoors to take part in what’s on offer.
We also love a good old fashion backyard BBQ – with family and friends it’s one of the most popular ways to relax and have fun together.
For introverted Australians, there’s always gardening or cooking, fishing, painting or photography. Another emerging methos of entertainment in Australia is online gambling. Casinos such as Wolf Winner (https://wolfwinner-casinos.com/), offer the opportunity to have a great time playing a variety of casino games. These include pokies, blackjack, roulette, poker, lotteries and much more. This operator works legally, and protects user data and funds securely with the help of modern technology.
Of course, gambling has the potential to lose money and make money at the same time as having fun, so you need to play responsibly and always stop when you need to.
Final Thoughts
In Australia, there are no shortage of leisure activities available which help the population maintain a good work-life balance. Whilst many of these involve the great outdoors, you don’t necessarily have to look outside of your home for things to do.
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