Maintaining a work-life balance

Creating a healthy work-life balance is essential for your health and well-being, and you need to take personal responsibility for it. This includes speaking to people when work expectations and demands are too much. Employers need to be aware of where the pressures lie in order to address them.

Try to 'work smart, not long'. This involves planning your time and trying not to get caught up in less productive activities, such as unstructured meetings that tend to take up lots of time

Take proper breaks at work, for example by taking at least half an hour for lunch and getting out of the workplace if you can.

Try to ensure that a line is drawn between work and leisure. If you do need to bring work home try to ensure that you only work in a certain area of your home - and can close the door on it.

Take the link between work-related stress and mental ill health seriously. Try to reduce stress, for example through exercise, relaxation or hobbies.

Recognise the importance of protective factors, including exercise, leisure activities, and friendships. Try to ensure that these are not sacrificed to working longer hours, or try to ensure that you spend your spare time on these things.

Watch out for the cumulative effect of working long hours by keeping track of your working hours over a period of weeks or months rather than days. Take account of hours spent worrying or thinking about work when assessing your work–life balance. These are a legitimate part of work and a good indicator of work-related stress. If possible, assess your work–life balance with your colleagues and with the support and involvement of managerial staff. The more visible the process, the more likely it is to have an effect.