The Art of prioritization: a guide to the balancing act

We’re used to prioritizing tasks in our work life or studies: we work to deadlines, know the difference between “urgent” and “important,” and use various tools to manage our busy schedules. But do we sometimes focus on career success at the expense of our family lives and our mental, physical, and emotional well-being? Burnout is a phenomenon that doesn’t just affect the top echelons of management: research by the American Association of Colleges and Universities revealed that more than half of young professionals (53%) reported feeling burnout at least once a week. 

In today’s society, we’re conditioned to see productivity as a measure of success. While the shift to remote working during the global pandemic has resulted in many companies embracing a more flexible approach to work, it has also put extra pressure on remote workers to prove that they’re using their time productively. Working long hours is still viewed by many as a badge of honor. However, there’s evidence to suggest that this habit is seriously damaging our health: a 2021 World Health Organization study found that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with a 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease.

The phenomenon of workaholism, while not technically considered an addiction, shares some of the characteristics of addictive behaviors. Workaholics tend to have high self-expectations and devote more energy to work than necessary. Consequently, they think about work even when they are not working, which negatively impacts their family lives and mental well-being. Like other addictions, workaholism can function as a way to escape from emotional problems—and similarly, can lead to adverse mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. In fact, this can be a vicious circle: anxious people fear failure and may constantly check their work or reject jobs to prevent overload, while depressed people may work more slowly and consequently put in extra hours.

The benefits of putting yourself first

Many of us struggle to prioritize our own well-being, as we fear that putting our own needs ahead of work is selfish. However, the opposite is true: taking time to attend to our mental and physical well-being means we have more energy and can be more productive at work. Spending quality time with family and friends, as well as enjoying hobbies and building in healthy routines such as exercise, can decrease stress and renew enthusiasm for tackling work tasks.

Taking time for self-care also means we get a fuller picture of what we really want from our lives and careers. Is earning a high salary worth it if we have no energy to socialize or enjoy our leisure time? Do our lives, at work and outside, truly reflect our values? If you’re faced with an excessive workload or unreasonable deadlines, can you talk to your employer about finding a more realistic schedule? Many employers now understand the importance of work-life balance and realize that employee well-being is paramount. If your employer isn’t open to this possibility, then maybe this isn’t the right workplace for you: it could be time to find a new environment with a healthier work culture.

For full-time students, there are often conflicting messages. The drive to succeed academically can lead to a compulsion to study at all hours of the day, but the temptations of life in a city with abundant nightlife and leisure activities can sometimes tip the balance too far in the opposite direction. In both cases, it’s equally important to avoid excess and to factor in time for healthy habits like sports, yoga, or meditation.

How to achieve your ideal work-life balance

So how do we avoid the above pitfalls and find the right balance for us? Of course, everyone’s situation is different, and other factors, such as financial worries or health issues, can complicate things further. However, you can take a few simple steps to improve your relationship to work and overall well-being.

• Take time for yourself. Turn your phone off or switch it to airplane mode so you’re not disturbed. Go for a walk, listen to music, or do a crossword puzzle or other brain game. This isn’t selfish or time-wasting; it’s a natural reset for your brain. Taking a break means you’ll be refreshed and able to focus better when you settle back to work.

• Write down your thoughts. Keeping a daily journal helps you externalize your fears and concerns. Research has shown that putting your thoughts and feelings on paper can help you identify which of your thinking patterns are helpful and which are self-sabotaging or harmful. You can then reframe unhelpful thought patterns: for example, “I’m never good enough” can become “I always have opportunities to become even better.”

• Set a realistic schedule. Constant requests, calendar invites, and emails make it easy to become overwhelmed. Learning to set boundaries and say “no” ensures that you can carry out the tasks you do accept to the best of your abilities, rather than over-committing and risking either missing a deadline or producing substandard work.

• Keep your work and home lives separate. This is especially important if you work from home. If you have the space, dedicate one room to work tasks, and when you’re finished for the day, switch off your work laptop and close the door. If this isn’t practical, try using a different area in your home for work tasks: even a small change, such as facing in another direction, can help you transition psychologically from “work” to “home” mode.
  
  

• Think about what work really means to you. What motivated you to choose your career? Are you embodying the values that you want to live by? How would you spend your time if you didn’t have to work? Here, too, journaling can help you to clarify your thoughts and feelings about work. Write down what you enjoy about your current job, the challenges, and how you can balance these with what’s important to you outside work.

Adding prioritization to your daily life is a great way to stay organized and maintain a happy work-life balance. Prioritizing yourself and your mental health allows you to find joy in the other tasks you do each and every day. Whether your short break is dancing to your favorite song or whipping up a tasty treat, you’ll find that adding a bit of time for yourself will rejuvenate your spirit.