I previously shared a McKinsey & Company report that revealed that women in the workplace reported feeling more exhausted, burned out, and under pressure (you can read it here). Have you ever felt this way at work? I've been there before. Notably, more than 55% of women in senior level positions shared feeling exhausted at work—that's almost 20% more than their male counterparts! And while I can talk for hours about gender inequity, let's talk about a few ways professional women can combat fatigue in the workplace and maintain a better work-life balance. I recommend watching this 5 minute TED Talk or you can skip to the end for my key takeaways.
"Have you answered a work email during an important family event? Or taken a call from your boss while on vacation? According to behavioral scientist and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans, "always-on" work culture is not only ruining our personal well-being — but our work, as well. She shares which bad habits are stopping us from getting what we need out of our free time and three practical steps for setting boundaries that stick." Ashley Whillans—"There is a cost to constant interruptions" including:
increased stress
less presence for the moments of your lives
lost productivity due to depression, anxiety
life is short-changed on joy, meaning and memories.
Steps to take: Reframe "rest" to something that is valuable and necessary.
Plan your weekend on Friday to ensure intentional plans, activities and events
Clear boundaries for when you are on and off-line
Set team goals for personal time (accountability with colleagues)
Negotiate for more time (same as you would negotiate for more money). Quality is more important that quantity with work and colleagues will view you as MORE committed and professional, not less. You may even inspire others!
Making ourselves a priority is a foundational value for our EWC community. If you're looking for guidance around how to maintain a healthy work-life balance and be more present in your life, we invite you to consider using the EWC to support you health & wellness.