Creating a good balance between our day at work and our life at home is a challenge for many of us and it’s a subject worth discussing. A few days ago, we published a blog on stress. This offering is a follow-up to that blog. Many of us do experience stress, and more-so if our work life and our personal lives are not in balance.
At AMS we do not want our employees’ day at work to take precedence over everything else in life. Having a harmonious work-life balance is important to our employees’ physical, emotional, and mental well-being and we encourage our employees to not put the demands of career above the demands of personal life.
In reading what others say about work-life balance, one of the recommendations is to work from home. AMS is a fulfillment company, and our valued employees work in warehouses and offices on campus, so work from home is an option for very few AMS employees.
Another recommendation is to find a job you love. We definitely do all we can at AMS to make this a place our employees enjoy being in, with labor that is not stressful on the body, and rest when rest is needed. We also offer some ‘extras’ to make working at AMS exciting and beneficial. Primary among the extras is our Volunteer Committee, which engages activities each month for some fun at work. It gives us something to look forward to, something to connect with each other on, something positive to take our mind off other things.
For those commuting to an eight-hour workday, picking up kids from day-care or running errands, eating dinner, with just enough time to brush our teeth and read a few pages of a book… AMS understands this, and we offer Free education and training for personal and career development during work hours, giving employees what most of us value most, time. We want our employees to love working at AMS.
Moving on, we found some tips for creating a better work-life balance at Business News Daily. Let’s check them out:
In short, work-life balance is the state of equilibrium where a person equally prioritizes the demands of one’s career and the demands of one’s personal life. Here are eight tips for creating a better work-life balance.
*Accept that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance. Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one.
*Find a job that you love. You don’t need to love every aspect of your job, but it needs to be exciting enough that you don’t dread getting out of bed every morning.
*Prioritize your health. Don’t be afraid to call in sick on rough days. Prioritizing your health first and foremost will make you a better employee and person.
*Don’t be afraid to unplug. Cutting ties with the outside world from time to time allows us to recover from weekly stress and gives us space for other thoughts and ideas to emerge.
*Take a vacation. Sometimes, truly unplugging means taking vacation time and shutting off work completely for a while.
*Make time for yourself and your loved ones. While your job is important, it shouldn’t be your entire life. You were an individual before taking this position, and you should prioritize the activities or hobbies that make you happy.
*Set boundaries and work hours. Set boundaries for yourself and your colleagues to avoid burnout. When you leave the office, avoid thinking about upcoming projects or answering company emails.
*Set goals and priorities (and stick to them). Pay attention to when your most productive work time is and block that time off for your most important work-related activities.
The article is quite a bit more extensive than what we have quoted here, and if readers would like to check it out, here is the Business News Daily [LINK].
In our recent blog on stress [LINK] we encouraged our employees to utilize the AMS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which provides free counseling for AMS employees and their families. We encourage employees to contact HR for information on the EAP services. If talking with a professional might help in solving struggles with work-life balance, please take advantage of this excellent program.
More good information can be found in an article at the Mental Health America website. Their focus is on stress caused by juggling workloads, managing relationships and family responsibilities, and squeezing in outside interests. The article states that “More than one in four Americans describe themselves as ‘super stressed’ and that’s not balanced—or healthy.” The article offers some practical steps as follows:
At Work
Set manageable goals each day. Being able to meet priorities helps us feel a sense of accomplishment and control. The latest research shows that the more control we have over our work, the less stressed we get. So be realistic about workloads and deadlines. Make a “to do” list and take care of important tasks first and eliminate unessential ones. Ask for help when necessary.
The article goes on to suggest the following:
*Be efficient with your time at work.
*Ask for flexibility.
*Take five. Small breaks at work—or on any project—will help clear your head.
*Tune in. Listen to your favorite music at work to foster concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, and stimulate creativity.
*Communicate effectively. Be honest with colleagues or your boss when you feel you’re in a bind. Chances are, you’re not alone.
*Give yourself a break. No one’s perfect!
At Home
*Unplug. Recognize the need for personal time.
*Divide and conquer. Make sure responsibilities at home are evenly distributed and clearly outlined.
*Don’t over commit. Shed the superman/superwoman urge!
*Get support. Chatting with friends and family can be important to your success at home—or at work.
*Take advantage of your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
*Stay active. Make time in your schedule for the gym or to take a walk during lunch—and have some fun!
*Treat your body right.
*Get help if you need it. Don’t let stress stand in the way of your health and happiness.
As with the previous article, there is more valuable information offered at the Mental Health America website [LINK].
At AMS our employees are highly respected and appreciated as people. We care. Our employees are the reason for our success and we hope that they, and all readers, get some value from these guidelines. May we all find a peaceful balance between work life and home life.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, committed to putting People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.