Written by Zaynab Yusuf
In 2023, it is almost forbidden for you to have just one single source of income. I mean, we live in a fast-paced world where our peers are buying things that some of our parents could only dream of. Everyone wants the great things in life. But not everyone is born with a silver spoon, or shall we begin to call it a diamond spoon since silver is beginning to look average?
The latest data by WHO shows almost 60% of the world’s population is in work. According to a report published by the World Economic Forum in July 2022 supported by the Gallup Poll which shows that About 60% of employees felt emotionally detached from their jobs.
Some key facts you need to know about stress:
- As remote work has increased over the past two years, the division between work and home life has also become less defined.
- an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.
an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.
To this end, as young adults, we find ourselves stuck in a seemingly never-ending cycle of work, work, a little play, and more work. For women, it’s even worse. We find ourselves in a loop, be it as career women or full housewives; responsibilities abound.
Responsibilities to ourselves, to our bosses, to our families, to society. In a research reported by The Independent, people are taking sick days because of work-related stress or burnout and as such, costing the UK economy £28bn a year. Work equals stress and stress equals sick days and burnouts. How then do we strike a balance?
work-related stress or burnout and as such, costing the UK economy £28bn a year. Work equals stress and stress equals sick days and burnouts.
I am someone who has my hands on a lot of things, so believe me when I say I know for a fact that it is not in any way easy. Therefore, I am going to share with you some tips that I have been using for the longest time, and they have helped me manage my time and center myself.
First, it is very important for you to find yourself. What drives you to work? What motivates you to earn? How do you use your playtime? What relieves you of stress and tension? You can’t have a goal in mind with no clear path on how to achieve it.
It is highly likely you will fail. That being said, it is also essential for you to remember that you are human. So, as you are trying to earn more and make a living for whatever reasons, you must figure out a way for you to relax. For instance, I find that watching comic movies, reading books, and being in a natural setting like the beach make me really happy. So, find what makes you happy and note that as your getaway plan.
find what makes you happy and note that as your getaway plan.
Second, write down how many things you do and the amount of time each work takes from you. Are you a writer and a banker? That would mean that between 8 am to 4 pm, you would be in the bank. The question then is, can you write within your work period, or do you have to get home, shower, and rest before you can write?
Write out your work times and give yourself breaks in between each day. You need to recharge, be it to eat or take a nap, or both. In the early 2000s, Yale conducted a research that found out that psychological stress can facilitate sudden death by increasing the chances that arrhythmias — abnormal heart rhythms — are more lethal in susceptible patients. Therefore, rest.
psychological stress can facilitate sudden death by increasing the chances that arrhythmias.
Yale University
Third, have a timetable for yourself. If your work is flexible, it means you can dictate your own time. If it’s not, you can still work around it with number 2 above. So, design your week in a way that allows you to take care of yourself.
The World Health Organization in one of their articles highlighted how much stressful work environments affect the mental health of employees with solutions as to how to curb that. Part of which is self-care. I am big on self-care, and I ensure to give myself time to just be. Remember, you can’t give from an empty cup.
I am big on self-care, and I ensure to give myself time to just be. Remember, you can’t give from an empty cup.
Now, the fourth thing to do is perhaps the most important, which is discipline. Do not procrastinate on your work so you do not have to work when you are meant to be playing. Ensure that you discipline yourself enough to get work done even before deadlines.
Set alarms and reminders if it helps, and use your notepads to track your to-do list. For every task, set a time frame and push yourself to stick to it. That way, you are more efficient and less stressed. A lot of us suffer from procrastination, myself included, and even though we know this, it is important to reiterate that it never ends well. As Christopher Parker said, procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.
procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.
Christopher Parker
Another thing to do is set boundaries. Establishing clear boundaries is essential for maintaining balance; especially where work is concerned. Learn to say no to commitments that overwhelm you or encroach on your personal time.
Communicate your boundaries effectively with colleagues, friends, and family to ensure your needs are respected. By doing so, you create space for what truly matters and safeguard your mental and emotional well-being
you create space for what truly matters and safeguard your mental and emotional well-being .
Stress can be harmful to our health and increase mental health challenges. Mental health challenges can include clinical mental illness and substance use disorders as well as other emotions like stress, grief, feeling sad, and anxiety, where these feelings are temporary and not part of a diagnosable condition.
Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.
WHO
As a mother and/or a wife, I know striking balance may seem impossible because you are always needed. But here is my advice to you; outsource. Delegate whatever you can, seek help whenever you can. If you need a maid, get one.
If you need your friends or family to babysit for you, ask for their help. No one can do it all. Even Captain America had to join the Avengers.
In the end, know what works for you. Take on only as much as you can and always prioritise your mental health. You are meant to love and be loved.
