Everyone has times when work is particularly busy and you need to work extra hours. For a healthy work-life balance, times like these need to be made an exception and not the norm. With modern technology you are almost always contactable and it can sometimes be hard to switch off from work. By working these long extra hours you may feel you’re becoming more efficient, but in reality you’re not giving your brain a chance to recharge, and you will eventually become less productive.

There are some tell-tale signs that your work-life balance is tipping in the wrong direction. Some of these signs include:

• Regularly working more than ten hours a day.
• Struggling to make a dent in your workload despite your effort.
• Increased caffeine or nicotine intake to get you through the day.
• Regularly feeling physically and emotionally drained after work.
• Taking work home with you.
• Suffering from ‘Sunday-night blues’.
• Getting a reputation for letting down friends at the last minute.

You should be interested by your work, but it should leave time for you to enjoy other aspects of your life. Use your time out of work to spend time with your friends and family and to fulfil your hobbies and interests. You will find your wellbeing is better when your life is in balance.