Work-Life Balance: Set Limits on Work Talk

There aren’t many advantages to a long commute to and from work. It’s the price you pay for living in the country and working in the city. Sure, you may be able to catch up on some podcasts and use your vehicle as a mobile office to some extent, but it doesn’t make the rush hour traffic any more entertaining. A long commute does have one advantage, however. That long trek enables you to shift gears from work to home and from home to work every day. That type of separation can be a key step to helping your work life balance.

The idea is to keep from bringing your work home with you. Yes, it was a frustrating day. You spent it putting out fires, dealing with irritable vendors and staring helplessly at the stack of work orders piling up on your desk. Lunch? You’d have settled for even five minutes to gobble down a protein bar. However, the day is done, and if you want to start tomorrow fresh, you’ll need to let go of it. 

The first and most obvious way to do this is to set a limit on work talk. Your friends and family care about you, not your job. While they may be sympathetic to the challenges you face, they also have their own lives and their own concerns. If you do have to bring the office home with you, set a designated time to discuss it and move on when that time is up. Make the time to talk about other things that come up? Did you meet any interesting people? See something interesting during the day? Did you learn anything new? 

You can’t expect your job to respect your boundaries unless you set them and then stick to them. Let your coworkers know when they can and can’t contact you. Set a designated time of day that you are not to be disturbed. Post it on your schedule, either electronically or with a pen and sticky note on the door to your office.

You have to actively plan for personal time. It won’t happen by itself. Remember those interests and hobbies you had before you took on your current job? Look over your schedule and make time to pursue those interests. Whether it’s finishing up that cabinet you’ve been building, beating the last level on the latest incarnation of your favorite game or painting that seascape you’ve been thinking about, plan time to pursue these activities. 

Setting limits on work talk helps you separate work from the other obligations in your life. We’re complex people with many facets to our lives. We’re more than just our jobs. Make the time to explore other aspects of yourself. You’ll end up a happier and better-rounded person for it.