According to experts, the 24 hours in a day should be divided thusly: Eight sleeping, eight working and eight doing everything else. In order to achieve that elusive ‘work/life’ balance, it’s this rule of three which should be your goal.
Yet, in a world of 24 hour inboxes, the increasingly unpopularity of the traditional ‘9-5’ and the rise of the so-called ‘gig economy’, how many of us can say the hours we work are restricted to eight? And in working long hours, how many of us are sacrificing the elements of life which have been proven to improve mental fitness – sleep, hobbies and physical activity?
It’s hardly surprising, then, that the Bauer Media study which launched Grazia’s ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ campaign found that work woes topped the list of concerns which negatively impact the mental health of British people. I can relate: My boss is an absolute ogre. She regularly demands I do huge amounts of unpaid overtime, insists I check my emails constantly even when on holiday and never thinks anything I do is good enough. Unfortunately, I can never escape my boss because she is me.
Like 15.1% people throughout the UK, I am self-employed. In fact, the rapid growth of self-employment has been one of the defining features of the British labour market in recent years, growing from 3.3 million in 2001 to 4.8 million in 2017. The trend is particularly prevalent amongst women, with an increase of 57% opting for self-employment since 2008. Statisticians reckon this can be attributed to the (STILL!) inequalities in maternity and paternity leave which mean women are more likely to have to shoulder the majority of family commitments whilst also earning a wage.
I’ve often heard my non self-employed friends speak about self-employment as though it’s a panacea – They imagine I roll out of bed at midday, meet other freelance friends for a leisurely lunch and then spend the afternoon shoe shopping like some sort of latter-day Carrie Bradshaw. The truth is, self-employed people are more likely to be at the sharp end of the kinds of pressures we all experience in the post-austerity age – Panic about job security, a vague sense of other people snapping at our heels and waiting to take our place and the terrifying realisation that we can never have an ‘off day’ without jeopardising the professional reputation of our entire brand.
Just as freelancers often feel the burden of these work pressures more acutely, so they are more likely to experience burnout. Burnout is more than just feeling knackered at the end of a demanding week - Symptoms include chronic fatigue, insomnia and anxiety, the cumulative impact of which is a complete inability to function.
I’ve been to the burnout brink and back several times throughout my career. On one particularly memorable occasion I got ready for work, left my flat and only made it to the end of the road before the world seemed too loud, too bright, generally too overwhelming for me to take another step. Each time, the process of regaining mental wellness has taught me a thing or two. Here’s what I learned
Our minds and body tell us when we need to rest
If we ignore the signs they will find a way to force us to take a break, whether that’s through physical illness or emotional burn out. Don’t wait until that point.
Just as maintaining physical fitness is a consistent process requiring long-term commitment, so is managing stress.
Take time every single day to ‘empty your stress bucket’ and restore your chemical balance. The best ways to combat cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline (the anxiety chemical) is to create endorphins. Your daily stress bucket emptying activity should therefore be something involving physical activity, creativity or relaxation, all of which cause us to secrete these happy hormones.
Prioritise sleep above everything else
There is no way to compensate for a bad or missed night’s sleep – You cannot sleep in at the weekend to make up for hours lost during the week. Sleep is when the brain ‘cleans’ itself, ensuring your neurotransmitters are working efficiently. Lack of sleep will therefore cause cloudy thinking, inability to make decisions and retain information – All of which are going to impair your ability to perform at work.
Take your lunch break
All the evidence shows you’ll achieve just as much if not more than if you work through it with a sandwich at your desk because a break refreshes the brain. If you can get some fresh air during lunch that’s even better.
Don't Praise Overtime
If you’re in a position of authority at work, try to resist the temptation to praise and reward people who regularly work beyond their contracted hours – See it as a bad habit which leads to burnout, rather than a sign of a conscientious employee.
Speak To HR
If you’re an employee, try to find someone at work who can be in your corner when it comes to ironing out any problems. If, for example, your colleagues are demanding too much of you, it is helpful to have a person from HR with you when you speak to your boss about it.
Stick To A Finish Time
If you’re self-employed, plan in advance when you will finish work each day and have an activity which ‘draws a line’ at that point (mine are: going for a run, cooking a meal and playing with my cat – not a euphemism). After you have drawn that line, be really disciplined about not checking emails (put your phone in a drawer if you have to).
…And finally – learn to say NO
Women in particular tend to be terrible at saying no, fearing as we do the horrific fate of being branded ‘not nice’. But ‘nice’ people also tend to be taken advantage of and hardly ever get credit for their work. Try practising saying ‘no’ with trusted friends or family. Get used to how the word feels in your mouth. If you want to avoid burnout, you’ll need it.
To see the full manifesto of recommended actions for employers on mental health, as well as steps you can take to support the campaign, visit www.wheresyourheadat.org.