Maintaining a Work-Life Balance
Statistics show that young people face higher levels of stress and professional pressure now than ever before. According to The American Institute of Stress, the top two causes of stress are “job pressure” and “money”. “Relationships” and “sleep deprivation” also made the top seven stressors. While a high level of stress contributes to high blood pressure and a myriad of other health issues, studies also show that a life driven by purpose is likely to be a longer life. Young entrepreneurs and future businessmen who lead increasingly stressful lives pressed for time will benefit greatly from structuring their work-life balance; but the nature of that structure looks different for different people.
Manage Your Stress (Before It Manages You)
Achieving professional success requires one to work hard, work long hours, and be dedicated to growth. And pressure to be the best, especially for men, is not an unhealthy or unnatural thing, in fact it is in many cases the one driving force when highly driven people reach the point of mental depletion. This is why it’s so important for young people to know their limits and tread lightly during the times in their lives when work dominates the mind, body, and priority list. When we talk about work-life balance we aren’t just talking about a luxury vacation here and there or a few spa days sprinkled in. Work-life balance should be a constantly running motor that keeps the tires moving at a steady, efficient pace rather than going so hard and fast for a short period and then crashing and burning from a loss of control.
It’s imperative to have a collection of methods for managing stress, avoiding becoming overwhelmed, and balancing workload, rejuvenation, and fun. Taking the time to be in nature each week, remembering to breathe deeply and intentionally often, and having a regular fitness routine involving full-body stretching are a few ways to incorporate a meditative state that will ultimately soothe nerves and contribute to an inspired and functioning work ethic. Setting priorities and using them to work smarter rather than harder in many cases is the way to go, as is choosing to have or adopt children later in life and forgoing extravagant purchases and lavish lifestyles early on with the end goal of financial security.
A Personal Preference
Is it better to work to live or live to work? Well, that’s up to the individual to decide. The American dream is available to those who work hard and make themselves worthy of it, which is a beautiful thing, but it’s also quite a load of pressure for a generation drowning in student loan debt. Doctor of Philosophy Jordan Peterson once said, “a little bit of fire at the right time can stop everything from burning to the ground”. Young people with a drive for success need to know when to stoke the fire and when to put it out for the night, and that is a delicate – but vital – thing.
