Is your work life causing burnout? “While we all need a certain amount of stress to spur us on and help us perform at our best, the key to managing stress lies in that one magic word: balance,” says Mental Health America. “Not only is achieving a healthy work/life balance an attainable goal but workers and businesses alike see the rewards. When workers are balanced and happy, they are more productive, take fewer sick days, and are more likely to stay in their jobs.” Here’s how top CEOs make that balance possible.
RELATED: 12 Signs Your Job Could Be Hurting Your Health.
Family Always Comes First
iStockPrioritizing family is key to a balanced life. “There's a way to be successful in business and it starts by realizing what's most important – and for me, that's my family. I don’t shy away from family commitments because work is calling,” says Mike Spears, SIOR, CCIM, with Lee & Associates, Houston. “Unlike money, time is a finite resource which you will never get back. Make sure that you spend that time in a quality manner.”
No Meetings After 6 p.m.
ShutterstockStarbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan rarely takes meetings after 6 p.m. “If there’s anything after 6 p.m. and I’m in town, it’s got to be a pretty high bar to keep me away from the family,” he told Fortune Well. “Anybody who gets a minute of time after that better be sure that it’s important.”
Respect Boundaries
ShutterstockAzizi Marshall, founder and CEO of the Center for Creative Arts Therapy, says boundaries must be respected. “It’s not just about having policies on paper," she told U.S. News & World Report. "As an employee, you want to make sure there is room to grow, make mistakes and learn. A truly great company actively supports work-life balance by respecting boundaries, offering flexible work options and encouraging self-care.”
RELATED: How to Ask for a Raise at Work.
Work-Life Harmony
ShutterstockFormer Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says work and life should now be seen as opposing factors. "This work-life harmony thing is what I try to teach young employees and actually senior executives at Amazon, too. But especially the people coming in," he told Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer. "I get asked about work-life balance all the time. And my view is: That's a debilitating phrase because it implies there's a strict trade-off."
Rubber Vs. Glass
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Brian Dyson, former Coca-Cola CEO, says to see work as a bouncing ball. “Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air,” he said during a 1991 commencement speech at Georgia Institute of Technology. “You name them—work, family, health, friends and spirit — and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls—family, health, friends and spirit—are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked. nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
