12 tips to achieve a healthy work-life balance

What is work-life balance?

Signs of an unhealthy work-life balance

On the other hand, an unhealthy work-life balance occurs when work takes precedence over your personal life, leading to a cycle of stress, disconnection, and exhaustion. 

Here are some signs of an unhealthy work-life balance: 

• Constantly overworking: You regularly work long hours, including weekends and holidays, without sufficient time for rest or relaxation. 
• Struggling with personal responsibilities: Everyday tasks like laundry, dishes, and scheduling appointments fall through the cracks. Or, you spend a lot of money outsourcing them because you don’t have the time or energy to manage them yourself.
• Lack of self-care: You don’t prioritize self-care activities, like exercise, adequate sleep, and leisure time, resulting in deteriorating physical and mental health.
• Struggling to disconnect from work: Whether it’s after hours or on a rare day off, your mind stays tethered to your inbox, to-dos, or the next deadline.
• Strained relationships: Your relationships—both inside and outside of work—are beginning to suffer. You may be easily irritated with coworkers and distant with loved ones.
• Burnout: You feel physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion due to chronic stress and work-related pressure.
• Withdrawing from life outside of work: When you’re not at work, everything seems uninteresting or unimportant. You just don’t feel like doing anything unless you have to. You often turn down invitations, further isolating yourself from your friends.
• Avoiding taking time off: Sick days and vacations feel like luxuries you can’t afford, even when you’re running on empty.
• Questioning your path: You can’t imagine doing what you do for the rest of your life. Even if you work in a field or a company you once loved, it no longer sparks joy or excitement. 
• Feeling pulled in all directions: You always feel like no matter what you’re doing, you should be doing something else. Over time, this lack of presence and direction often leads to an existential crisis.

Why is work-life balance so important?

Work-life balance isn’t just about skipping happy hour or missing a workout. It has a measurable impact on your health, energy, and long-term performance.

Research shows that working more than 55 hours a week is linked to a higher risk of stroke, along with increased rates of anxiety and depression. Even when adjusting for fairly normal sleep patterns, another study found that working longer hours correlated with a decline in physical health. 

By contrast, a study of Swedish healthcare workers found that recovery and work-life balance were strongly linked to better self-rated health. Recovery during the workday, in particular, had the highest relationship to overall well-being. When you have time to rest and reset, both on and off the clock, you’re better able to stay energized, engaged, and resilient.

Good work-life balance can also positively impact your work performance. While it’s easy to assume that more hours lead to more output, the data tells a different story. In a global survey of over 10,000 desk-based workers, those who logged off at the end of the workday were 20% more productive than employees who kept working after hours. 

When you’re constantly “on,” it becomes harder to focus, think strategically, and deliver your best work. But when you have time to recharge, you return with greater clarity, creativity, and energy.

Ultimately, work-life balance isn’t about working less. It’s about taking care of yourself so that you have the capacity to perform at a high level and feel good doing it. And that’s not just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for sustainable success.

How to improve work-life balance: 12 tips

There’s no perfect formula for work-life balance. Some days will be packed with meetings, deadlines, or personal responsibilities. Others might give you more space to rest, recharge, and reconnect. The goal isn’t to achieve perfect balance every single day but to find a rhythm that feels sustainable over time.

That rhythm will look different for everyone, and it may shift from week to week. What matters most is staying honest with yourself about what you need, checking in regularly, and adjusting when something feels off. Balance starts with self-awareness and a willingness to keep showing up for both your work and your life.

Here are 12 tips to help you achieve a good work-life balance:

1. Plan ahead

Don’t leave your personal time up to chance. Just like you schedule work meetings and deadlines, consider planning for things that bring you joy, like lunch with a friend, a workout class, or time outside.

When you proactively weave fun or restorative activities into your week, you’re less likely to feel like your whole life revolves around work. Even small adjustments, like taking a virtual meeting while walking or working alongside a friend, can boost your mood and create a greater sense of balance and connection.

2. Embrace the way your brain works

Understanding how you focus best can help you get more done during the workday and avoid working at night or on weekends. Try time management strategies like the Pomodoro Technique (25-minute work blocks followed by short breaks). To stay focused, you can also turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and keep your phone out of sight.

Managing your attention, not just your time, will help you make the most of your work hours and improve your work-life balance.

3. Set blocks of time for different tasks

Multitasking can drain your energy and make work take longer than it needs to. To be more productive, group similar tasks together and tackle them in focused blocks of time. Set aside a window for checking messages, a separate time for meetings, and specific blocks for deep, focused work.

It also helps to align these time blocks with your natural energy patterns. For example, scheduling creative work in the morning if that’s when you feel most clear. This approach helps reduce decision fatigue, boost productivity, and make your days feel more structured and manageable.

4. Commit to ending work at a certain time

There’s a saying that “work expands to fill the time allotted,” and if you work from home, it’s even easier to let work spill over into personal time. Set a time to end work for the day, and reinforce it by powering down work-related devices, closing the door to your office, or scheduling something afterward.

5. Enlist technology to help you unplug

Use an app to block distracting websites during the day and then block work tools after hours. If you can, restrict work to one device or try to keep one work-free device so you can disconnect completely.

6. Take breaks during the day

One of the best ways to take a break during the workday is to enjoy your lunch break outside or alongside colleagues. The change of pace will be refreshing—and, of course, having something to look forward to will remind you to actually eat something.

It's also important to take micro breaks throughout the workday. In an interview with Henry Ford Health, Dr. Farvah Fatima recommended that working adults should take a break at least every 1-2 hours. This can boost productivity and improve your focus and energy levels.

7. Take time off

Whether you work remotely or in an office, it can be tempting to push through an illness or stay partially plugged in during time off. But time away from work, whether it’s sick leave, personal time, vacation, or bereavement, is essential to your well-being. 

Even if you do take paid time off, it can be tough to truly disconnect. One survey found that nearly 70% of workers admit to working while on vacation. To get the full benefit of time off, it’s important to commit to it. Inform your team and stakeholders that you will be unavailable, and leave them with a plan of action for when problems arise (ideally, a plan that does not involve your attention). Once your time off begins, log out of email, silence notifications, and allow yourself the space to disconnect without guilt.

8. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness helps you recognize when your work-life balance is off, and it’s a proven tool for preventing burnout. When you practice mindfulness techniques like breathwork and meditation, you become more attuned to what your body and mind are telling you. 

That awareness makes it easier to notice early signs of overworking, like tension, irritability, or skipping meals. Instead of pushing through, you’re more likely to pause, adjust, and protect your energy before burnout sets in.

9. Find something you love outside of work to engage in

If you have something that you’re excited about doing after work, it’s easier to disconnect from work messages and end your day at a predetermined time. Finding a hobby you love outside of work can also boost your energy and mental well-being. When we play and feel creative, we bring our fresh selves back to work the next day.

10. Reconsider work that makes you yearn for balance

If your work feels completely unrelated to the activities that stir your interest, enthusiasm, energy, or sense of purpose, it may be time to explore how you can shift the work you do. 

This doesn’t always mean you need to change your career or seek opportunities elsewhere. Sometimes, the right fit exists within your current organization. A lateral move—shifting to a different role at the same level—might open the door to projects, roles, or responsibilities that better align with your interests. 

While work doesn’t need to (and can’t) meet all of your needs for purpose, meaning, social connection, and challenge, it should provide moments of satisfaction, accomplishment, and joy.

11. Communicate with your manager

Poor work-life balance is often exacerbated by the fear that we’re not doing enough. Data from Slack’s Workforce Index confirms this: 37% of desk workers log on outside standard hours at least once a week, and over half of those employees say they do so because they feel pressured, not because they want to.

Open communication can help break that kind of cycle and create space for more sustainable expectations. If you're struggling with work-life balance, talk to your leaders. They can help you prioritize where to spend your time. If there really is too much to do, you can also talk about hiring additional help or streamlining certain tasks.

12. Work with a coach or therapist

If you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or don’t know where to begin, working with a professional can be invaluable. A coach or counselor can ask the right questions and help you identify which changes will make the biggest impact and how to get started.

One word of advice: start small. Although you may be anxious for your work-life balance to improve, your work habits have been built over time and likely won’t change overnight. If your goal, for example, is to reduce screen time, trying to restrict yourself to a certain number of hours will probably just frustrate you. You’re more likely to stick with a new habit if you start with a smaller target—say, one five-minute tech-free break a day.

How to achieve work-life balance while working remotely 

The rise of remote work has unlocked a new level of freedom for many professionals. With more control over your environment and schedule, it’s easier to design a workday that aligns with your energy, values, and personal life. In fact, Gallup reports that 85% of fully remote workers and 76% of hybrid workers cite better work-life balance as one of the biggest benefits of this model. 

But working from home doesn’t necessarily guarantee work-life balance. According to Gallup’s research, only 33% of remote workers strongly agree that they have a healthy work-life balance—but so do 27% of hybrid workers and 25% of on-site workers. 

That gap shows us something important: Flexibility is only part of the equation. Working from home gives you the opportunity to create balance, but it still takes intention, boundaries, and self-awareness to avoid burnout and thrive. 

When your workspace is steps from your bed or in the middle of your kitchen, it’s easy for your day to lose structure. You might find yourself answering emails late into the evening or skipping breaks because there’s no one around to remind you to pause. Without the natural transition of a commute, it can be harder to mentally shift between work mode and rest.

4 tips for achieving remote work-life balance 

If you’re struggling with work-life balance as a remote or hybrid employee, you’re not alone. Here are a few tips for creating better boundaries between your work and personal life: 

• Start and end your day with intention. Use simple rituals to open and close your workday, like taking a walk, journaling, or even changing clothes. This will create a clearer separation between work and personal time.

• Create a dedicated workspace. Even something as simple as consistently sitting in the same dining room chair can help your brain recognize when it’s time to focus—and when it’s time to unplug.
• Take real breaks. Micro-breaks, ranging from a few seconds to several minutes, have been shown to reduce fatigue and boost vitality. Longer breaks are even more effective.  Take some time to step outside, stretch, or even just move your focus away from the screen and to a nearby window. The key is to let your mind wander and unplug from work for a few moments. 
• Check in with yourself regularly. Pay attention to when your energy dips or when stress builds. Remote work gives you the flexibility to course-correct before burnout sets in.

Working from home can absolutely support a better work-life balance, but it’s not automatic. With the right structure, awareness, and habits, you can turn that flexibility into a sustainable, fulfilling rhythm that works for you.

7 ways managers can support their employees’ work-life balance

Taking the necessary steps to develop a healthy work-life balance can be difficult. As a manager and an empathetic leader, you can help your employees (and yourself) by building pathways for them to make these changes.

Here are seven ways managers can help their employees build good work-life balance:

1. Remind your team to unplug

Encourage your team to leave their laptops and work phones at home when they go on vacation. You may think it doesn’t need to be said, but they will appreciate the explicit permission.

2. Give employees space to connect

Organize virtual happy hours, birthday parties, book clubs, and other opportunities to connect socially. Put your lunch break on your calendar so they can see that you eat, too.

3. Educate employees on their benefits

Remind your employees that sick leave and PTO are part of their compensation, and don’t forget to take advantage of them yourself! When it comes to taking time off, actions speak louder than words.

4. Check in with direct reports

Employees may hesitate to share when they’re feeling overwhelmed, so it’s important to check in regularly. Ask open-ended questions, practice active listening, and remember that you may have to read between the lines to hear what’s not being said.

If a direct report is missing deadlines, falling behind on their inbox, or otherwise struggling, proactive communication can help uncover the root cause and create space for honest dialogue.

5. Set an example for your team

Model healthy boundaries by taking walking meetings, introducing your kids on Zoom (we already know they’re there), or spacing out meetings to give everyone breathing room. These small actions can normalize flexibility and encourage others to do the same.

That said, remember that not every employee will feel comfortable following your lead in the same way. People have different lives, family structures, values, and levels of comfort when it comes to sharing personal details at work, even if they respect and appreciate you. The goal is to model balance while honoring each person's boundaries.

6. Be aware of company culture and norms

Try not to normalize an “instant messaging” culture. Make it clear that messages sent on off-hours don’t require immediate attention, and avoid interpreting responsiveness as engagement.

7. Respect working hours

Don’t schedule meetings before or after work hours. This can be tricky when working across different time zones. Encourage your employees to end work at a designated time each day, and check in with anyone you notice consistently working after-hours.

Find and maintain a healthy work-life balance

Discovering that the relationship between work and home life is off-kilter is the first step in rectifying it. It might take some time, but small daily or weekly habits can make a huge difference in the long run. If you need help figuring out how to improve your work-life balance, a BetterUp Coach can help you create an actionable plan to thrive.