I can’t seem to leave my work AT home!
I swear my wife is going to KILL me. When I am at home it’s like I didn’t even leave the office. I just have so much to do. I eat dinner with her at least, but I occasionally will glance at my phone and then she promptly gives me the death stare. You know the one I am talking about. I realize I work too much, but I need to and I can’t seem to separate work from home. HOW do I do this? I don't want to end up in divorce court, but my job and success is key. I am building a future for us!
Make sure to take time for your relationship and personal life too because that's JUST as important.
Hi Doreen,
Finding the perfect work/life balance is difficult, especially in this day and age of "always on" employment. Jobs aren't 40 hour work weeks anymore. However, if you are working after hours because there aren't enough hours in the regular day to get things done, and you hate coming in the next day with things left undone from the previous day, do you do this because your manager expects it? Or do you do it because it is just how you operate.
Throughout my career I have been the 24/7 employee. I would even check my phone for emails if I woke up at 1 in the morning. Vacation? You can bet I had my phone with me on my cruise keeping an eye out for emergencies and responding to clients. I never fully unplugged.
It is completely unhealthy to live like this. It breaks up families, it is disruptive to your much needed downtime/recharge time, and it creates undue stress and anxiety, whether you feel it yet or not.
If this is expected from you by your employer, set some rules for yourself. You will eat dinner with your wife then you will dedicate no more than one hour a night to answering emails. Do not allow yourself to get roped into remoting in from home and doing full-fledged work. To protect the marriage, also set ground rules with the wifey. Compromise: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday you get to work after hours. Tuesday, Friday, and the weekends belong to you and your family.
I am finally at a job with an employer who has rules against working after business hours. They don't even give us laptops because they don't want us bringing work home. Email on our cell phones is not required and the rule is, only respond to an email if you want. Nothing is an emergency unless a boss calls you. Everything else can wait until the next day. We also get unlimited PTO.
It is great to build a future with your wife by working, but make sure that by working so much you aren't jeopardizing the future or all of this will be for nothing.
I hope that helps!
Ask your manager or department head if you can work a couple of days the corporate or satellite office. It an uncommon request but I have heard of this happening before. Management will need to set up a workspace you can use on the set day's when you work in the office.
Schedule some time with her. Explain to her that there are something's you can't complete while at work so you have to finish at home. Tell her that you plant to schedule time with her though and when you do be energetic and about her/ you