UNITED STATES—It is hard people, we can say all the time that it is so easy to find a work/life balance. We are told countless times we have to find a balance between work and our personal lives. However, it seems more and more our focus is all work and very little play. Why? Why is that? What can we be doing to change things a bit?

Well, we have to acknowledge that we’re more focused on our work than our personal lives. You sometimes have to acknowledge that you work too much and you have to ask why? Are you working so much for financial reasons or are you working to compensate for something else? Like a lack of a social life. It is very possible and the fact that you KNOW that you’re working so much to compensate for something else should be an alarming sign.

So if you notice the issue there is a way to fix it. Try to find a way to cut off when it comes to work. That is something I have indeed struggled with in life, but I have indeed gotten better. I mean I would go months close to a year without taking a vacation at work. I had to ask myself why? Well, there was no one to cover my shift, but in addition, it got to the point that no matter what, there was never anyone to fill in for me. So should I just keep working to the point where I fall out, get so exhausted that I’m not able to recover? Of course, not and you sometimes just have to let it be known, I NEED some time off. I need to personally consider my needs and wants over my job.

Any company that has an issue with that, especially if you’re a hard worker that should raise an eyebrow or two for you because one person shouldn’t be expected to do it all and if you are doing it all it just leads to bigger problems in in the long run. You start to have a bit of angst in the workplace and that angst could impact your work and affect those who you work with.

So take a break and when I say take a break I mean that. Take a break! Do not answer your phone if you’re on vacation, do not answer emails, do NOT fill obligated to work when you’re not scheduled to work. If you’re working while you’re on vacation are you truly on vacation America? No, no you’re not and the company you work for benefits from your work load, whereas you lose in the long run because the body doesn’t get the opportunity to fully recover as you need it to be people.

I’m starting to realize as I get older, when you find a balance between work and your personal life, you find a gem of peace and happiness. It is not just about the body getting a moment of relaxation you get a moment of self-reflection. What is important, what isn’t important and how to put focus where things matter most and taking care of other things as time allows. Life is not all about work people, it is something we need to take more seriously.

Written By Jason Jones