A career coach shared three signs you're overworking – and how to stop.
Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI
Work is a source of pride and an important part of people's identity.
But long working hours can impact your mental health and relationships, career coach Laura Leuillier said, adding people should spot the signs of overwork before completely burning out.
She shared common signs that your career could be taking over your life and how to change your perspective of work to take it back.
Leuillier said checking your work messages as soon as you wake up and right before you go to bed is "unhealthy" and could affect the quality of your sleep.
"No one can sustain these incredibly long weeks and long work hours where you are working every weekend, and that's become your norm," she said.
Leuillier told BI that boundaries to help stop this could include not checking emails after a certain time or learning to say no to work tasks you don't have time to do.
She added that the notion of work-life balance could be "too simplistic" because work and life overlap, and it's "unrealistic" to expect people to separate the two entirely.
She suggested a more flexible approach.
She said setting boundaries with flexibility could mean, for example, leaving work early to pick up your child from school and picking up tasks later.
Doing many work tasks at once might give the impression you're being productive, but it can be "counterproductive," Leuillier said.
She said one of the most effective time management strategies is to focus on one thing at a time.
Removing distractions can maximize your attention and help you get through your work faster, she said. This could prevent you from working unnecessarily long hours.
Leuillier said balancing work and personal life can be difficult in a role with a lot of responsibility.
But it's a problem if work is consuming most of your thoughts and dominating your conversations in your personal life, Leuillier told BI.
"Maybe your friends or your partner are complaining that it's all you talk about, especially at the weekends," she said.
"That's definitely a sign that work has taken over and it's time to do something about it," she continued.
It can be hard to put your career in perspective, but taking a step back can help you realize that the problems you face at work aren't as big as you think, Leuillier said.
Take time to reflect on what brings you purpose and joy in the workplace, she advised, adding you should schedule time in your day for activities that energize you and make you feel good.
"Caring about yourself and about your own well-being is absolutely fine. It doesn't mean that you aren't effective at work or you don't care about your career," she said.
