In an ideal work life balanced world, work is kept at work; one does not take work home in an ideal world, but that is often not the case.
According to Rodale Wellness, taking work home is not only common, but it is also unhealthy. Dr. Ken Nedd states that, when you carry work home, you deny yourself the relaxation and recovery time that your body naturally anticipates at home; instead, by carrying work home, your body is forced to remain in the constant state of stress that it experienced at work. Dr. Nedd believes that the constant stress also overloads your body and causes the body to send messages to release cortisol and other chemicals that tend to increase appetite for fat and sugar as well as decrease the ability to exercise.
If you do insist on taking work home, then Dr. Lyle Kantor suggests following the one-time, one-space only rule. To follow the rule, you should designate a specific area in your house to complete work-related tasks and then put a time limit on performing the tasks. Once your time is up, stop working. Avoid bringing your work into your bedroom, living room, or kitchen. If bringing work home is a part of your work life balance, then you should consider investing in a desk and avoid working while watching television.
The same concept applies to those who work from home. If you work from home, then you should designate a specific area for work and not perform work activities in various parts of your home.
Home work can be a necessary part of life, but following the suggestions above may help you maintain a healthier home work life balance.
