Find and Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

Finding the right balance between work and life is something that we at Active are incredibly passionate about. Work culture in the UK (and across the globe) is becoming increasingly demanding and we want to do our best to minimise this. A happy and healthy employee is a productive employee, and among other work-related factors, the correct balance between work and life influences employee happiness, productivity, effectiveness and overall wellbeing.

A poor work-life balance can have countless negative effects on an employee and is not great for our mental-health, it really takes its toll. Wellbeing is something we take very seriously. It is also something that is at the heart of the wider workplace discussion at the moment, and for good reason! Wellbeing is a crucially important part of working life, so it is great that a there's particular focus on this area. That said, to avoid it becoming just another passing trend, companies need to actually invest time and effort into getting it right.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance means that you're able to have the correct amount of focus between your priorities at work and your priorities and activities at home, or at your leisure. The option to work flexibly offers an opportunity for employees to decide on the working conditions that suit them the most, that's why we offer flexible working here at Active. According to a review of over 16,000 people conducted by Wolfsen Research Institute, those who were able to choose their working hours had significantly better mental health, blood pressure and sleep patterns.

At Active, our employees are always on the go. For this reason, we don't have assigned desks in our workspace. This makes it easier for movement around the office, accommodates activity-based working and it allows for a free-flow of communication.

To help employees have time to wind down, even while at work, we have implemented a no eating at your desk rule. By having to eat lunch away from desks, employees get a true break from work and get to socialise with colleagues in the mezzanine, break out area or outside.

To help kick start your journey to achieving a great work-life balance, here's our five top tips!

- Leave work when you are supposed to

Staying longer than needed may feel necessary, but realistically, getting home at a sensible time will be more beneficial in the long run, as you enable yourself to have a suitable amount of downtime and can then come into work the next day refreshed.

- Don't check emails when you aren't working

After hours emails don't need to be answered straight away, the sender should expect a reply at a more reasonable time, such as the next working day…

- It's ok to say no

When you've got lots of work on yourself, and a colleague asks you to help out on something, give them a realistic answer instead of promising something you're not sure you can deliver on.

- Leave your work at work!

Unless urgent, don't take work home. There needs to be a clear boundary for work and home life, and once this becomes blurred, it is hard to refrain from doing it again.

- Make plans for after work

Whether its planning to go for an evening walk, watching your favourite TV program or meeting up with friends, having something to do after work will allow you to time to relax in the evening.