For many young professionals, the expectation to work overtime beyond the office norms has become an ever-growing problem in today’s society. While it is not an issue to stay a few hours after work and learn more about the company and or the trade of the business, the fact of the matter is that many individuals, especially young millennials, are going beyond the go-getter personality and overworking themselves to exhaustion. Don’t get me wrong; we have all been in situations where we need to stay late at the office. But with this constant trend continuing amongst the younger generation, various experts have resoundingly agreed and advised many companies and businesses to raise awareness for balancing their employees work life and social life. Avoiding this type of awareness can lead to various negative damages, both physical and mental to the individual and the company.

When we talk about the effects of a company, you would think that employees who work overtime would be seen as a good thing. While there is a short-term benefit to the additional work they are contributing for your business, the long-term negative effects such as high burnout rates, employee turnover, and toxic negative culture can demise an entire company. As for the employee, a lack of balance between their work life and their personal life can lead to stress, self-doubt, low-morale, and eventually apathy. One thing to keep in mind is that work will always be stressful. There will always be a task that will require you to go above and beyond the 9-to-5 norms. But even with that there, it does not mean you cannot confidently take control of the situation and implement various logistics that can balance your personal life and your work life.

Now, one of the worst schedules you can be sucked into is when the day-to-day becomes somewhat clockwork. Yes, having routines is important, but if it does not provide value and action within your life, your burnout rate will only rise. Many young professionals find themselves within a black hole schedule where it seems like after work, they sleep and rest only to wake up for work again the next day. Unless you have unlimited vacation days, you will always go to work. But this does not mean you cannot do things you enjoy in between the workweek.

To accomplish this, make sure you organize your calendar. Some people use their phones, while others actively write it down. Whatever is your approach, make sure it is there. The more detailed you are, the better. This will allow you to optimize you schedule and iron out any logistics so that you can have a stronger sense of self-control. It will also give you and opportunity to find various slots where you can capitalize your free time into something fun and productive.

Remember, the one piece of advice about creating a balance between your personal and professional life is staying active. Working constantly is just not sustainable. To prevent you from diving into the ‘schedule of doom’ try looking at extracurricular activities that interest you. This can be anything sports related such as a gym or a recreation league or anything social that can help refresh your batteries like a happy hour session or a vacation. Whatever is the case, make sure you find ways throughout your workweek where you can enjoy these interest. This will give you something to look forward to, while also relaxing you for the next day.