Many people find that they are suffering with work-related stress due to a mismanagement of time. While working long hours each week may be beneficial in the short-term, the longer effects are likely to be negative and potentially harming to your health and personal life.

If this sounds like a situation you are in then following the ten below tips will help you to restore balance to your life:

1)    Leave your work in the office 

Taking your laptop or work phone home with you leads to a temptation to get a few more things done. This stops the home feeling like a place of sanctuary from the daily grind and instead merges the two locations together. You should make every effort you can to leave your work at the office – if you really have to take your laptop and phone home with you then they should stay switched off.

2)    Go home on time

Similarly, you should ensure that you leave work on time. If you can’t do this every day then picking a couple of days a week where you wrap everything up before finishing time will ensure you get to spend a good portion of time in the evening not having to worry about your work.

3)    Consider shorter hours or going part-time 

Working part-time isn’t for everyone, especially when you have financial considerations to think about. However, doing so can help you free up extra down-time. Speak to your boss to see whether this or flexi-time is an option – you could always work for four longer days and have an extra day off each week to help you recharge.

4)    Learn to say “no”

Many who find themselves with an unmanageable workload are often those who won’t say no to taking on a task in worry that it would somehow have a negative impact on their career. In fact, too much work is likely to slow down your productivity, so next time you get asked to do something you don’t have time for say no, or delegate!

5)    Organise and prioritise 

When you have thought about how much time to dedicate to work and how much to your free time, make a list of what you want to achieve in both scenarios. Prioritise your tasks to make sure that the most important things always get done.

6)    Take up an interest/hobby 

It’s important to be able to think about something else other than work and taking up a hobby will allow you to do this. Whether it’s going to the gym for exercise or learning a musical instrument, you’ll be able to take your mind away from your work-tasks by immersing yourself in something else away from the office.

7)    Make time for family & friends 

You should make sure you spend a portion of your time with family every single night of the week and also through the weekends. You should also organise to catch-up with friends well in advance and always stick to these plans. This time will help to give you some perspective about what is important in your life.

8)    Book something to look forward to

Whether it’s a two week holiday in the sun with the family or a trip to a concert with some friends, having something to look forward to can help the work-time seem less of a drag and provide a light at the end of a tunnel.

9)    Take your holiday allowance 

You should ensure that you don’t let that all-important annual leave allowance go to waste. Book some time away from work and use it to go away, recharge your batteries or get your personal life in order. You are entitled to use your holiday so you shouldn’t feel bad for doing so.

10)    Consider your career choices 

If you are feeling like you are spending too much of your life worrying about work then maybe it is time to consider the career you are in. Is it really worth the hassle? If you are financially secure then consider looking for something else. If you like the company you work for them speak to someone about moving into a different area of the business.

Alternatively, is there an option to set up on your own? Although this would give you the freedom of being your own boss, there are numerous things to consider when running your own business. From sourcing business insurance to getting the funding you need to get off the ground, you must be committed to your project and understand the challenges (and the benefits) of starting your own business.