Page 24 - GBC ENG fall 2021

Work/Life Balance Tips
6. Take your mind off your problems: You may be able to get rid of stressful feelings temporarily by getting busy. If you get involved in hobbies, sports, or work, you can give yourself a “mental holiday” from your stress. Not thinking about your problems for a while can give you a little mental distance from them and make them easier to solve later.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK/LIFE BALANCE
If you are finding it difficult to balance the different elements of your life, you’re not alone. 58% of Canadians report “overload” associated with their many roles – work, home and family, friends, physical health, volunteer and community service. A moderate amount of stress improves our efficiency and our mental sharpness.
But, how do you know when your everyday juggling act has stopped being a motivating challenge and started being harmful to your health? Here are some signs:
• You feel like you’ve lost control of your life.
• You often feel guilty about neglecting your different roles.
• You frequently find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. • You’re always tired.
It is important to recognize those signs and identify when you may be too stressed and at risk of burnout. Burnout costs Canadian businesses an estimated $14.4 billion every year in health claims, lost productivity, and absenteeism. Without good work/life balance, the performance of both employees and employers suffers, productivity drops and rates of absenteeism increase.
Management should model good work/life balance. Don’t eat lunch at your desk, restrict overtime hours, limit electronic communication during non-working hours and take your vacation time. Improving work life balance will improve the success of the business in several critical ways including absenteeism, disability costs, competitiveness in hiring and retention of workers.
PREVENTING STRESS
Once you have lowered your stress level, it is wise to look for ways to prevent excessive stress from building up again. The best way to cope with stress is to prevent it. Some good ways to do this include:
• Make decisions
• Avoid putting things off • Delegate
Remember, it is impossible to have a completely stress-free life. Your goal should be to avoid getting to the third stage of stress where your energy stores are drained. If you do not get stuck in the third stage of the stress response, you will avoid becoming chronically stressed or burning out.
As a golf course owner or operator, your primary concern is the success of your business. Success for most organizations means controlling costs and optimizing performance; and coping effectively with stress can help improve your performance.
Golf Business Canada
At Work
• Schedule brief breaks for yourself throughout the day.
• Set realistic priorities for the following day.
• Avoid distractions by only responding to email twice a day.
• Address concerns about deadlines and deliverables early; don’t wait until the deadline passes.
• Take your vacation time, so that you come back to work refreshed and more productive.
At Home
• Create a buffer between work and home to clear your head.
• Decide what chores are critical and which can be let go.
• Exercise, you’ll feel more energized and refreshed.
• Create and implement a household budget.
• Make healthy food choices to give you more energy.
• Pursue a hobby.
Source:
Canadian Mental Health Association, http://www.cmha.ca/ The information has been edited for the purposes of
Golf Business Canada Magazine and is reproduced with permission.
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Golf Business Canada