7 Changes to Strike a Better Work-Life Balance and Prevent Burnout

When your work-life balance is thrown off-kilter, stress, job burnout, and poor health often follow. Take these proactive steps to help recalibrate your work-life balance. 

Do you look forward to going to work each day? Or do you dread it? Do you often work long hours, only to end up short on time and energy for chores, errands, self-care, rest and relaxation, and other personal pursuits?

If so, your work-life balance might be off-kilter. And that means you’re at risk for job burnout—unless it’s already at play. Some common signs of burnout? Feeling overworked, constantly stressed, or unable to keep up. Or maybe your job exhausts you, or you’ve become bored and uninspired at work.

Here are some other signs you may be burnt out and need to adjust your work-life balance:  

• Feeling drained physically, emotionally, and mentally
• Having to drag yourself to work each day
• Declines in focus, concentration, motivation, and productivity
• Less pride in the quality of your work
• Feeling that your work is meaningless
• A drop in confidence in your abilities and skills
• A negative or critical view of work, coworkers, or clients
• Changes in mood, appetite, or sleep patterns
• Headaches, backaches, or other ailments
• Trouble at home or with relationships outside work 

Create your 7-step balancing act  

Striking a healthy work-life balance is a critical first step to preventing or alleviating burnout. It may not be the only step you need to take, but it’s a foundational one. Here are a few easy-to-make shifts in your daily habits and routines to bring your work and personal life back into equilibrium:

1. 1. Unplug after hours. Too much screen time at work and home can lead to digital burnout—a state of stress and exhaustion from staring at a screen all day. Your job may require 8 hours of screen time. If so, try to take breaks throughout the day. Set a reminder on your device if it helps. Get up and walk outside, take deep breaths, or stare out a window several times a day.
      
      Once your workday ends, put your cell phone away and leave the computer and TV off for at least a couple of hours. If you work from home, stick to a set logout time, and then avoid any other screen time for the next few hours.
      
      Next, reclaim your personal time at the end of your workday with more rewarding experiences. Cook a healthy dinner to share with your family. Hit the gym or take a run, walk, or bike ride. Listen to a podcast or your favorite music. Or engage in an art project or other hobby that does not involve screen time.
      
      Electronically disconnecting from work in these ways, at the end of each day, is vital to finding a better work-life balance. But it’s also critical to mentally disconnect from work. If you find yourself dwelling on work-related problems after your shift ends, focus on (or do) something else. Go out to dinner with a friend. Read a book or listen to a podcast. Or spend some quality time with your family to distract you from thoughts about work.
      
   2. Eat your lunch anywhere but at your desk. Get into the habit of eating your lunch somewhere other than your desk—and never work while you’re eating! Getting into this daily habit gives you a true break from work for a solid chunk of time each day. It improves work-life balance and allows you the space and time to destress and recharge.
      
      Try not to think about work when you’re eating. Savor your food instead. If you have a breakroom at work with windows, focus on the view outside while you eat lunch. Listen to some music while you eat. Meet with a friend or your spouse for lunch. You can have lunch with co-workers, too. Just make sure they are willing to leave “work behind” during such shared meal breaks.
      
   3. Commit to “no-work” weekends. Reinforce your boundaries and commit to more weekends in which you don’t think about or do any work. If you work a full-time job, your weekends are most likely already filled with errands, housecleaning, and/or soccer games with the kids. That’s another good reason to commit to leaving work out of the weekend equation.
      
      Also, try to weave at least some rest and relaxation into your weekends, in addition to your chores and errands. This will help you destress and recharge before Monday. And it’s a critical way to strike a better work-life balance.
      
   4. Plan a few restful vacation days. Taking a day off from work every now and then can ease stress, boost your mood, and help you achieve a better work-life balance. Just make sure to plan any vacation days you take very carefully.
      
      Resist the urge to use your day off to catch up on errands and housework. If you can, plan fun and relaxing activities instead.
      
      Research suggests that the more active and stress-free your day off is, the more health benefits you’re likely to get from it. You might want to plan to go on a hike or attend a yoga class. Or you could do some gardening. You might want to spend a few hours on a favorite hobby. Or you may want to explore a museum or art gallery. Whatever you plan for, make sure it’s fun and relaxing.
      
   5. Make a list of the things you like about your job. Even if you dislike your job or it stresses you out, try to pinpoint just 1 or 2 things about it that you enjoy. The more good feelings you have about work, the better you’ll be able to cope with stress—on the job and off. Less stress, in turn, helps you avoid burnout.
      
      Try to balance negative thinking with positive thinking. Instead of focusing only on the stressful aspects of your job, focus on a couple of things you like. Maybe it’s a co-worker you enjoy working with. Maybe your commute is short, or your office is in a great setting. Or perhaps you enjoy the learning opportunities you have.
      
   6. Talk with your boss. If you feel unsure of what your boss expects of you, that can lead to problems with work-life balance and result in burnout. You may feel that your input is not valued. Or you may feel you don’t have a say in the work you do, how you do it, or how much of it you can reasonably handle.
      
      A toxic environment in the office can also affect work-life balance. If you feel comfortable doing so, talk with your boss and, together, brainstorm solutions to your concerns. This may involve shifting roles within your team or your company.
      
      If talking with your boss is not an option, you may want to seek help from a mental health provider. Doing so may help you cope with work-life balance issues, job burnout, and/or stress.
      
   7. Set firm boundaries if you work from home. Working from home has become much more common since the COVID-19 pandemic. And remote work certainly has its perks. No rush hour traffic, more flexibility, and less stress are just a few. These perks can help you achieve a better work-life balance and prevent burnout as well.
      
      But if you work from home, the line between work time and personal time can more easily become blurred. Maybe you’ve fallen into the habit of checking your email late at night. Maybe you tend to work late instead of sitting down for dinner with the family. Or maybe chores or childcare duties siphon your attention during the workday. 
      
      These problems can quickly throw your work-life balance off track, leading to increased stress, burnout, and lost time with loved ones.
      

If you’re finding that “working at home” is feeling more like “living at work,” try putting these solutions in place:

• Set up a routine and stick to it. Following a routine will help separate work and personal time. Make a schedule. Designate time each morning to shower, dress, and eat before your workday starts. Then, start and end work at roughly the same time each day. Take breaks throughout the day. Try to allow flexibility in your schedule for medical appointments and home projects. But keep to a set routine—one that does not include overtime—as much as possible.
  
  
• Limit your workload. Working from home can create the illusion that you have more time for working than you actually do. Learn to say “no” to work requests you just don’t have time for. Prioritize projects. If you feel like you’re drowning in work, talk with your manager about how you can find solutions to the problem. 
  
  
• Mind your energy levels. Learn to predict your energy highs and lows throughout the day. Schedule big or challenging tasks when your energy is highest. Save small or easy tasks for the time of day when it’s lowest. For example, if you’re most energetic in the mornings and tend to slow down by lunchtime, try to knock out the challenging to-dos on your work agenda early in the day. This time management tool can help you accomplish more in less time. You’ll feel more productive, which can help ease stress and burnout. 
  
  
• Stop working when your shift ends. Once your workday ends, turn off your computer and any other devices you use to connect with work. Resist the urge to keep checking email or text messages. Step away from your workspace. Go for a short walk or bike ride before jumping into house chores or cooking dinner. Taking these boundary-setting steps each day can lead to a better work-life balance.
  

Final thoughts 

Achieving a better work-life balance and avoiding burnout is possible. Just use the tips outlined in the article above.

You can also pinpoint and use the unique strengths you bring to your job to help create a better work-life balance. Maybe you’re a creative or innovative problem solver. Or maybe you’re focused, curious, honest, or patient. Think about the ways in which these strengths help you contribute to a better work-life balance. Doing so can help you feel good about your work—and that can go a long way in reducing stress and preventing burnout. 

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This article was written by Gail Olson, edited by Stephanie Ruiz, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on October 1, 2025.