Psychiatric experts from Yale University have shared basic tips to create a work-life balance and cope with stress to reduce health-related problems.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 264 million people suffer from depression globally, stemming from overwhelming work-related activities.
Charles Dike, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University said that creating a balance between work and daily life is necessary in order to prevent health problems however it requires discipline.
Firstly, it is necessary to create a boundary between work related activities and daily life and adhere to it “when people cannot control their work activities, it violates their daily life without setting boundaries and eventually, they crash at both ends,” he said.
Secondly, he said instead of focusing on disappointments and failures, wins should be celebrated, adding that failure is an opportunity to rethink your methodology and make necessary adjustments.
Thirdly, beyond creating a work-life balance, he urged that people should adopt positive coping mechanisms stating that at a point, stress and anxiety begin to affect the efficiency and effectiveness of such a person.
Adopting positive mechanisms tend to produce better results, he said.
In conclusion, Dike said achieving work-life balance requires discipline and mindset adding that negative coping mechanism like smoking, alcohol consumption, gambling etc. leads to bad decisions and simply aggravates the problem.
Positive coping mechanisms such as mini-breaks, a healthy lifestyle, exercises, were canvassed as better options.
Theddeus Iheannacho, another associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University also said entrepreneurs and employees should focus on things that they can control, and also engage in reading, reflecting, reviewing and strategizing before making decisions.
This was discussed at the mental health series masterclass for African entrepreneurs organized by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) in partnership with Yale University, as part of its effort to support entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
