If you are like most people…then most probably your day-to-day schedule starts at 6 am (latest) when you have to leave the comfort of your bedroom to go out and face the world.
You’re busy for most part of the day as you work to meet clients’ demands, beat deadlines, complete class assignments among other work-related tasks.
Then just before you remember that you have a life to live, it is already 5pm and you have to make your way back home through kilometers and kilometers of traffic jam.
You get home at 7pm, take a quick shower, and before you even get time to go through your son’s (or daughter’s) homework the tiring routine of the day gives you a complete knock-off and you literary have to crawl to find your way to bed.
And then just when your wonderful nightly dream is about to hit a climax your alarm rudely brings you back to reality. Like a pilgrim, you religiously get out of your bed and follow the day’s cycle all over again.
Does this story sound familiar? Do you feel like you can benefit more if you had more time to spend with your family, friends or to exercise? Could it be that you’re struggling with work-life balance?
Don’t jump into conclusions yet, take the Connell’s quiz below to find out if you’re maintaining the right balance or if your business (or job or school work) is taking over. Simply answer TRUE or FALSE and then confirm your results (and get some helpful tips) at the bottom end of this quiz.
Simple Quiz For You
1. __________ My life and work demands often interfere with each other.
2. __________ Someone else has control over my work schedule.
3. __________ It's a struggle to get time off from work when I need to.
4. __________ I spend a lot of time responding to personal emails and phone calls when I am at work.
5. __________ I don't have time to exercise at least three times a week.
6. __________ I have had to give up most of my hobbies.
7. __________ I sleep less than 8 hours per night on a regular basis.
8. __________ I have frequent headaches and/or stomach aches.
9. __________ I catch myself making mistakes on the job increasingly often.
10. __________ It is important to check my phone and email when I leave work.
11. __________ It is hard to shift my focus of attention to the issue at hand.
12. __________ I find myself worrying a lot about how I'll get everything done.
13. __________ I work more than 40 hours a week.
14. __________ It's hard not to be irritable and lose my temper.
15. __________ I don't have enough time to relax.
16. __________ I frequently have to deal with work emergencies when I am not there.
17. __________ I am tired all the time.
18. __________ My family and friends are routinely upset at me for not being available to them.
19. __________ I am often needed outside of work during work hours.
20. __________ I drink more than 3 cups or shots of caffeinated drinks (e.g coffee) per day.
Your Results
If you answered TRUE to more than 10
You're in serious danger of incurring a stress-related illness or injury or face major personal problems. You are taking on too much and need to get more support either at home or at work or both.
Although you might think you're doing just fine today, in the long run, you could cause irreversible damage to yourself such as stomach ulcers, heart attack or other stress-related complications.
If you answered TRUE to exactly 10 out of 20
You are at risk of burning the candle at both ends. It's high time you re-examine your commitments, responsibilities and level of control over your life. You still need to make a few adjustments to your life so that you can reduce your work-life conflicts.
Consider taking better care of yourself so that you can maintain your resilience even when going through tough times.
If you answered TRUE to less than 10 out of 20
You have a good fit for work-life demands. You are currently taking good care of yourself and are at low risk of suffering a burnout.
You're a good role model and are likely to go far ahead in business…albeit at a slow and steady pace.
HOW DID YOU PERFORM IN THIS TEST? IF YOU DON'T MIND…SHARE YOUR RESULTS WITH US VIA THE COMMENT BOX.
Image: IdeaLog
