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Work to your bosses’ schedule, don’t lose touch with friends or family, and don’t check your office emails at night
You’ve worked hard to achieve great results in your degree, competed
to get a graduate job and now find yourself working all hours to keep up
with your employer’s demands – all the while wondering what on Earth
has happened to your social life. Sound familiar? Like it or not, this
is the reality facing many graduates entering work today.
Graduates, and employees of all levels, can find work-life balance difficult to achieve, but we know it’s important. Research found nearly one in three (31%) 18 to 24-year-olds said achieving a work-life balance was their long-term ambition. But trying to leave at 6pm when your boss sets you a huge task at 5.50pm can make it feel impossible. There are, however, various things you can do to help achieve a work-life balance in your first role.
While you shouldn’t take working hours to the extreme, understand if you’ll be adding more value by being in earlier or staying later. Working in journalism, for example, you’ll probably be expected to start early – ensuring that you’re breaking the day’s news. In advertising, working later – be it attending awards, networking or creative brainstorming – is the norm. Once you’ve understood the lay of the land, both in your organisation and industry, you can plan your work and play time more effectively.
A graduate position can take its toll on work-life balance, but it’s also an exciting time when you’re on a rapid learning trajectory. Make sure you have your expectations in check, about what it is really like to work in a particular industry, but also maintain your energy levels and keep up good regimes with family, friends and fitness. You’ll never forget your first job after university, so make your time count and set yourself up for the future.
Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs or sign up to Guardian Careers for the latest job vacancies and career advice
Graduates, and employees of all levels, can find work-life balance difficult to achieve, but we know it’s important. Research found nearly one in three (31%) 18 to 24-year-olds said achieving a work-life balance was their long-term ambition. But trying to leave at 6pm when your boss sets you a huge task at 5.50pm can make it feel impossible. There are, however, various things you can do to help achieve a work-life balance in your first role.
Consider how your office works and align your hours around them
If your boss likes to start the day early – getting in at 8am and finishing at 6pm – chances are they’ll expect you to be doing the same. Even if your contract states 9am to 6pm, most organisations don’t stick to these hours, so try to be flexible with your time to accommodate how your team works.While you shouldn’t take working hours to the extreme, understand if you’ll be adding more value by being in earlier or staying later. Working in journalism, for example, you’ll probably be expected to start early – ensuring that you’re breaking the day’s news. In advertising, working later – be it attending awards, networking or creative brainstorming – is the norm. Once you’ve understood the lay of the land, both in your organisation and industry, you can plan your work and play time more effectively.
Don’t be a slave to technology
Technology is engrained in our day-to-day lives now, but be careful not to become a slave to it. It’s important to learn how to switch off from technology and give yourself a break from the constant bombardment of messages. Recent research from Northwestern University in the US links excessive mobile use with depression, highlighting the importance of switching off sometimes. While you may be expected to keep an eye on your work phone out of office hours, try to create rules, such as not checking it or turning it off from a certain time each day.Do use your time effectively at work
As a graduate in your first role, you may feel pressure from various parts of an organisation for your time – but make sure that the projects you take on with high visibility, or value to the businesses, are the ones you put extra energy into. If there is an opportunity to work with a senior colleague on an important project use it as your time to shine. Show them that you are reliable and capable and make a good impression. This will help to raise your profile, putting you in a stronger position for more exciting tasks in the future.Don’t lose touch with friends and family
Spending time with loved ones outside the workplace is crucial to maintaining a work-life balance and a healthy mental wellbeing. Try to keep in regular contact with friends and family and carve out time in your schedule to do just this. It’s important to switch off where possible and friends and family can help provide a much-needed break.Do keep up your physical regime
If you enjoy keeping fit, be that an early morning spin class or five-a-side with colleagues after work, try to keep it in your schedule. Exercise is important to staying physically and mentally fit, helping to relieve daily stresses by releasing endorphins, also known as the happy hormone.Don’t burn yourself out
If you feel as though you are on the edge of burnout, talk to your manager about how this can be addressed. It may be that you have too much on, in which case they might be able to draft in additional support from a colleague to alleviate pressure. Equally, it might be that everyone is in the same boat and feeling the pressure, due to being understaffed, or working towards a significant pitch for example. These periods should be in peaks and troughs though, so recognise if it’s getting out of hand.A graduate position can take its toll on work-life balance, but it’s also an exciting time when you’re on a rapid learning trajectory. Make sure you have your expectations in check, about what it is really like to work in a particular industry, but also maintain your energy levels and keep up good regimes with family, friends and fitness. You’ll never forget your first job after university, so make your time count and set yourself up for the future.
Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs or sign up to Guardian Careers for the latest job vacancies and career advice
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