How to Balance Relationships with a Demanding Job

When you have a demanding job, you might feel like it’s trying to take over your life outside of the 40 hours/week to which it’s supposed to be confined. This power struggle between work and home life tends to create an imbalance in your relationships. However, balance can be re-established and maintained by being more discerning in how you divide your time and attention.

Togetherness is About Quality, Not Quantity
As Daniel DiPiazza writes in an article for Huffington Post, balancing your career and relationships isn't about the quantity of time you spend with loved ones, it's about the quality of time spent together. Trying to play catch-up with your significant other, your best buds, and your family simply doesn't work when you're focused on creating an equal division of time.

Instead, place emphasis on what you do when you're with loved ones and how togetherness makes you feel. Allow yourself this positive time spent with loved ones to flush out the stress and other negative emotions you might incur at work.

Don’t Bring Your Work HomeIf you are pursuing a healthcare degree or any degree based in human or social services, you've probably already been cautioned about bringing your work home with you. You probably work and/or study in a high-stress field where emotions can run high. When you bring these emotions home with you, they can negatively impact your relationships. You may unintentionally project your work-related emotions onto your loved ones or start excluding them from your thoughts and feelings.

It's okay and even beneficial to open up to your partner, parents, friends, or whoever you feel comfortable speaking with about issues at work, but these people are not your therapists. If your workload is causing chronic stress, anxiety , or depression , it's better to reach out to a licensed therapist for help.

When You're Present, Be PresentYou've likely had a time when your loved one was talking to you, but you only half-heard them because you were thinking about work. Being present doesn't mean just physically being there. Relationships can be strained by mental and emotional absence. Practicing mindfulness techniques can help you remain actively engaged when you are around your loved ones and can, in turn, keep them wanting to be actively engaged with you.

Relationships do not have to suffer due to demanding jobs. Focusing on quality time spent together without the emotional and mental burdens work can place on you looming overhead can create balance in your relationships.