By Rita M. Rivera PsyD
Protect your basic needs and reclaim time for health and self-fulfillment.
In a world that often prioritizes work productivity over well-being, shifting to a life/work balance mindset is essential for enjoying a more meaningful, healthy life.
This approach does not devalue work—it acknowledges its role in providing resources and stability—but emphasizes that personal growth and well-being must come first. Your identity is not limited to your job title or professional responsibilities; you are a multifaceted individual with passions and needs beyond work.
How to Shift the Balance
Adopting a life/work balance mindset requires intentional action. It will not happen by default in a world that still centralizes and prioritizes work. Here are some practical steps that can help you start shifting the balance.
1. Remember you are human—you do not need to “earn” basic needs.
One of the most harmful beliefs is that our basic needs, such as rest and sleep, must be “earned” through productivity or hard work. This creates a cycle where your human needs become conditional on work. For instance, you feel guilty taking a break unless you have completed all your tasks, or you reschedule a meal until you complete a task. This mindset can lead to exhaustion, as work demands are often endless, devaluing the importance of satisfying our needs. Instead, consider reframing sleeping, eating, exercising, and resting as necessary components of our daily routines and overall health and functioning.
2. Set boundaries and prioritize your health.
Protect your personal time by setting clear guidelines and limits around work. This might mean turning off email notifications after hours or designating specific times for work and nonwork activities. Setting boundaries may also involve learning to say “no” to extra tasks or projects that exceed your capacity, especially outside of regular working hours, and making an effort to protect your personal time, including lunch.
Make physical and mental health a nonnegotiable priority. Schedule regular meals, rest, physical activity, relaxation, sleep, and mental health check-ins in your daily routine. Treat these health-related activities—whether they involve exercise, sleep, or meal times—as important appointments that cannot be skipped or postponed. By doing so, you honor, protect, and meet your needs, laying the foundation for long-term success and well-being, both in your personal and professional life. When you invest in your health, you are investing in your ability to show up as your best self in all areas of life.
3. Engage in personal development and self-fulfillment.
Dedicate time to hobbies, learning, and self-reflection. In my clinical practice, it is common to encounter people who express uncertainty when asked about their hobbies or interests. They might say things like, “I wouldn’t even know what to do with free time,” or “I’ve been so focused on work, I don’t know what things I like to do,” or “I don’t have time for fun.” This sentiment is not unusual, mainly if work, family responsibilities, or other commitments have dominated our schedules for extended periods. If this resonates with you, first recognize that it is perfectly OK to feel this way.
Often, we are so accustomed to our routines or obligations that we forget—or never had the chance to discover—what truly sparks our passion. Instead of viewing this realization as a problem, we can reframe it as an opportunity to explore, experiment, and rediscover our interests.
Consider this: You are a multifaceted individual with various roles and responsibilities, including but not exclusively work-related ones. As previously discussed, your identity is not defined solely by your job, responsibilities, or work title. If you were to introduce yourself, what else could you say besides what you do for a living? This is a chance to explore who you are beyond the confines of your work life—to rediscover passions, interests, and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, which are also some of our human needs.
4. Communicate your needs.
There is no one specific way to communicate your needs when it comes to life/work balance, and it is important to recognize that different approaches can work (or not!) depending on your situation. For instance, you might frame the conversation in a way that highlights how prioritizing balance benefits you and your workplace productivity. Alternatively, you could give specific examples, such as stating that you do not check emails after work hours or simply setting a boundary without offering a detailed explanation. Remember, you do not owe anyone a justification for what measures you follow to care for yourself and your health.
That said, these conversations can be challenging and intimidating, especially when power dynamics or workplace hierarchies are at play. In these cases, it can be helpful to first communicate your needs with your support systems—such as loved ones, trusted peers, or coworkers—and gradually work your way up. You might also find allies in the workplace, perhaps a coworker you trust or a supervisor with whom you have a close relationship, to support your efforts.
Ultimately, engaging in these dialogues can feel challenging and uncomfortable, but it is worth the effort. You deserve respect, including having your basic needs met and ensuring that others respect those boundaries. Lastly, recognize that your version of balance may not align with societal expectations or may not resemble your peers’ versions, and that is OK. What matters most is finding a balance that works for your individual needs and reality. It is a process; you can always make changes as you see fit.
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Concluding Thoughts
Developing and maintaining life/work balance is not about dismissing the importance of work but about recognizing that your identity extends far beyond your professional role. Work can support the life you want to live, but it should not define or consume it. By reframing well-being as essential—not earned—you begin to recognize and integrate what truly matters in your daily routine.
Setting boundaries and prioritizing health, both physical and mental, will allow you to show up more fully across all domains of life, including work. Remember, it can be tempting to measure our value by our work productivity, but engaging in self-reflection and personal growth is also productive because it is conducive to overall health and well-being.
Ultimately, life/work balance is an ongoing process—one that empowers you to thrive personally and professionally by reminding you of your humanity and placing it at the center of it all.