With the plethora of communication channels at our disposal, it’s becoming increasingly tougher to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Merly Kammerling has some suggestions that may help restore the equilibrium.

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The reality is that, for most of us, the lines between our personal and professional lives are more porous and off-kilter than ever before. With the advent of communication channels such as email, WhatsApp, and other methods for receiving direct messages, the boom of ‘infobesity’ has led to doom scrolling, nomophobia (phone addiction) and, as a result, the term ‘always-on’ has become the norm. 

‘Always-on culture’ refers to being constantly available and responsive to social media, notifications and prolonged periods of engagement with our devices. Here are some questions to consider: 

• Do you ever feel that you lose significant amounts of time mindlessly checking apps or browsing the internet on your phone without really realising?

• Is your phone the first thing you grab for when you wake up in the morning?

• Are the lines blurred between the official times you are required to be available via devices outside of working hours, and where you have fallen into an unhealthy habit of reading work notifications when there are no other distractions?

• Do you sleep with your phone and/or lose sleep due to phone use?

• Does being always-on negatively impact how you feel? 

If you answered yes to most or all of the above and you want to take switching off more seriously, then this article is for you – and you are not alone. 

While there are many benefits and pleasures in being ‘on’, the flip side is that excessive use of electronic devices can dysregulate us by impacting the emotional, behavioural and physical aspects of our wellbeing, such as emotional instability, sleep disruption and reduced motivation.

Additionally, a study conducted by Hamburg University concluded that not fully disconnecting from work can reduce focus and productivity during actual work hours, as lingering distractions from previous or upcoming tasks persist. Over time, it can significantly impact one’s stamina, performance and work quality. It can also lead to feelings of being overworked and burnout.

What we are finally acknowledging within the wellbeing sphere is that work-life balance is best understood as a continuous cycle of adjustments and refinements rather than a one-time achievement. This cycle applies to both individuals and businesses: 

WHAT CAN WE DO AS INDIVIDUALS?

For bartenders and others who work mainly antisocial hours, this information may only cause more pressure and confusion about how we can create some space to switch off . However, it’s not impossible, and some small and consistent actions that compound over days, weeks and months can create profoundly important protective factors regarding your time and energy. 

For example, if you feel that your constant availability for work is causing unhappiness and fatigue, consider making simple changes, such as turning off work notifications before bed and placing your phone in a different room. This way, you won't be disturbed in the morning upon waking.

Other ways to switch off could be to:

• Establish specific times during the day/evening to check work emails and consciously avoid checking them outside your official time off .

• Delegate if/where possible. If something urgent arises outside of work hours, consider delegating the task to a colleague who is working.

• Consider taking a physical break from your phone, such as using a phone/device lock box or taking incrementally longer breaks from your phone while you go for a walk or eat a meal.

• Find pleasures that don’t include your phone or laptop. This can help you build tolerance for being without your phone and reclaim control of switching off and being more present for other activities or commitments. 

THE STRESS BUCKET

The ‘stress bucket’ is an alternative metaphor for our capacity to handle life’s demands and pressure. It’s directly relevant to work-life balance and being ‘always-on’ as it helps us understand that everyone’s bucket is a different size and the importance of switching off.

To prevent the bucket from overflowing, we need coping skills to handle what’s going on inside our bucket. Coping skills help us recharge our energy, regulate our emotions and return to a neutral and relaxed state, allowing us to manage the bucket filling up again.

WHAT CAN WE DO AS A BUSINESS? 

Set standards such as:

• Establishing clear time-off policies.

• Actively encouraging employees to turn off work notifications when they are not on shift.

• Communicating the purpose of the work group chat, as well as what it isn’t.

• Being clear on your expectations regarding employee availability on devices outside of working hours.

Be respectful and compromise

One size may not fit all. If you are a small team that can’t operate without contacting specific individuals who are not on shift or have a business that requires round-the-clock operations, then consider small compromises that increase the respect for your employees’ time away from work. For example, agree on a ‘contact hours’ schedule instead of the whole team being notified through group chats.

Be mindful of the amount of time off you are giving employees between shifts. Those on your team who are expected to work late shifts and then be available first thing the following morning to handle emails and other duties, even before their next shift begins, are likely to become fatigued and burn out quickly. Is there a compromise that enables the individual to take their time off and meet their tight demands? 

Lead by example

Our work habits, good or bad, are learned behaviour. Encourage the importance of time off , rest and boundaries by demonstrating this in real-life situations. These could include leaving devices outside of meetings with your team, allowing your team to navigate appropriate challenges on their own without relying on contacting you, and taking time away from the business yourself. 

The bottom line is that switching off allows for stress reduction, improved mental clarity and better physical health. It enables us to engage more fully in our personal lives and recharge for optimal performance. Work-life balance needs to be reconsidered and re-explained in more realistic terms, as the traditional definition is currently setting many of us up for failure. Like most things, work-life balance is an ongoing journey of trial and error, rather than a definitive destination. 

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Merly is the founder of Well & Being. Well & Being runs hospitality-specific Burnout Prevention & Recovery training for businesses. Visit wellandbeing.co.uk. To see the full Burnout 2025 Report, visit mentalhealth-uk.org/burnout/