APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.
Here, Karren gives advice to a reader who is struggling to balance work and family life.
Q) I’ve worked my way up at my current company, and I am now a manager with a fair amount of responsibility, which is what I’ve always wanted.
However, I feel completely burnt out.
I have a busy family life outside of work and my job seems to bleed into family time far too much – I’m often replying to emails at 10pm!
I don’t know how to pull myself out of the exhaustion and overwhelm I currently feel, as I can’t see the wood for the trees.
Do you have any tips?
Ciara, via email
A) Feeling burnt out is more common than you might think, and acknowledging it is the first step towards regaining balance.
To start with, it’s worth exploring what support your company can offer, so reach out to someone at work – your boss, HR or a trusted colleague – and ask if there are any resources available that could help, such as counselling services or stress-management workshops.
Secondly, set clear boundaries between work and personal life.
It’s crucial to define when your work day starts and ends, so you don’t feel obligated to respond to emails late at night.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”West Ham chief Karren Brady has her say on VAR in Premier League and predicts ‘a season of anger and confusion'” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6360940658112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]If something can wait, let it. Trust your team and delegate more tasks.
It may feel difficult at first, but your team is there to help, and they may surprise you with how well they handle things.
Finally, take care of your physical health – exercise, eat well and get enough sleep.
A healthy body leads to a healthier mind, and when you’re physically well, you’ll be better equipped to handle stress.
Success in your career doesn’t mean sacrificing your personal life.
By making small adjustments to how you manage your workload, you’ll create more balance and feel less overwhelmed.
You’ve got this!
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email [email protected].