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Create a better work-life balance: a tidy wooden desk by a window at dusk with a closed laptop to one side, an open paper diary and pen, and a cup of herbal tea beside a potted plant

Stress & Relaxation

Create a Better Work–Life Balance

Work-life balance means having enough time and energy for work, for the people you care about and for rest, without one crowding out the others. This page covers the practical side: working hours, boundaries, flexibility, recovery time and caring duties, and says plainly where the research is strong (very long hours and health) and where it is thin (most advice on balance itself).

General information, not medical advice. Last updated October 31, 2026. Written by the AlternativeMed editorial team. Not medically reviewed.

Start here

  • Count your real week for seven days: paid work, commuting, work done at home or on a phone, caring, and rest. Most people are surprised, and the numbers make the next step concrete.
  • Pick one boundary you can keep, such as a fixed finishing time or no work messages in one evening block, and tell the people it affects.
  • Put one recovery block in your diary each week, as firmly as you would a meeting: time off work with your mind off work too.

Be careful with

  • Regularly working 55 hours or more a week is linked in large studies with higher stroke and heart risk. If that is your pattern, treat reducing it as a health matter, not a personal-development project.
  • Balance advice can quietly become one more thing to do perfectly. Small, repeatable changes beat a total reorganisation that you drop in a fortnight.
  • Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine because of work stress; talk with the prescriber. If you have chest pain, sudden weakness, face droop or speech trouble, seek emergency care at once.

Get help when

  • Chest pain, breathlessness, a sudden severe headache, weakness on one side, a drooping face or slurred speech: emergency care, whatever your work pressure.
  • Exhaustion, dread of work or feeling detached from it that does not lift with rest: see the burnout page and speak with a doctor.
  • Low mood, constant worry, panic, trouble sleeping most nights or using alcohol to cope with work: speak with a doctor or a mental health professional.
  • Being unable to cut hours or workload because of an employer's demands that you believe are unsafe: in the UK the Health and Safety Executive describes what employers must do about work stress; elsewhere, ask your occupational health service, union or labour authority.
  • If you are a carer who is worn out, ask your local council or health service about a carer's assessment and respite care.

About Create a Better Work–Life Balance

What this goal means

Work-life balance is not an equal split of hours. It is the sense that your time and energy are shared well enough between paid work, home, caring, friends and rest. Researchers describe the opposite as work-family conflict: work getting in the way of family life, or family demands getting in the way of work. A meta-analysis of 427 effect sizes found both directions were consistently linked with worse work, family and general outcomes.

This goal is about the structure of your week: hours, boundaries, flexibility, recovery time and caring load. Calming the mind in the moment, dealing with a general feeling of overload and winding down on a given evening have their own pages.

1

Common experiences

Typical signs are working later than you meant to most days, checking messages at the dinner table or in bed, being physically at home but mentally at work, little time that is truly your own, missing family or social events, or feeling guilty at work about home and at home about work.

Many people also find the pressure comes from two directions at once: a demanding job and caring for children, a partner or an older relative.

1,2

What contributes

The main contributors are the number of hours and how fixed they are, how much control you have over when and where you work, a workplace culture that expects instant replies, long commutes, work that follows you home through a phone, and the unpaid load of care at home. The UK Health and Safety Executive treats work-related stress as something employers must assess and act on, which is a reminder that workload is a work-design issue as well as a personal one.

The NHS describes loss of control as one of the main causes of stress and low wellbeing, and notes that many people work long hours and do not spend enough time on things they enjoy.

3,4

Conditions that can be linked

Very long working hours are linked with stroke and coronary heart disease in large cohort studies. Burnout, anxiety, low mood and sleep trouble can both result from, and worsen, an unbalanced life. These conditions are not diagnosed on this page; see the linked condition and goal pages, and speak with a clinician if they sound familiar.

Caring for a frail relative carries its own health load: a meta-analysis of 84 articles found caregivers had more depression and stress than non-caregivers, with a small difference in physical health.

5,2

Realistic expectations

This is an evidence-limited topic. The best research is about the harms of very long hours, and about workplace programs studied in a few settings. There are few good trials of personal tips such as time-blocking or digital curfews, so what is offered here is practical, low-risk and honest about its uncertainty.

Not everything is in your control. A boundary that you can keep is worth more than a perfect rule you cannot, and some jobs, caring duties or money pressures limit what is possible. Aim for a small, real improvement, then reassess.

6,7

Who this applies to

Employees, self-employed people, people working from home, parents and carers combining work with caring, and anyone whose job spills into evenings and weekends. Shift workers have a dedicated sleep page; people with a serious illness, a disability or a job that cannot be reduced may need adapted advice from their own clinician or employer.

3

Related conditions and symptoms

Burnout: signs, recovery and work factors → Anxiety disorders → Insomnia →

A manageable starting plan

An educational starting point, not a personal prescription. Adjust it to your own situation and any advice from your clinician.

Your first actions

  • Log one week of real hours, including commuting, evening messages and caring.
  • If you work 55 hours or more most weeks, treat cutting back as a health priority and talk to your manager.
  • Choose one boundary you can keep and tell the people it affects.
  • Book one recovery block a week and keep leave days work-free.

Optional additions

  • Ask for more say over when or where you work.
  • Start a shared list of caring tasks and ask about a carer's assessment.
  • Add a short end-of-day routine to help you switch off.
  • Plan something enjoyable first each week, then fit work around it.

What to track

  • Hours worked each week and how many evenings/weekends you worked.
  • Number of days you kept your boundary.
  • Sleep, energy, mood and any warning signs such as chest pain or breathlessness.
  • Time spent on things you value.

When to reassess

Give one change about two weeks, then adjust. If your hours stay very long, or you feel exhausted, low or anxious despite changes, speak with your doctor and ask about workplace options.

When to seek professional support

  • See a doctor for chest pain, breathlessness, one-sided weakness or other warning signs, or if stress, low mood or poor sleep keep going.
  • Ask your manager, HR, occupational health or union about workload and flexibility.
  • If you care for someone, ask your council or health service about a carer's assessment and respite.
  • For switching off in the evening and for burnout, see the linked goal pages.

What helps

Ordered by how well the research supports each step. Evidence strength is shown on every card; precautions sit next to the advice.

Start here

Know your real hours and cap the long weeks

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Lower risk of the harms linked to very long hours

Why it may help: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 603,838 people (Lancet, 2015) found that working 55 hours or more a week, compared with 35 to 40, was linked with a 33 percent higher risk of stroke (relative risk 1.33) and a 13 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease (1.13). For stroke, risk rose step by step with hours: 1.10 for 41 to 48 hours, 1.27 for 49 to 54 and 1.33 for 55 or more. WHO and ILO estimate that long working hours were behind 745,194 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016.

How to apply it: For a week or two, log all work time, including commuting, evening e-mails and weekend tasks. If you regularly exceed 48 to 55 hours, treat bringing it down as a health goal: ask for a workload review, drop or delegate tasks, or plan a recovery week after a deadline push.

Who it may suit: Anyone who regularly works more than a standard week, especially 55 hours or more.

Precautions: These are observational studies, so they show a link rather than proof of cause, and hours were self-reported. A shorter week does not remove other risk factors; ask your doctor to check blood pressure and heart-health basics if your hours are long.

5,8,9

Understanding stress →

Set one boundary you can keep

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Clearer separation between work and the rest of life

Why it may help: In a group-randomized trial in an information technology workplace, an initiative that trained supervisors to support employees' personal lives and prompted staff to rethink when and where they work led to modest but statistically significant improvements in work-family conflict and family time adequacy, with larger changes in schedule control and supervisor support. It did not increase work hours or perceived job demands.

How to apply it: Choose a single, specific rule: a finishing time, notifications off after a set hour, one evening a week with no work at all, or a lunch break away from your desk. Say it aloud to the colleagues, clients or family it affects, and review in two weeks.

Who it may suit: Employees and self-employed people whose work leaks into evenings and weekends.

Precautions: The trial tested a workplace program in one industry, not individual willpower. Some jobs need on-call cover; agree arrangements openly rather than going silent.

6

Switch Off After Work →

Use control over your schedule where you have it

Low certainty

Addresses: Less strain from competing demands, when the flexibility is your choice

Why it may help: A Cochrane review of 10 studies found tentatively that flexible working that increases worker control and choice, such as self-scheduling of shifts or gradual retirement, was likely to benefit health, while flexibility driven by employer needs, such as involuntary part-time work or fixed-term contracts, gave equivocal or negative effects. The evidence was limited by short follow-up and self-reported outcomes.

How to apply it: Ask what you can shift: start and finish times, a compressed week, breaks, days at home or a predictable rota. Frame requests around outcomes and trial them for a few weeks.

Who it may suit: People whose employer or job allows any choice over timing or place.

Precautions: Flexibility that is imposed is not the same as flexibility that you choose. Working from home can also blur boundaries, so pair it with a clear finish.

7,10

Understanding stress →

Additional options

Protect real time off and detach from work

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Better recovery and well-being after work and on holiday

Why it may help: A meta-analysis of 30 studies (3,725 people) found interventions to improve psychological detachment from work had an average small-to-moderate positive effect (d = 0.36), with longer, higher-dose programs working better. A 2025 meta-analysis of 32 vacation studies found vacation had a large effect on well-being that did not fade as quickly as once thought, with psychological detachment and physical activity during the break looking most helpful.

How to apply it: Plan a clear end to the working day (a short walk, a change of clothes, a written list for tomorrow), keep leave days free of work, and do something absorbing or physical in your time off. The evening-detachment goal has its own page.

Who it may suit: Anyone who thinks about work through the evening or never fully takes leave.

Precautions: Most of this research is on workers in particular settings and relies on self-report; effects on long-term health are not shown.

11,12

Switch Off After Work →

Share the caring load and ask for support

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Less strain for people combining work and care

Why it may help: A meta-analysis of 84 articles found people caring for a frail older adult reported more depression, stress and lower well-being than non-caregivers, with larger differences for dementia caregivers. The NHS social care guide describes carer's assessments, support from local councils and respite care for carers.

How to apply it: Write down the caring tasks, split what you can with family, ask your council or health service for a carer's assessment, and ask whether respite care is available so you get regular breaks. Tell your employer if you can; some workplaces have carers' leave or flexible arrangements.

Who it may suit: People who care for a relative, partner or child with extra needs while also working.

Precautions: Support rules differ by country. This page cannot judge a person's care needs; if caring is overwhelming, speak with your doctor.

2,13

Keep time for people and activities you enjoy

Low certainty

Addresses: Protection against the loss of control and joy that overwork brings

Why it may help: The NHS stress guide advises taking control of what you can, connecting with other people, being active and setting aside a couple of nights a week for time away from work. These are common-sense recommendations rather than the result of trials on work-life balance.

How to apply it: Schedule the pleasant things first: a call, a class, a walk or a hobby session. Protect them like appointments rather than hoping to find spare time.

Who it may suit: Anyone whose free time is the first thing to give way.

Precautions: Do not pile on new commitments; replace rather than add if your week is already full.

4

Everyday habits for stress →

Tidy up the work-from-home set-up

Very low certainty

Addresses: Fewer blurred boundaries when home is the office

Why it may help: A systematic review of 14 studies (22,919 people) judged the evidence on telework from home and health as low or very low quality and scarce. An umbrella review of six reviews found mixed findings for nearly every theme and stressed that flexibility, not a one-size rule, matters.

How to apply it: Work in a set place if you can, start and end on a routine, and put the laptop out of sight at the end of the day.

Who it may suit: People who work from home all or part of the week.

Precautions: Evidence is thin and mixed; what works varies by home, job and family.

14,10

Still being studied

Workplace programs that add schedule control and supervisor support

Low certainty

Addresses: Modest drops in work-family conflict; cardiometabolic benefit in some groups

Why it may help: The Work, Family and Health Network trials reported modest improvements in work-family conflict in IT workers. In a later analysis of IT and long-term care employees (n = 1,528) there was no overall effect on cardiometabolic risk score, but employees with a higher baseline score and older employees improved at 12 months.

How to apply it: This is delivered by employers rather than by individuals; you can ask HR or your manager whether such options exist.

Who it may suit: Employers and employees in settings where such programs are offered.

Precautions: Findings come from two industries in one country, and the main cardiometabolic result was null.

6,15

Interventions targeting psychological detachment

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Small to moderate gains in switching off

Why it may help: The 30-study meta-analysis found positive effects of interventions on detachment from work and larger effects for longer programs and for people with initial recovery problems.

How to apply it: Typically structured training or coaching programs in workplaces or online, over several weeks.

Who it may suit: Employees who find it hard to switch off.

Precautions: Programs differ widely; benefits for long-term health have not been shown.

11

Switch Off After Work →

Cutting hours in the long-hours group

Low certainty

Addresses: Plausibly lower stroke and heart risk, not directly tested

Why it may help: The evidence that long hours raise stroke and heart risk comes from cohort studies. There are no large trials that assign people to shorter hours and track strokes, so the benefit of reducing hours is an inference.

How to apply it: If your hours are long and you can reduce them, do so alongside regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

Who it may suit: People regularly working 55 hours or more.

Precautions: Observational evidence cannot prove that reducing hours prevents strokes.

5,8

Food & nutrition

Food and drink

No food, drink or nutrient has been shown to improve work-life balance. Food cannot change your hours, boundaries or caring load.

What the NHS does say is practical: do not rely on alcohol, smoking or caffeine as your way of coping with stress, because they may bring short relief but add problems. That includes the extra coffee that keeps a long day going and the drink that ends it.

Regular meals, enough water and real lunch breaks are sensible in a long day. They support energy but are not part of the research on balance, so no claim is made for them.

4

Remedies & supplements

Traditional use, laboratory findings and human trials are kept apart. "Natural" does not mean safe.

We did not find a remedy or supplement with reliable human evidence for this goal in the sources we read. Be cautious of any product that promises a result, and read the "What to avoid" tab for claims that do not hold up.

Therapies & care

Established care here is mostly about the workplace and the person: workload and hours, a conversation with a manager or occupational health service, a doctor or mental health professional if stress, burnout, low mood or anxiety are present, and carer support for people with caring duties. This page does not recommend medicines or doses, and you should not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Workplace workload and flexibility review

Low certainty

Workplace and occupational health Asking your manager, HR or occupational health service for a workload review, a change of hours or a more predictable schedule. In the UK, the HSE describes work-related stress as something employers must assess and act on.

Who it may suit: Employees with unmanageable hours or demands.

Precautions: Keep a record of hours and requests; if you feel unsafe raising it, talk with a union representative or a labour authority.

3,6,7

Carer's assessment and respite care

Low certainty

Social care support The NHS social care guide describes carer's assessments, support from local councils and respite care for people who look after someone.

Who it may suit: People who combine work with caring.

Precautions: Services differ by country and council; check what applies where you live.

13

Seeing a doctor or mental health professional

Not enough evidence

Medical and psychological care If long-running stress, exhaustion, low mood, anxiety or poor sleep go with an unbalanced life, a doctor can check for physical causes and talk through options such as talking therapies. Burnout and sleep have their own pages.

Who it may suit: Anyone whose symptoms last or interfere with daily life.

Precautions: Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber.

4

Recover From Burnout →

What to avoid

Habits, products and claims that can get in the way. Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to the professional who prescribed it.

Risks that apply to most people

Regularly working 55 hours a week or more without recovery

Moderate certainty

Why: Large combined studies link 55 or more hours a week with higher stroke and coronary heart disease risk, and WHO and ILO name long hours a significant occupational health risk.

Who it applies to: Anyone working very long weeks, especially for years.

Try instead: Plan caps, recovery weeks and workload review; get blood pressure and heart-health checks.

5,8,9

Letting work run into all your off hours

Moderate certainty

Why: Detachment studies show that people benefit when they can mentally switch off, and a workplace trial found schedule control and supervisor support reduced work-family conflict.

Who it applies to: Anyone who answers messages at all hours.

Try instead: Set a finishing time and a short wind-down routine.

11,6

Switch Off After Work →

Treating all flexibility as good

Low certainty

Why: Cochrane found that choice-driven flexibility seemed beneficial, while employer-driven arrangements such as involuntary part-time or fixed-term work had equivocal or negative effects.

Who it applies to: People offered flexible terms that mainly benefit the employer.

Try instead: Look for control over your own time, and ask what changes in workload come with it.

7

Personal triggers to check

Constant availability by phone

Low certainty

Why: Work on a phone blurs the edge of the working day; WHO's Director-General noted that teleworking often blurs the boundaries between home and work.

Who it applies to: Anyone with work e-mail or chat apps on a personal phone.

Try instead: Mute work apps out of hours or use a separate work profile if allowed.

9

Unclear expectations about out-of-hours replies

Low certainty

Why: Supervisor support for personal life was one of the two levers in the workplace trial that reduced work-family conflict.

Who it applies to: Teams with no stated norms.

Try instead: Agree response times with your manager and team.

6

Caring and working with no backup

Moderate certainty

Why: Caregivers had more stress and depression than non-caregivers in a meta-analysis of 84 articles.

Who it applies to: People with no respite, shared caring or workplace flexibility.

Try instead: Ask for a carer's assessment, shared tasks and breaks.

2,13

Products that need caution

Time-saving gadgets and apps sold as a cure for overload

Not enough evidence

Why: No trials show that productivity apps, planners or tracking gadgets improve work-life balance or health. Tools can help you plan, but extra systems also add to the load.

Who it applies to: Anyone tempted to buy a new system instead of changing the workload.

Try instead: Start with a simple paper or phone calendar and one boundary.

Unsupported claims

"Balance is an equal split of hours"

Not enough evidence

Why: There is no evidence for a magic ratio. The research looks at too-long hours, conflict between roles, control over time and recovery, not at a 50/50 split.

Who it applies to: Anyone chasing a perfect formula.

Try instead: Aim for enough rest, relationships and control, judged by how you function and feel.

1

"Working from home automatically fixes balance"

Low certainty

Why: A review of telework found the evidence for health effects scarce and low quality, and an umbrella review found mixed findings for nearly every theme.

Who it applies to: People who expect remote work to solve overload.

Try instead: Combine it with a clear start, a clear finish and a defined workspace.

14,10

"Long hours are harmless if you enjoy your work"

Moderate certainty

Why: The stroke and coronary heart disease findings come from hours worked, not from job satisfaction. Enjoying your work may help how you feel but is not shown to remove the risk.

Who it applies to: Enthusiastic high-hours workers.

Try instead: Enjoy the job and still cap the hours.

5

Common mistakes

Making a big overhaul all at once

Not enough evidence

Why: Studies of balance interventions are about modest changes. Large plans are hard to keep and can themselves cause stress.

Who it applies to: Perfectionists and people in a crisis week.

Try instead: Make one change, hold it for two weeks, then add another.

6

Using alcohol, smoking or caffeine to cope with a heavy week

Moderate certainty

Why: The NHS says these may provide temporary relief but in the long term create new problems.

Who it applies to: Anyone using them to push through or wind down.

Try instead: Use the practical steps above and see the page on caffeine, alcohol and sleep.

4

Caffeine, alcohol and sleep →

Ignoring health warning signs because work is busy

Moderate certainty

Why: Long hours are linked to stroke and heart disease, and some warning signs need urgent care.

Who it applies to: Anyone with chest pain, breathlessness or sudden weakness.

Try instead: Act on warning signs immediately and keep routine checks.

5,9

Evidence & safety

What the research shows

The strongest evidence is that working 55 hours or more a week is linked to higher risk of stroke and a smaller, still-significant risk of coronary heart disease; this is based on observational cohort studies. The evidence for depression is less clear: one analysis found a small association in Asia and Europe, and the WHO/ILO review judged the evidence inadequate. Evidence for personal tips on boundaries, schedules and time use is weak; workplace trials suggest modest gains in work-family conflict, and detachment interventions help a little. Overall certainty for how to create better balance is low.

Limits of the evidence

  • Long-hours studies are observational, with self-reported hours, so cause and effect are not proven.
  • The Lancet analysis covered Europe, the USA and Australia, so it may not apply everywhere.
  • The depression evidence is mixed: Virtanen found an overall odds ratio of 1.14 (stronger in Asia, none in North America or Australia), while the WHO/ILO review pooled 1.08 for 55 hours or more and judged the evidence inadequate.
  • Most flexible-work studies are short, use self-report and were done in particular workplaces.
  • There are few trials of personal strategies such as time-blocking or digital curfews, and none are claimed here.

Precautions and interactions

  • Seek care promptly for chest pain, breathlessness, sudden weakness, face droop or speech problems.
  • Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine because of work stress without speaking to your prescriber.
  • Using alcohol or sedatives to cope with work pressure can cause harm; talk with your doctor.
  • If you have a health condition or disability, ask your doctor or occupational health service about adjustments.

Life-stage considerations

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: ask your midwife, doctor or employer about hours and adjustments; this page does not set limits.
  • Parents of young children: caring load is often the largest unpaid work; share it where you can.
  • Older workers: the WHO/ILO estimates show most deaths linked to long hours occurred in people aged 60 to 79 who had worked long hours in their middle years.
  • Carers: a meta-analysis found more depression and stress in caregivers, so ask for support early.
  • Young workers and students: very long hours alongside study can be hard to sustain; watch sleep and mood.

Warning signs

  • Chest pain, breathlessness, sudden severe headache, weakness on one side, face droop or slurred speech: emergency care.
  • Exhaustion, dread of work or feeling numb or detached that does not ease with rest.
  • Low mood, hopelessness, constant worry or panic.
  • Trouble sleeping most nights, or using alcohol or other substances to cope.

Claim checks

Working very long hours raises the risk of stroke

Moderate certainty

Supported by observational evidence. Working 55 hours or more a week was linked with a 33 percent higher stroke risk compared with a standard week, and the risk rose with hours.

5,8

Long hours cause depression

Low certainty

Unclear. Pooled results are small and inconsistent, and the WHO/ILO review judged the evidence inadequate to assess harm.

16,17

Flexible working always improves health

Low certainty

Not supported. Flexibility that workers choose or control looked beneficial, while employer-driven flexibility had mixed or negative effects, in limited studies.

7

Working from home is better for health

Very low certainty

Unproven. Reviews found scarce, mixed and low-quality evidence.

14,10

A holiday cannot help, because the benefit fades in days

Moderate certainty

Newer evidence suggests holiday effects on well-being are larger and last longer than once thought, with detachment and activity most helpful.

12

Looking after a relative has no effect on health

Moderate certainty

Not supported. A meta-analysis found more depression and stress in caregivers, with small physical health differences.

2

Questions people ask

What does work-life balance actually mean?

It means having enough time and energy for work, home, relationships and rest. Researchers study it as work-family conflict, which has two directions (work interfering with family, and family interfering with work) and was linked with worse outcomes in a meta-analysis of 427 effect sizes.

How many hours a week is too many?

The best-known evidence compares 55 hours or more with a standard 35 to 40 hour week. In 603,838 people, long hours were linked with a 33 percent higher stroke risk and a 13 percent higher coronary heart disease risk, and stroke risk rose gradually from 41 hours upwards. There is no single safe number for everyone.

Do long hours cause heart attacks and strokes?

The research is observational, so it shows a link rather than proof of cause. The stroke link stayed after the authors addressed reverse causation and other risk factors, and WHO and ILO treat long hours as an occupational risk factor.

Do long hours cause depression?

Evidence is mixed. One analysis found a small overall association for 55 hours or more (odds ratio 1.14), mainly in Asia and Europe. The WHO/ILO review judged the evidence inadequate to assess harm, so it cannot be called settled.

Does flexible working improve health?

A Cochrane review found tentative benefits when workers had real control over scheduling, and equivocal or negative effects when flexibility was driven by the employer. The evidence is limited.

Is working from home good for balance?

It depends. A systematic review of telework found the health evidence scarce and low quality, and an umbrella review found mixed results. A clear start, finish and workspace help many people.

How can I switch off after work?

Detachment interventions had small to moderate positive effects in a meta-analysis of 30 studies. The page on switching off after work covers evening routines in detail.

Do holidays really help?

A 2025 meta-analysis of 32 studies found that vacation had a large effect on well-being that lasted longer than previously thought, with mental detachment and physical activity looking most beneficial.

I care for a relative as well as work. What can I do?

Ask your council or health service about a carer's assessment and respite care, share tasks where you can, and speak with your doctor if you feel worn down. A meta-analysis found caregivers had more depression and stress than non-caregivers.

Is this the same as burnout?

No. Balance is about how time and energy are shared; burnout is a state of exhaustion and detachment from work. If you feel burnt out, see the burnout page and speak with a doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

For chest pain, breathlessness or sudden weakness, urgently. Otherwise if exhaustion, low mood, anxiety or poor sleep persist, or you use alcohol to cope.

References

  1. Amstad FT, et al. A meta-analysis of work-family conflict and various outcomes with a special emphasis on cross-domain versus matching-domain relations. J Occup Health Psychol. 2011. PMID 21280939. source
  2. Pinquart M, Sörensen S. Differences between caregivers and noncaregivers in psychological health and physical health: a meta-analysis. Psychol Aging. 2003. PMID 12825775. source
  3. Health and Safety Executive (UK). Stress and mental health at work. Read 2026-10-31. source
  4. NHS. 10 stress busters. Read 2026-10-31. source
  5. Kivimäki M, et al. Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished data for 603,838 individuals. Lancet. 2015;386(10005):1739-46. PMID 26298822. source
  6. Kelly EL, et al. Changing work and work-family conflict: evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Network. Am Sociol Rev. 2014. PMID 25349460. source
  7. Joyce K, et al. Flexible working conditions and their effects on employee health and wellbeing. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010. PMID 20166100. source
  8. Pega F, et al. Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000-2016: WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. Environ Int. 2021;154:106595. PMID 34011457. source
  9. WHO and ILO. Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke. Joint news release, 17 May 2021. Read 2026-10-31. source
  10. Hall CE, et al. Experiences of working from home: umbrella review. J Occup Health. 2024. PMID 38258944. source
  11. Karabinski T, et al. Interventions for improving psychological detachment from work: a meta-analysis. J Occup Health Psychol. 2021. PMID 34096763. source
  12. Grant RS, et al. I need a vacation: a meta-analysis of vacation and employee well-being. J Appl Psychol. 2025. PMID 39836131. source
  13. NHS. Social care and support guide: support and benefits for carers. Read 2026-10-31. source
  14. Lunde LK, et al. The relationship between telework from home and employee health: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2022. PMID 34996400. source
  15. Berkman LF, et al. Employee cardiometabolic risk following a cluster-randomized workplace intervention from the Work, Family and Health Network, 2009-2013. Am J Public Health. 2023;113(12):1322-1331. PMID 37939328. source
  16. Virtanen M, et al. Long working hours and depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2018;44(3):239-250. PMID 29423526. source
  17. Rugulies R, et al. The effect of exposure to long working hours on depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. Environ Int. 2021;155:106629. PMID 34144478. source

Related on AlternativeMed

Related goals

Switch Off After Work → Recover From Burnout → Manage Everyday Stress → Feel Less Overwhelmed → Build Resilience to Stress → Build a Healthy Sleep Schedule →

Research, safety and claim-check resources

Understanding stress → Everyday habits for stress: sleep, connection, workload and boundaries → Caffeine, alcohol and sleep → Relaxation techniques →