There is an adage that you should work to live, not live to work. To put it another way, there is more to life than work. Obviously, many people do see their work as a priority and feel they need to work excessively long hours whilst being reluctant to take their full entitlement to annual leave. However, they are not just short changing them self by taking this attitude. They can end up being a drain on their employers.

A good work/life balance pays dividends. Here are some of the benefits that arise when someone takes the time to manage their personal development outside their employment.

Studies have found that these employees have more loyalty and commitment to their employer if they feel they are being valued and treated well. This means that staff retention if higher, thus keeping the costs of recruitment down.

If an employee’s psychological and physical health is good they are far more likely to have good relationships with their co-workers. Similarly they will produce better work both in terms of quantity and quality.

Employees need to think about their values and consider what is really important to them. They should also spend time thinking about their health.