By Urmi Hossain
I recently had the pleasure of joining a webinar organized by my team and me at Women in Leadership organization, a Canadian non-profit whose mission is to empower women to be the leaders leaders they are meant to be. The event was very interesting and insightful, and a lot of practical ideas were shared which I have implemented in my life.
As someone who works in the corporate space and who has been mentoring for many years, the topic of work-life balance and wellness shows up in many of my conversations. I often hear:
“I want to take a vacation, but I feel guilty.”
“I am feeling tired after work. I don’t feel like doing anything.”
“I spend my weekends doing house chores and never have time for myself.”
In many of my encounters, some of these struggles still persist, and they often arise from guilt, good girl syndrome, and cultural and societal expectations. Even in corporate spaces, we find ourselves putting ourselves last, preferring to stay quiet, and accepting when people take advantage of our time.
In the past, I had a particular instance where one of my former bosses kept me in a meeting much longer than required. Just to give you a bit of context, my office hours were 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. That particular day, my boss decided to show me a few things as part of my training, and we started the meeting a bit before 4:00 PM. However, when 5:00 PM hit, he continued the meeting, assuming that I was okay with staying over and that I had no other commitments. It was 5:40 PM when he finally asked me, “Am I keeping you too long?
That particular incident was a wake-up call about company culture and the people you surround yourself with. It gave me an idea of the type of workplace I did not want to be part of, especially one that did not respect my time and commitments. It was perhaps my mistake for not speaking up when I should have so that I could have left the office earlier.
However, as someone who had just started, I was more fearful of being perceived as not being a hard worker. Looking back, part of my hesitation came from wanting to be seen as hardworking and agreeable—something many women are conditioned to prioritize. Six weeks later, I quit, not because of the work itself, but because of the culture that had been created. Which brings me to an important question: How can we achieve a good state of well-being while working full-time in the corporate world?
1. Prioritize movement and step out of your office.
Do you have to spend hundreds of dollars on a gym membership? Maybe you are both a full-time mother and a full-time employee, and you don’t have time to go to the gym after work. In that case, you can simply move or walk during your lunch break. Make an effort to step out of your office, get some fresh air, move your body, and actually disconnect from work. I highly discourage spending your lunch hour in the office or eating at your desk. It doesn’t create the disconnect that we need to truly take a break from work. If the weather is nice, take advantage of it and get some vitamin D.
2. Use your personal days.
Depending on company policies, many organizations offer personal days—additional days that you can take besides your vacation days for personal reasons. These days are different from vacation days, and you can typically use them for anything: mental health, family emergencies, that time of the month, or simply not feeling well. If your company offers them, take them, even if it means staying home and recharging your batteries. Sometimes that’s all we need.
3. Participate in employee wellness programs.
Many companies offer wellness programs that include activities such as gym memberships, yoga classes, mental health support through therapy or counselling, healthy nutrition initiatives, and financial education seminars. Most of these programs are offered at no cost to employees, and some even incentivize participation through rewards or financial benefits. So take advantage of them.
4. Setting boundaries without feeling guilty.
As I mentioned before, your time outside of work is your time. If your work is done, you don’t need to stay extra hours to prove yourself, and it shouldn’t be expected either. It is important to set boundaries between your personal and professional life so that you can dedicate time to your interests and hobbies. A company that doesn’t value this sends a clear message about its priorities. If employee well-being consistently takes a back seat to performance, that should be a red flag. Be vocal about your boundaries and reinforce them each time someone crosses them.
5. Writing to feel better
Mental wellness and a peaceful mind are also part of overall well-being. Even when everything feels like it is falling apart, writing down your thoughts for just five minutes can bring you back to reality and create a sense of peace and presence. It can make you more aware of your feelings and emotions and help you feel less overwhelmed. There have been many studies on writing and journaling, and one of them suggests that identifying one positive thing from your day can help create a greater sense of peace.
