Social work is a rewarding and demanding profession, and it can be difficult to balance the job’s requirements with life outside of work. If you are considering a career in social work, here are some helpful tips and advice on improving how you manage your workload and create a better work-life balance.
Making time for yourself
It can be challenging, especially at first, to make time for yourself in a job that involves so much caring for others. However, there are some simple ways to ensure that you are taking care of your own well-being.
Making time for self-care is essential to ensure that you are taking care of yourself, as well as the well-being of those you are working with. It can be difficult to prioritize yourself in a job that is so focused on caring for others, but it is an important part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. You will struggle to help others if you can’t take proper care of your own needs.
Spring Arbor University has a lot of tips for social workers to practice self-care to ensure their physical, mental and emotional needs are taken care of. They also offer a Bachelor of Social Work degree in which all the coursework can be studied online.
Keeping in touch with other students after graduating will provide you with a solid support network, allowing you to share some of the things that are most effective in making time for yourself.
Making time for your own children
If you have children, it can be especially difficult to balance your work life with your family life. If you specifically work on cases involving children, this can make it even more difficult, knowing some of the worst things that can happen. However, it is important to be mentally present when you’re with your family so you can make the most of the time you spend together before you return to work.
Set a realistic schedule for yourself, including when you will work and when you will spend time with your family. Stick to it as much as possible, only straying from plans when necessary. If you do have to cancel plans, ensure you rearrange something as close as possible to what you were originally going to do. This means, for example, that if you have tickets to a sports event, you could buy tickets to the next sports event closely matching this, preferably with the same team or athletes and at the same level.
In addition to occasional big plans, small things like having a regular games night can be a great way for you to unwind and for the family to spend quality time together.
If you find that work is taking over the time you enjoy with your children, assess your responsibilities both at home and work, delegate tasks, or suggest compromises where you get to leave early occasionally in exchange for working late several times.
Finding ways to switch off
Some cases you work on as a social worker will be more challenging than others. Some of these can weigh on your mind at the end of the day, making it difficult to switch off. Over a longer period of time, this can affect your health, but thinking about other things is easier said than done. However, by finding what works for you, you can enjoy your personal life instead of feeling like you’re constantly at work, even when you’re not there.
For some people, taking a walk or listening to music can clear their mind, help them work off stress if they dance or keep a brisk pace, or just make them feel better by having nicer scenery around them. You could also try listening to different types of music beyond what you normally listen to. For example, classical music might help you relax or forget about some of the work-related issues on your mind, even if you don’t consider yourself to be a fan of classical music.
Getting enough sleep
Getting enough sleep may not seem like a priority if you have urgent cases, a family to spend time with, and various other commitments. However, it will help you function better and improve how effective you are in both your work and leisure time.
You’re more likely to make mistakes and be quicker to lose your temper if you don’t regularly get enough sleep. Neither of these are helpful, whether you are working on a complicated case, taking care of your own family, or catching up with friends.
People are more productive after sleeping. Each hour of work after a good night’s sleep will be more productive than several hours of working after insufficient sleep. Stick to a regular bedtime and wind down before going to bed. This might include enjoying a relaxing bath, listening to music, or meditating.
Doing a thorough job
Finding a balance between doing a thorough job but not letting it take over your life is something many social workers struggle with at some point in their careers. However, if you do your best during work hours, you are more likely to be able to relax outside of work knowing you’ve done everything you can. There will be less temptation to work outside of your contracted hours if there is nothing more for you to do until the following working day.
This also prevents thoughts about your work life from sneaking into your free time and gives your mind a break. When you are at work, you’ll be more likely to think clearly and come up with ideas to help your clients compared to if you’re constantly thinking about work-related problems both at work and away from it.
Food and exercise
Similar to getting enough sleep, your body and mind function better if you eat properly. This includes not skipping meals at work, taking time to cook healthy meals in the evenings or weekends, and not overindulging on foods that are high in fat and sugar as these will only provide short bursts of energy and will leave you feeling run down, both at home and work.
Taking homemade lunches to work can reduce the temptation to eat convenience or junk food. This ensures you can control your ingredients and choose healthier versions wherever possible. If you also have time to go to the gym before or after work, this can help improve your fitness and stamina, which means you have more energy for both your personal and professional life. It can also boost your mood and mental strength. Fitting in a gym session between finishing work and going home can give you the time you need to switch over from work mode to who you want to be outside of work.
Take regular breaks at work
Take regular breaks at work to recharge, even if it is only five or 10 minutes at a time. Your brain needs time to rest and can’t function as well if you constantly work through the day without a break, then go home and carry out all your commitments there. You risk burnout, mood swings and depression and could lose sight of the important reasons you chose social work, which are to help people and make a positive difference.
If you tend to forget to take breaks, set a reminder on your phone. Although you may not be able to drop everything when your phone alerts you, it can be a good prompt to take a short break at the next available opportunity.
Use this time to sit outside, have a friendly chat with a colleague, call a loved one, book tickets for an event for you and your family, play a game on your phone or just read a book that doesn’t require too much concentration.
Set realistic goals
Set realistic goals for yourself and assess them regularly. This shows you how much you have left to do and prevents you from spending too many late nights at work. If you know you’re on track, you can go home and relax with your family or see your friends. Most cases you work on will be time-consuming and last for a while. It’s impossible to achieve everything at once and having goals and specific targets stops you from trying to achieve the impossible in too short of a timeframe.
For example, when you are working on a complex case, you might set targets to contact a set number of outside organizations to set up additional help or support and have meetings with clients where you meet small milestones each time. This gives you a clearer timeline on the way to your larger goals.
Balancing being a social worker with life outside of work is difficult, but it is possible with the right strategies and techniques. Taking the time to prioritize yourself and your own wellbeing is essential so you can do the best job possible while still having a healthy work-life balance.