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Whether an expecting or experienced mother, there is always more to learn and be inspired by. These 10 books for working moms provide encouragement, advice and brutal honesty for the women trying to extract the core pleasures of this dual role without the unattainable ideals. These books are also for the working moms who just want to maintain their sanity.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-books-with-advice-for-working-moms">Books with advice for working moms</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-how-are-you-really-living-your-truth-one-answer-at-a-time">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/48ndBbc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How Are You, Really?: Living Your Truth One Answer at a Time</a></h3>



By Jenna Kutcher



Are you trying to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-balance-work-and-family-without-feeling-like-a-failure/">balance everything in your life</a>—your career, aspirations, family and friends—all at once without a break? As the idea of balance becomes more popular in the workplace, take a breath. Remember that it’s also an important aspect of your personal life, and stop trying to be such a high achiever that you forget who you are or what you want to do.



Author Jenna Kutcher knows the struggle of achieving success only to lose focus on balance and identity among the demands of her job and family. She wrote How Are You, Really? to help other high-achieving women create spacious, fulfilling lives. The three-part book discusses personal stories from Kutcher’s childhood, the benefits of finding a community and support system and how to find space in your life to live the way you desire.



So whether you’re a businesswoman trying to stay sane while having it all, a working mom looking to make more room in your life or even just someone who hasn’t been able to find the fulfillment they’ve been searching for, this book is here to help.



Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/books-by-influencers-worth-reading/">5 Must-Read Books by Influencers That Live Up to the Hype</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-ambitious-like-a-mother-why-prioritizing-your-career-is-good-for-your-kids">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/41vYjP6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ambitious Like a Mother: Why Prioritizing Your Career Is Good for Your Kids</a></h3>



By Lara Bazelon



Is it possible to achieve true work-life balance as a woman in the workplace when you’re often expected to not only manage your assigned tasks, but the lion’s share of the work at home? And <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-companies-can-support-moms-in-and-returning-to-the-workplace/">for mothers in the workplace</a>, there’s even more to do.



Author Lara Bazelon argues that it’s important for women to allow themselves to put their career first. While you may feel like you always need to put your children first—and sometimes, you should—while also balancing and managing your life and work, you’re really creating an impossible situation. Instead, allow yourself to be selfish. According to Bazelon, doing so models a valuable work ethic for your children. You’re showing them not only how to use their skills to make a difference in the lives of others and in the world around them, but that it’s possible to succeed in work and in life—if only you let yourself take the chance to be ambitious.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-work-parent-thrive-12-science-backed-strategies-to-ditch-guilt-manage-overwhelm-and-grow-connection-when-everything-feels-like-too-much-nbsp">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/3NEKCaV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like Too Much)</a>&nbsp;</h3>



By Yael Schonbrun, Ph.D.



Sometimes what we need to improve our lives aren’t stories and lessons, but actionable strategies. And that’s what Work, Parent, Thrive aims to do—provide a way for us to rebalance work and parenting. Twelve ways, to be exact, each of which are based in acceptance and commitment therapy principles.&nbsp;



In this three-part book, author Yael Schonbrun, Ph.D., shares how working parents can change their mindset, take a strategic approach to work and parenting and improve their emotional well-being. With strategies including “When You’re Lost, Let Values Be Your Guide,” “Rethink Your Rest” and “Tend to Your Happiness Needs,” alongside stories from Schonbrun’s own research, Work, Parent, Thrive helps you achieve success—<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/11-strategies-for-managing-stress/">and reduce stress</a>—in both domains of your life.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-working-mother-ultimate-guide-to-working-from-home-how-to-survive-in-your-job-care-for-your-kids-and-stay-sane">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/3RwOxI0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Working Mother Ultimate Guide to Working From Home: How to Survive in Your Job, Care for Your Kids, and Stay Sane</a></h3>



By Working Mother magazine



As if motherhood didn’t have enough difficulties, for some parents, the pandemic added working and/or learning from home to the mix. While it may have given you more time to spend with your child—or to keep an eye on them—it also came with <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-parents-feel-about-remote-and-hybrid-work/">its own set of difficulties</a> as it blurred the work-life boundary for many employees.



The Working Mother Ultimate Guide to Working From Home is here to help. With each chapter written by a different person, the book provides 40 suggestions to help working moms make it through remote work with their—and their childrens’—sanity intact. From the guilt of not making your children your only priority and not being available at all hours to maintaining the mental health of your children, The Working Mother Ultimate Guide to Working From Home is here to help working mothers not only survive, but thrive.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-raising-good-humans-a-mindful-guide-to-breaking-the-cycle-of-reactive-parenting-and-raising-kind-confident-kids">5. <a href="https://amzn.to/4atop9E" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids</a></h3>



By Hunter Clarke-Fields



How many of us have looked at the parents around us and said we wouldn’t raise our kids the way they had chosen to? Of course, it’s all well and good to say that, but when stress and frustration get the better of us, are we actually living it?



Author Hunter Clarke-Fields is here to help us raise compassionate children by teaching us to act with compassion, even in our most frustrated moments. In this two-part book, she first shares how to manage your own emotions, then teaches us how to be there for our children. A useful tool for any present or future parent, Raising Good Humans teaches us to mindfully take charge of our reactivity, form stronger relationships with our children and—most importantly of all—teach them how to be caring human beings.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-enough-about-the-baby-a-brutally-honest-guide-to-surviving-the-first-year-of-motherhood">6. <a href="https://amzn.to/478PJqS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enough About the Baby: A Brutally Honest Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood</a></h3>



By Becky Vieira



It’s unlikely that any aspect of parenting will always be the picture-perfect, Instagram-worthy moments you see on social media, and trying to meet that ideal will only lead to frustration and failure. Author Becky Vieira shuns the idea of idealistic motherhood. Instead, she is here to be completely straight with mothers, providing them with honest and helpful information for making it through the first year of motherhood.



From your time in the hospital to figuring out friendships, Enough About the Baby provides new mothers with everything they need to know, including lists to work through in order to preserve your sanity and additional resources, along with a message of the importance of prioritizing self-care when you need it.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-relatable-and-inspirational-books-for-working-moms">Relatable and inspirational books for working moms</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-screaming-on-the-inside-the-unsustainability-of-american-motherhood">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/3v9RS8t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood</a></h3>



By Jessica Grose



How many of today’s mothers have seen the bloggers, social media influencers and other “perfect” moms whose appearance, creativity, energy and patience never seem to fade or wane? It’s easy to internalize what we see around us and assume we aren’t living up to the attainable ideal.&nbsp;



Author Jessica Grose tried to meet self-imposed expectations during her first pregnancy, and after failing to do so, began to discover just how impossible many of these ideas and expectations are.



Now, in her discussion of topics including “pregnancy,” “identity,” “work” and “social media,” Grose describes both her own experiences and those of other mothers. Despite the “wholly unsustainable” expectations of mothers that Grose points out, all is never lost—while things may seem bleak, there is always a way forward, and Grose ends her book by sharing the potential we have to create something better for mothers in America.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-cat-and-nat-s-mom-truths-embarrassing-stories-and-brutally-honest-advice-on-the-extremely-real-struggle-of-motherhood">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/3GQZmQn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cat and Nat's Mom Truths: Embarrassing Stories and Brutally Honest Advice on the Extremely Real Struggle of Motherhood</a></h3>



By Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer



Some mothers may already know authors Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer, hosts of the Cat &amp; Nat Unfiltered podcast and stars of their own live show. With seven children between them, the pair are intimately familiar with motherhood. Over the years, they have used their platform to unravel the unrealistic depictions of motherhood presented to us via social media and create a community of like-minded, perfectly imperfect mothers.



Now, Belknap and Telfer have written a book, Cat and Nat’s Mom Truths, to delve deeper into the subject that built their current careers and share their message with a wider audience. From what you actually need to pack for the hospital and discussing worries about germs, to how to deal with tantrums and let yourself have bad days, the authors share the realities of motherhood and stories of their own experiences, all imbued with the humor and dash of inappropriateness they are known for.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-detoured-the-messy-grace-filled-journey-from-working-professional-to-stay-at-home-mom">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/48qfC6p" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Detoured: The Messy, Grace-Filled Journey from Working Professional to Stay-at-Home Mom</a></h3>



By Jen Babakhan



Sometimes the path we decide to take in life isn’t the one we expected, or even the one we’re encouraged to take. Author Jen Babakhan’s decision to become a stay-at-home mother wasn’t an easy one, but it was the right choice for her. Now, she offers advice and encouragement for other mothers who have decided to take the same journey.



Babakhan recounts the honest trials and joys of becoming a stay-at-home mother while inviting readers to learn from her story. With chapters including “Making Room for Honesty,” “More Than Motherhood” and “The Beauty and the Balance,” Babakhan shares the isolation that can come from being a stay-at-home parent, the need to discover an identity outside of work and the encouragement and comfort she wishes she’d had when she started her journey.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-becoming">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/3RwuV6T" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Becoming</a></h3>



By Michelle Obama



Author Michelle Obama has lived an extraordinary life: She was a lawyer, then the first Black first lady. Now she’s an advocate for healthy living and for women around the world.



In her memoir, Michelle Obama shares the story behind that life, from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago and the trials and joys that occurred during early motherhood, to the presidential campaign and her time as first lady. While this is not a book of tools for your proverbial motherhood toolkit, Obama’s story has the power to motivate and inspire anyone who reads it, encouraging us to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/want-to-reach-your-potential-then-be-a-learner/">strive toward the potential</a> that comes with risk and a willingness to push yourself.



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Add these books for working moms to your to-be-read pile to find inspiration and relatable stories to let you know you're not alone.

Add these books for working moms to your to-be-read pile to find inspiration and relatable stories to let you know you're not alone. | SUCCESS

The 10 Best Books for Working Moms to Read

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10 Books for Working Moms to Add to Your List | SUCCESS

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Jenny Cohen

Discover must-read goal-setting books for achieving your goals. From classics to bestsellers, these reads will keep you focused and motivated all year.

Discover must-read goal-setting books for achieving your goals. From classics to bestsellers, these reads will keep you focused and motivated all year. | SUCCESS

14 Must-Read Goal-Setting Books to Keep You On Track This Year

14 Must-Read Goal-Setting Books | SUCCESS

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Relationships | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

Nicole Malczan

Find the best relationship books to boost your connections and improve communication.

Find the best relationship books to boost your connections.

10 Best Relationship Books | SUCCESS

The Best Relationship Books For Enhancing Your Connections

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Need a creativity boost, looking for advice on creative problem-solving or considering a new path in life? Take a look at this list of 10 books on all things creative:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-creative-acts-for-curious-people-how-to-think-create-and-lead-in-unconventional-ways">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/3RuFKaG" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways</a></h2>



By Sarah Stein Greenberg



All problems require solutions, and Creative Acts for Curious People is here to help you learn how to find them. Authored by Sarah Stein Greenberg, the executive director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (Stanford’s “d.school”), the book is a combination of stories and exercises intended to encourage the reader to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-challenges-successful-people-overcome/">face and overcome challenges</a> in creative ways.&nbsp;



Including activities such as “Units of Energy Critique,” meant to hone judgment and evaluation skills and “Expert Eyes,” meant to encourage the fostering of observational skills, the book is simultaneously educational and lighthearted, meant to teach without judgment of your current skill set. And for good reason—the unique activities in the book, each the product of a different inventive mind or minds, are also taught at d.school.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/48bAizf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking</a></h2>



By Matthew Syed



No matter whether we’re problem-solving or just forming personal opinions, our worldview is greatly influenced by the voices around us. Wanting to surround ourselves with only those who agree with our point of view is natural—we prefer to be around people we agree with, and thus will be in less conflict with. However, doing so is a steep slope to confirmation bias as we create an “echo chamber” of our own opinions.&nbsp;



In Rebel Ideas, Matthew Syed argues that we need to be surrounded with people who think differently than ourselves if we want to find the best results, as it is these varied opinions that allow teams to challenge each other and create new, better ideas. A mixture of case studies and insightful arguments drawing upon a range of fields, Rebel Ideas challenges its readers to leave their “echo chambers” and seek discomfort in order to maximize their potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/3Gyspbb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Design Your Thinking: The Mindsets, Toolsets and Skill Sets for Creative Problem-Solving</a></h2>



By Pavan Soni



Creativity is nebulous, as fickle and elusive as a wary cat. As such, discipline is not a word often used in conjunction with creativity, and yet creativity thrives despite constraint all the time. In Design Your Thinking, author Pavan Soni discusses design thinking—a combination of creativity and discipline—and its uses in creative problem-solving.&nbsp;



Soni’s design thinking framework is made up of five stages: “inspire,” “empathize and define,” “ideate,” “prototype and test,” and “scale.” With a focus on first finding a consumer need and then solving it, the model’s mixture of creative problem-solving skills and structured focus on a goal provide all the ingredients needed for success. When combined with studies and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/after-studying-autism-for-more-than-20-years-this-researcher-says-these-two-elements-are-the-key-to-innovative-and-effective-problem-solving/">existing design thinking frameworks</a> to create a toolbox of skills for individuals and businesses alike, Design Your Thinking is the perfect guide to creative problem-solving.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/3Txs28H" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">You Are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation</a></h2>



By Sarah Green



“You can be anything you want to be” may have lost its inspirational spark for most people, but in the case of You Are an Artist, it remains an honest sentiment. The collection of 50 assignments curated by author Sarah Green originated in her 2014 PBS series The Art Assignment, and 13 new challenges were commissioned in order to create the 2020 book.&nbsp;



With no skill or expensive materials required and insight from some of the greatest creative minds to guide you, the book creates a non-judgemental and inspiring path to learning new artistic skills. A background discussion of art history techniques provides not only an interesting historical context to various art styles and practices, but also allows readers to see the trials and errors of past artists—and inspire them to become artists in their own right.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. <a href="https://amzn.to/3TfOYsJ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity</a></h2>



By Frances Palmer



Life in the Studio is not your average art book—it is a deep dive into the life of author Frances Palmer and the path that led her to become a potter and business owner, interspersed with photography and practical instructions for some of her pieces.&nbsp;



Despite beginning her career path as an art historian, Palmer has been making art by hand since she began working with ceramics in 1987. From printmaker to cook to gardener to potter, her love of creating things for others to enjoy eventually led to the founding of her pottery business. Instead of a stagnant life that followed her original path, Palmer instead chose to explore all avenues available to her. The lessons learned along that path—one which has led to an enjoyable, hard-won life—are collected in the book alongside her amalgamation of creative pursuits to inspire readers on their own journey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. <a href="https://amzn.to/3RbpY3m" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mindwandering: How Your Constant Mental Drift Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity</a></h2>



By Moshe Bar



Wandering minds are often considered a hindrance, an unnecessary and occasionally irritating interruption from the tasks at hand. Worries, doubts and ordinary distractions plague our thoughts throughout the day, breaking our focus.&nbsp;



But what if there was a benefit to something people spend hours of their life trying to overcome? That’s where Mindwandering by Moshe Bar comes in. Head of the cognitive neuroscience lab at the Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center at Bar-Ilan University, Bar uses his background in neuroscience in combination with disciplines including psychology and philosophy to discuss <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/saying-no-to-more-why-giving-your-brain-space-to-wander-improves-your-productivity/">the benefits of mind-wandering</a>. From self-understanding to increased creativity, allowing—and knowing when to allow—a lapse in focus can enrich your life in ways you never imagined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. <a href="https://amzn.to/3Nhiqe2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday</a></h2>



By Rob Walker



Most of us have become skilled at focusing on work. From students to employees to artists, the necessity of maintaining focus unites even the most opposite of professions. But how often do we take the time to focus on the world around us, instead of our next task? The focused eye can see expressions, clues and details in the world around them that are invisible to those who haven’t trained themselves to look.



In The Art of Noticing, Rob Walker shares tips and tricks for learning to see more in the people and places around us. With five sections—”looking,” “sensing,” “going places,” “connecting with others” and “being alone”—the book provides activities suited for any age. It asks its readers simply to remove themselves from work for just a little time each day, and instead choose to turn their attention to something that can be beneficial no matter their career.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. <a href="https://amzn.to/41tditr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Entrepreneurial Artist: Lessons from Highly Successful Creatives</a></h2>



By Aaron Dworkin



Entrepreneurship and artistic ventures are not fields often combined—unless an artist has the time and money to create a business for themselves. But The Entrepreneurial Artist by Aaron Dworkin chooses to ignore that separation, instead focusing on instances both past and present where artists of various beginnings have managed to become both.



The book provides a mixture of personal anecdotes, examples of artists including Lin Manuel Miranda, Rachel Barton Pine, Marin Alsop and William Shakespeare, and summaries of the takeaways from each chapter. With personal interviews with eleven of the artists and Dworkin’s own insightful connection between entrepreneurship and art, The Entrepreneurial Artist is sure to be an inspiration to any creative mind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. <a href="https://amzn.to/41d8pEw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential</a></h2>



By Tiago Forte



There is so much information all around us, and no one could be expected to remember even half of the input they receive in their lifetimes. That is where Building a Second Brain comes in. Tiago Forte, founder of Forte Labs, has combined the power of our minds and that of technology to create a system to preserve the insights, inspirations, and other important information that may otherwise be forgotten.



The second brain is not only for storage—the benefit of having all of this information in one place is the connections and creations we can make from seeing them all together, instead of focusing on it once and forgetting later. One way to navigate these potential connections is Forte’s “C.O.D.E” method—”capture,” “organize,” “distill” and “express.” Used in combination, these steps create a pathway to incredible ideas. This, alongside Forte’s other insights, create a methodology that will allow readers to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-practices-to-come-up-with-new-ideas/">build brilliant ideas</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. <a href="https://amzn.to/3uVsQcS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Burn After Writing</a></h2>



By Sharon Jones



Journaling—even guided journaling—is no new concept. It has been recommended for processes from creative thought to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-i-use-my-journal-to-change-my-mindset/">changing mindsets</a> to thinking through difficult emotions. Burn After Writing, however, does not ask only one question. Instead, Sharon Jones asks you many—all with the purpose of understanding your past, your present and your future, and the insights the combination of all three can reveal about who you are. Future, in particular, allows you to consider who you may one day become—and perhaps consider new paths that had seemed impossible before now.&nbsp;



While no locked diary or hidden book of secrets, the journal is still just for you—it does not ask you to share any of your insights. And when you’re done, you can keep it around to remember what you learned, or you can follow the instructions in the title—just remember that the matches on the cover are not included.&nbsp;



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Need a creativity boost or advice on creative problem-solving? Check out this list of the 10 best books for creativity.

Take the time to cultivate your creativity this month with these 10 books. | SUCCESS

The 10 Best Books for Creativity

The 10 Best Books for Creativity | SUCCESS

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The Cost of Remote Work in a Technology-Centered World

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Elevate your lifestyle for success and happiness

Simultaneously an invaluable tool and a hindrance to our day-to-day lives, technology has opened the door to remote work, staying in touch with friends and family with ease—and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-i-learned-about-relationships-from-30-days-without-texting/">constantly checking our messages</a>.



During the pandemic, technology provided a lifeline. Zoom, Google Meet, Discord and other chat services allowed families and friends to communicate across long and prolonged distances and for school and work to continue. Virtual events also saw a rise in popularity, as they allowed audiences to attend without paying for travel or worrying about exposure to COVID-19. It wasn’t the ideal solution—and many would say it still isn’t—but it allowed for life to continue with some semblance of normalcy.



Although instant communication was already a facet of life, it is not a stretch to imagine that the pandemic only exacerbated the effects, especially for remote workers. The loss of a formal workday means the removal of stringent work hours, and though working after-hours is no recent change, it has become more expected of employees—particularly when it comes to responding to messages.



<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanya-Marcum/publication/327797798_Never_Off_the_Clock_The_Legal_Implications_of_Employees%27_After_Hours_Work/links/5ba5013245851574f7dd016e/Never-Off-the-Clock-The-Legal-Implications-of-Employees-After-Hours-Work.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A 2018 article</a> published in the Labor Law Journal looked at the legal implications of working after-hours, discussing how smartphones give employees easy access to their work emails at all hours of the day.



“For many employees, the workday does not end when they leave the office,” the authors wrote. The same advances in technology that allow immediate communication also create the expectation of immediate response. Although friends often understand gaps in communication, when receiving messages from employers and managers, even after hours, it’s often more difficult to stay away from the phone.



<h2 id="h-the-breakdown-of-work-life-balance">The breakdown of work-life balance</h2>



Although working from home has created more flexibility, and thus more free time, for employees, the Labor Law Journal article argues that it has also “blurred the lines of when it is acceptable to expect, send and react to work communications after the workday has ended.” The pandemic has likely only exacerbated this effect, with <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/working-remotely-heres-how-to-do-it-right/">the rise of remote work</a> and the slow decrease of stringent work hours making it all the more acceptable, or at least expected, that employers will reach out at any time of day. Additionally, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6926869/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a study published</a> in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health looked at the relationship between overusing technology and the mental detachment from work as the result of overwork, arguing that “work is intensifying more and more as a result of technologies in day-to-day work. Consequently, this also leads to a higher level of speed required, with more tasks to cover and less response time available.” Although technology has achieved the goal of expediting work processes, it’s failed to reduce the time people are expected to spend at work—in fact, it’s potentially the main reason that expectation has only grown. If the work is quicker and easier to complete with the aid of technology, then more is added to fill out the workday, regardless of the effect on employees.



All of this, of course, makes it difficult for employees to maintain a work-life balance. <a href="http://homepages.se.edu/cvonbergen/files/2019/05/Work-Non-Work-Boundaries-and-the-Right-to-Disconnect.pdf#page=52" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A 2019 article</a> published in the Journal of Applied Business and Economics looked at work boundaries and both the ability and willingness of employees to disconnect from technology. The authors argued that the “‘always-on’ work culture also creates numerous problems for organizations stemming primarily from the fact that it denies workers a sense of individual efficacy and autonomy by putting them on a permanent state of reactive alert.” Even outside of business hours, employees must be ready to be assigned more work, and be expected to complete it promptly. Depending on the employer, they may fear repercussions for stepping away from work after-hours and not completing tasks. Employees who want to impress their employer as an “ideal” proactive worker continue to set aside life for work.



<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-answer-emails-outside-work-hours-do-you-send-them-new-research-shows-how-dangerous-this-can-be-160187?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20July%2014%202021%20-%202002419663&amp;utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20July%2014%202021%20-%202002419663+CID_80d3ccf7bce766cfe70680bda27f9c10&amp;utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&amp;utm_term=Do%20you%20answer%20emails%20outside%20work%20hours%20Do%20you%20send%20them%20New%20research%20shows%20how%20dangerous%20this%20can%20be" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A 2020 study</a> conducted in Australia found that “21% of respondents had supervisors who expected them to respond to work-related texts, calls and emails after work, 55% sent digital communication about work in the evenings to colleagues and 30% sent work-related digital communication to colleagues on the weekends, while expecting a same-day response.” The conclusion drawn from the research was twofold: There is a diminishing boundary between the work and home spheres, and the increased time spent involved with work creates mental and physical strain on employees as they wait for correspondence and cannot disengage fully. In the age of remote work, the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-tips-to-maintain-a-healthy-work-life-balance/">division between home and work</a> becomes even more nonexistent—even if work is being completed at an office, individuals can respond to messages and attend virtual meetings without physically leaving the home sphere. Although beneficial, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study authors argue that “the intensive use of information and communication technologies as management tools dilutes the boundaries between physical spaces and work responsibilities. Furthermore, this can lead to extended working hours, making it more difficult for people to psychologically detach themselves from their work during break times.”



<h2 id="h-the-mental-and-physical-effects-of-overwork">The mental and physical effects of overwork</h2>



The ability to detach oneself from work not just physically but also mentally is necessary in order <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/50-ways-to-relax-without-spending-money/">to recover and relax</a> after the workday. Yet, as individuals become more tied to their work, even after hours, that ability becomes lessened or even nonexistent.



This can affect relationships as well—a constant focus on work means less attention devoted to friends, family and significant others. In families, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-balance-work-and-family-without-feeling-like-a-failure/">especially those with children</a>, it means difficulty in dividing tasks and spending time together. Social and familial obligations are left by the wayside in order to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/combat-workplace-burnout-by-setting-better-boundaries/">make room for work demands</a>. Although this may allay anxiety for those work expectations, it likely also promotes strain on relationships and mental health.



An often-cited work-life balance article penned by John Pencavel in 2015 looks at an investigation made during WWI to draw the conclusion that increased hours do not necessarily create increased output. Instead, Pencavel states that “employees at work for a long time experience fatigue or stress that not only reduces his or her productivity but also increases the probability of errors, accidents and sickness that impose costs on the employer.” Although long hours are common in many professions—hospital staff are often cited as an example of working overtime, and teachers are often expected to complete hours of planning and grading outside of work—often without the benefit of extra pay, it doesn’t mean that individuals are more productive the longer they work. In fact, the longer the period of work is, the greater the probability the employee will make an error.



All of this, of course, is potentially fixable. Employers often make the decision to encourage constant communication either by demand, requests to utilize a company app for communication or even by providing technology to employees. “The inevitable consequence of this decision is that regular workdays are extended, and people remain tied to the world of work beyond their base schedule unless corrective measures are taken,” the authors of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study say. Although it is a stretch to imagine most, if any, employers would outright ban communication after hours, it would be possible to request that communication be put on hold after work save for urgent situations. With fear of retribution as a defining factor in work hours, employers would be the only ones who could allay that fear.



Additionally, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/252502217/The-right-to-disconnect-vs-Americas-always-on-culture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">right to disconnect</a> laws could become the norm, making it legal for employees to ignore notifications without fearing repercussions, even if their employer demands an immediate answer.



The boundary between work and life is an important one. It will likely never be impermeable, particularly as work hours become more flexible and the times designated to work and to social activities are up to the employee, but there can be a boundary nonetheless. Phones don’t have to be permanently turned off, notifications don’t have to be placed on silent, but a line has to be drawn in order to allow for personal health and well-being to be made a priority. 



This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 Issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photos nadyabadya/shutterstock.com

The loss of a formal workday means the removal of stringent work hours, and though working after-hours is no recent change, it has become more expected of employees—particularly when it comes to responding to messages.

The loss of a formal workday means the removal of stringent work hours, and though working after-hours is no recent change, it has become more expected of employees—particularly when it comes to responding to messages. | SUCCESS

The Cost of Remote Work in a Technology-Centered World | SUCCESS