The goal of a healthy work-life balance is to succeed at work and at the same time lead a fulfilling personal life. If an imbalance exists and too much of your time and energy is devoted to work, it will lead to negative consequences in almost every area of your life.

Here are some reasons why it is important to achieve a good work-life balance.

It impacts your mental health.

Stress in the workplace is unavoidable, but if you are dedicating too much time to work and don’t have enough time to unwind, stress can become unmanageable, negatively affecting your mental health. And, if you are overwhelmed at work, you probably don’t have enough time to deal with your responsibilities at home, which only exacerbates the problem.

A mental health study found that 76 percent of people said workplace stress negatively impacts their mental health, leading to challenges like depression and anxiety. But they found that having flexible work options, an indicator of good work-life balance, results in employees reporting better mental health. In fact, those who don’t have flexibility were twice as likely to say that they have poor mental health.

It impacts your physical health.

Apart from impacting mental health, the stress caused by a work-life imbalance can also lead to a variety of physical health issues. A recent report on stress at work notes that demanding jobs can result in a host of problems, such as cardiovascular disease as well as musculoskeletal and psychological disorders. The report also notes that there is some evidence that work-related stress might be a factor in ulcers, cancer and impaired immune function.

A healthy work-life balance not only reduces stress, which can help prevent disease, but it also allows you to prioritize your health by making time to exercise and eat a healthy diet.

It impacts your job performance.

A poor work-life balance has serious consequences for your health, but spending too much time and energy on work can actually negatively affect your work performance. A recent Mental Health at Work report noted that, due to stress and other work-related mental health issues, employees are only performing at around 72 percent of their full capacity. On top of that, they are missing around eight days of work a year because of mental health issues.

But, a 2021 study in the Kansas Journal of Medicine found that employer efforts to reduce stress and increase employee psychological well-being lead to higher performance. Since working overtime won’t make you more productive, it’s important to focus on how you work, not how many hours you spend. Working with your employer to find flexible arrangements that allow for a better work-life balance will help make you a more productive and more valuable employee.

It impacts your relationships.

It may seem obvious, but a work-life imbalance will cause problems outside of the workplace. A recent international survey noted that 71 percent of people said that work stress affects their home life and 62 percent said it negatively impacts their relationships. If you are stressed by work and spending too much time on it, you won’t have the adequate time or emotional capacity to dedicate to your loved ones.

Finding a positive work-life balance will allow you to spend time with the people you care about. And not being overwhelmed by work means you’ll be able to fully be present in the moment and enjoy that time with friends and family. The goal is to be more than just a good employee; it is to be a well-rounded individual with an enriching life in and out of the workplace.