The Costs of a Poor Work/Life Balance Can Really Add Up

It’s no secret workers are stressed. Even when companies push flexible work policies and encourage their employees to disconnect from their jobs outside of business hours, many workers simply can’t get away from their workloads.

Just take a look at what the studies say about the state of work/life balance — or the lack thereof — today. Only 23 percent of Americans use all of their vacation days  in a given year, and some 33 million Americans — or 10 percent of the US population — are workaholics.

A poor work/life balance isn’t just an inconvenience — it can really take a toll on a worker’s mental health, driving anxiety, stress, burnout, and even depression. It can also take a toll on your wallet. You might seek out additional healthcare services to cope with the stress of working long hours. After all, workplace stress increases healthcare costs nationwide by $190 billion per year. That works out to an annual cost of about $581 to you, on average.

Then there’s the tendency to splurge on extra rideshare trips or takeout orders in the quest to claw back some of that time you’ve lost to work. These costs could add, on average, $1,500 to your yearly expenses.

For a closer look at the price of a poor/work life balance — and some ways to curb your workaholic tendencies  — check out this infographic from Turbo :