Sophia Shen-Yip

A worker is pulled apart by the hands of the looming clock behind her, as she can never catch a moment when both the minute and hour hands are moving at the same pace, illustrating less time to balance work and relaxation. According to the University of Utah, burnout can cause someone to lose a sense of balance in life and lose passion for work.

With the prominence of evolving technologies such as better computers, phones, and more ways to communicate, people can work more efficiently and productively. However, an excessive emphasis on efficiency can eradicate any personal or leisure time.

One common definition of work-life balance is equal time for both personal and professional activities, according to Forbes. In this economy, however, with inflation high and the cost of living rising, it can be almost impossible for anyone to strike a perfect balance between working and having fun. 

According to an article published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the concept of work-life balance dates back to the manufacturing laws of the late 1800s, when work hours for women and children were restricted to limit the amount of time spent at work. However, in the 1980s, the Women’s Liberation Movement popularized the idea of work-life balance to accommodate women in the workforce, flexible work schedules, and maternity leave. 

Originally, work-life balance was a concept meant only for women, but over time, it expanded to both men and women and became a key idea in the late 20th century. Today, work-life balance is an important factor in job choice, according to another NIH article.

But even if it is an essential factor in career goal-setting, work-life balance seems impossible in today’s modern working environment, which is full of technology and dangerous mindsets that encourage burnout.

While work-life balance can emphasize wellness, enhance employee productivity, and encourage employers to support employees’ mental health, it is not a guarantee that workers will work shorter hours or that they won’t suffer from burnout, according to the University of Kansas. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total average weekly work week for employees on private nonfarm payrolls was 34.2 hours in December 2025. Depending on the industry, employees can work up to 45 hours, especially in mining and logging.

The data not only demonstrates how workers can be exhausted for the sake of company goals, but also shows that technology can extend work hours even if work can be done more efficiently. With hustle culture, a mindset that encourages constant hard work, fast-paced environments, and productivity above everything else, some cannot afford to rest.

Sometimes, technology can push people to work more and neglect their hobbies. For example, companies like Tesla push their employees to work long hours to meet high-performance standards, creating a stressful work environment. According to the University of Connecticut, during the production of the Tesla Model 3, CEO Elon Musk and his team worked around 100 hours per week. Normalizing extreme workloads for the sake of innovation and success can lead to burnout early on and impact physical and mental health.

Modern times prioritize productivity and maximizing output so much that it damages overall well-being and risks coming at the expense of health. According to the University of Utah, burnout can lead to the reduced ability to be empathic or sympathetic, increased anger, anxiety, and difficulty separating work life from personal life. 

There is no such thing as a perfect balance between work and relaxation; rather, it is the ability to manage one’s time so that they have time to rest.

To ensure high performance and success, it is vital to prioritize oneself when the workload gets too exhausting or overwhelming. Striving for more is not inherently bad, but when someone works excessively, they are reduced to the work they do, and ultimately are unable to invest in their hobbies and personal life.