The term “Work Life Balance” hardly tipped Google’s search data in 2004, but its search popularity has grown substantially in the last 14 years. On any given day, you can find Forbes or New York Times articles about the evolving definition of work-life balance or how the successful CEOs of top tech companies maintain work-life balance. Searching for “work life balance” in Google News turns up almost 49,000,000 results.

The growth of this interest can be attributed to the changing landscape of the working world. As the Mayo Clinic explains, there was a time when the boundaries between work and home were clear, but today — with remote connections to the office and contact available constantly through smartphones — it’s much easy for work to invade personal space.

As a reaction to this, the millennial workforce is shifting the priorities, with over 90 percent of millennials saying work-life balance is a top priority when searching for a job (compared to 70 percent of baby boomers).

Work-life balance and long-term costs

While it’s tempting to rack up the hours, studies have found the effects of poor work-life balance lead to poor health in the short term and later in life. Damaging effects include a higher risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, and mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

One study found that individuals who work more than 55 hours a week have a 1.3 times higher risk of stroke than those working standard hours. Another study found that healthy individuals have a 1.66 times higher chance of developing depression if they work more than 55 hours a week.

Employee stress doesn’t just affect the employee, though; it also affects the employer. Burnout causes major losses for employers, with as many as one million people per day missing work because of stress (which adds up to a loss of anywhere from $150 billion to $300 billion annually for U.S. employers).

Setting limits may be the answer to work-life balance

Learning to manage time and manage expectations may be the key to achieving work-life balance.

Ask for help.

Learning to delegate — both at home and at the office — helps you to complete jobs. While there’s something to be said for resolving issues yourself, being a martyr doesn’t earn points. Practice asking for help at work and at home so that you can complete the tasks you’ve set for yourself. If you’re new to asking for help, the best thing you can do is come armed with a few potential solutions. This helps show that you’ve thought through the issue yourself and aren’t asking for a handout.

Reduce email access.

Are you checking emails first thing in the morning and before bed? The action severely cuts into the times of day when your brain needs to de-clutter the most. Checking emails first thing in the morning causes you to begin your day reacting instead of acting. This means that instead of tackling a task on your list first thing in the morning when your brain is fresh, you’re spending that valuable time responding to a request or resolving another person’s issue. The same can happen when you find yourself checking emails outside of work on weekends and vacation. Tasks around the house, family time, and personal wellbeing can move to the back burner when you find yourself reacting to emails. If it’s impossible for you to go cold turkey on checking emails outside of the office, start practicing small mindful screen-free breaks, even if it’s only for twenty minutes in your spa or for a two-hour movie with your family.

Minimize interruptions.

Most people can sustain a maximum level of concentration for no more than 90 minutes. When interrupted during a task (with even a small interruption), it can take your brain double or triple the time of the interruption to regain full concentration, which can end up extending your day. Turn off email notifications, shut the door or put in headphones when you’re tasked with a job that requires focus. This will let you get as much work as possible done in that optimal hour and a half window.

Break up tasks.

Have you reached the 90-minute mark on a task you’re working on? Concentration and the ability to retain information decreases dramatically after that. Instead of fighting the fog that you find yourself in, get up, walk it off, and then choose another item on your to-do list to tackle. The same can be said for planning your free time. Do you save piles of laundry for the weekend and then dread a day of washing and folding? Try doing a smaller load every other day after work so that you can cut out more time dedicated for relaxing on your day off.

Learn to say no.

This can be a difficult accomplishment, especially if you’ve worked hard to solidify your reputation as a “Yes” person. Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to take on an extra project, a friend wanting you to get involved in their organization, or your child’s teacher asking for you to organize a class party, remember that it’s okay to respectfully say no. The key is to learn to recognize the difference between accepting tasks because you truly want to and accepting extra work out of guilt.

A healthy lifestyle is essential for managing stress and achieving work-life balance. Beyond managing work-related stress, eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep are valuable tools for caring for yourself. Setting time aside for fun, relaxation, and experiences gives you the opportunity to recharge and discover activities beyond work that bring fulfillment to your life.

In the end, work-life balance isn’t just about reducing stress, it’s about all-over wellness.

Google trend report showing the interest over time of the search “Work life balance” from 2004 to present