How do you maintain work-life balance? Setting boundaries is important

When I first read the story of 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme, a Wells Fargo employee who was found dead at her desk four days after starting at the office, it saddened me to think that she took her last breath in a cubicle.

Did she have no friends or colleagues that she was in contact with at work? Did no one check in on her? That's heartbreaking.

It got me thinking about how overworked and exhausted many Americans are. It also reminded me of a quote often attributed to actor Jet Li: “You're killing yourself for a job that would replace you in a week if you dropped dead. Take care of yourself.”

We don't have many details about Prudhomme's death, but we do know that she started work early Friday morning and was found dead in the office Tuesday afternoon. The cause of death could not be immediately determined, but police said there were no signs of foul play. Wells Fargo issued a statement offering condolences to Prudhomme's family.

15 Americans die at work every day

In 2022, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics recorded 5,486 workplace deaths, including homicides and fatal accidents. The thought that an average of 15 people die on the job every day in our country is unimaginable.

America's workers are tired and overworked, many earn low wages and are dissatisfied with their jobs. Although wages have increased significantly in recent years, the average American still earns less than $60,000 a year.

At one point I was working three jobs, going to school and taking care of three kids. My husband is in the military and often works 12-hour shifts and participates in military exercises, so I was a single mom most of the time.

I was overwhelmed and exhausted. The only relief I had was quitting one of my jobs, which led to even more financial insecurity, family stress, and regret. The good news was that I wasn't as tired.

Overworked and underpaid:My life as a teacher has made me frustrated. And grateful.

Last year, California Rep. Mark Takano introduced a bill that would reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32. The bill, sponsored by eight other Democrats, was referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee.

Unfortunately, the committee has not taken any action on the law. Until the law changes, we must determine our own well-being by setting boundaries in the workplace.

If you're too sick to work, it's easy: just don't go to work, right? But more than one in five workers aren't entitled to paid sick days. And missing an unpaid day of work often means even more stress when it comes to paying the bills.

Although more than 90 percent of Americans have health insurance, nearly half of them do not visit the doctor regularly, partly because they lack comprehensive health insurance. The high costs of medical copayments and drugs also prevent many people from going to the doctor.

The average American works 260 days a year and is entitled to 11 days of paid vacation and eight paid sick days. That's a total of 19 days a year that you can be away from work and still get paid.

But when I first contracted COVID-19 in 2021, I was unable to work for seven days – with 40 hours of unpaid work.

The American economy in transition:Generation Z is redefining what employees should expect from their employers. And that's a good thing.

Set boundaries at work to protect your health

Prudhomme's tragic story should be a reminder to all of us to take care of ourselves. The expectations our society places on workers – exhaustion, overwork and isolation often go unnoticed until it's too late – are unsafe and outdated.

If we don't put our own well-being first, no one will. We can't afford to wait for laws to change or for employers to put us before profit. We need to set boundaries and strive for balance.

Let us not wait for tragedy to force us to act. We must live now.

Marla Bautista is a military columnist for USA TODAY Opinion.

How do you maintain work-life balance? Setting boundaries is important

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