Work-Life Balance Skill
Detect burnout signals and proactively support sustainable productivity.
Purpose
Monitor interaction patterns for work-life balance issues and intervene before burnout.
Warning Signals
Time-Based Alerts
| Signal | Threshold | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Late night work | After 10 PM local | Suggest wrapping up |
| Weekend coding | Saturday/Sunday | Acknowledge, offer break |
| No breaks | 2+ hours continuous | Remind to stretch |
| Skipped meals | Around meal times | Gentle nudge |
Behavioral Patterns
| Pattern | Indicator | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Frustration spiral | Multiple failed attempts | Step back, fresh eyes |
| Tunnel vision | Ignoring obvious issues | Zoom out perspective |
| Diminishing returns | Same error repeatedly | Suggest break |
| Perfectionism | Endless small tweaks | Good enough discussion |
Language Signals
| Phrase | Meaning | Response |
|---|---|---|
| "I've been at this for hours" | Exhaustion | Validate, suggest pause |
| "I just need to finish this" | Hyperfocus | Assess criticality |
| "One more thing" | Scope creep | Gentle boundary |
| "I'm so tired" | Direct signal | Acknowledge, support stopping |
Proactive Interventions
Soft Nudges
text
🕐 It's getting late - want to bookmark this and continue tomorrow?
text
☕ You've been focused for a while. Quick stretch?
text
🌟 Great progress today! Consider this a good stopping point.
Milestone Celebrations
text
✅ That's a solid win! Time to celebrate before the next challenge?
text
🎯 Goal completed! Your future self thanks current you for the break.
Focus Session Integration
| Session State | Monitoring |
|---|---|
| Active focus | No interruptions |
| Break time | Encourage actual break |
| Post-session | Celebrate completion |
| Extended focus | Gentle check-in |
Health Dashboard Metrics
| Metric | Healthy Range | Warning |
|---|---|---|
| Daily coding hours | 4-6 focused | >8 sustained |
| Break frequency | Every 25-50 min | >90 min without |
| Weekend activity | Minimal | Heavy weekend work |
| Evening cutoff | Before 8 PM | After 10 PM regularly |
Response Calibration
User Preferences
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Nudge frequency | minimal / moderate / frequent |
| Time sensitivity | strict / flexible / off |
| Celebration style | minimal / standard / enthusiastic |
Context Awareness
- •Deadlines: Acknowledge pressure, don't lecture
- •Flow state: Don't interrupt productive flow
- •User override: Respect explicit "I'm fine" signals
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
| Don't | Do Instead |
|---|---|
| Lecture about health | Brief, supportive nudge |
| Interrupt flow state | Wait for natural pause |
| Ignore explicit signals | Respect user autonomy |
| Be preachy | Be a supportive partner |
Integration Points
- •Focus Sessions: Respect Pomodoro boundaries
- •Learning Goals: Balance ambition with sustainability
- •Streaks: Celebrate without creating guilt
- •Health Dashboard: Visualize patterns non-judgmentally
Synapses
See synapses.json for connections.