Making Work-Life Balance Work

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Trying to find a work-life balance in today's fast-paced world is tough. If you spend more time in the office than at home you’re likely to lose a satisfying personal life. On the other hand, if you have trials in your personal life, such as looking after an aging parent or managing marital or financial issues, focusing on your job can be tough. Whether the issue is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life seem out of sync, stress and its harmful effects result. To be in control, first thing is to examine how the world of work has changed, then reexamine your relationship to work and use these strategies to hit a healthier balance.

How work encroaches into your personal life

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight to nine hours. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here are five reasons why:

1. The global economy means hiring more skilled workers or outsourcing more jobs putting pressure on people to work longer in order to protect their jobs.

2. It is a continuous 24/7 work routine for several people, especially if you work for an international organisation, you’re likely to be on standby round the clock for consulting or troubleshooting tasks

3. The ability to work anywhere is a consequence of modern communication technology. Even vacation is no exception.

 4. Working longer hours is expected by some employers, particularly if you desire a quick promotion up the career ladder. Working more than 40 hours is usually part of the equation.

5. Many families are the typical dual-career couple, making it hard to set aside time for commitments to family, friends, and public obligations.

Hitting the best work-life balance strategies

It is tough managing the demands of career and personal life. It is a persistent fight to cut down stress and sustain peace and accord in key areas of some people’s lives. Find below some tips on how to discover the balance appropriate for you:

Decide priority activities. Decide what is necessary and satisfies you the most in your work and non-work activities. Remove or pass on activities you don’t enjoy, don’t have time for or doing out of guilt. Discuss with your superior about certain decisions you don’t have the right to make. 

Look at the likelihood of work options. Find out if your employer offers flex hours, a compressed workweek, job-sharing or telecommuting for your role. The flexibility may alleviate some of your stress and free up some time. 

Manage your time. Organise household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day rather than saving it all for your day off (better still get a laundry man to take the stress off you), and running errands in batches rather than going back and forth several times are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers you a course in time management, jump at it. 

Don’t be obsessed about cleanliness. Ignoring an untidy bed or dirty kitchen sink once in a while will not shatter your world. Do what you can do and leave the rest.  Hire a housekeeper if you can afford it to take the headache off. 

Don’t feel guilty. Try to remember that working and taking care of family at the same time is a modern thing and very okay for both men and women. 

Pamper yourself. Clear your head and unwind after a stressful workday by reading, listening to music, working out, walking, doing yoga, or taking a soothing bath or shower. 

Create time for leisure. Put off your phone, the computer and the TV. Experience activities you and your partner both enjoy, or with family or friends such as playing golf, or just outdoor picnic. Creating time for enjoyable leisure will revitalise you. 

Get enough sleep. Nothing affects your productivity more than sleep deprivation. Poor sleep is stressful and possibly dangerous as you’re then prone to making costly mistakes at work, which then cost you more hours to make up for those mistakes. 

Appreciate your friends. Improve your inter-personal relationship by opening up to a trusted friend or co-worker during period of stress or hardship. If you belong to a religious community, take advantage of the support your religious leader can provide. 

Look for professional assistance. Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels too chaotic to manage and you are going off the wall worrying about it, talk with a professional such as your doctor, a psychologist or a counselor. 

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