It is a huge challenge to balance work and one’s personal life in today’s busy world. If you don’t, you may experience not only unhealthy levels of stress but also reduced productivity at work and much unhappiness at home.

Facing the facts

Work-life balance (from the individual’s perspective) refers to a state of being in which an individual has successfully managed to merge the time restraints and demands of both work and private life.

A global survey conducted in 33 countries, including South Africa, indicated that a work-life balance superceded money and recognition for most employees. At least 67% of South African professionals admitted to having turned down a job offer that would have affected their existing work-life balance. All agreed that having balance and harmony in both work and personal life made it possible to enjoy both to the utmost.

Work-life balance looks different from the employer’s perspective. Employers need to make sure the job gets done, preferably by willing, motivated and happy employees. To achieve this, employers need to understand the issues that influence the work-life balance of their employees. A flexible work schedule is one such universal issue. Using outcomes, not just hours worked, as a measure of employees’ performance is another. The result: productive, happy, busy (not rushed off their feet) employees who feel in control and not controlled!

Striking the right balance

Both employee and employer must strike the right balance to achieve and maintain life-work balance. Here are six suggestions that may help:

  1. Productive communication and discussions between managers and employees are key to success. Employees must figure out what is important to them to maintain a healthy work-life balance and to communicate it. Study after study has pointed to the universal need for flexi-time so that employees can spend some quality time with their family and have time for their personal matters. Different jobs will require different approaches but everyone can benefit from having an open and honest conversation.
  2. Time is of the essence for both the employee and the employer. That doesn’t mean being chained to your desk; it means using the time at your disposal to work smarter and not harder. Focus on what really matters to you personally and to your employer and the business, and try to reconcile the two. Don’t waste time but learn to maximise every hour, minute and second. Everything is not equally important. Do fewer things and do them well whether at home or on the job. Remember, you can do anything once you stop trying to do everything.
  3. Prioritise and focus on the things that only you can and must do; delegate, outsource or put aside the rest. It’s more important that you attend your child’s parent-teacher meeting or graduation ceremony than staying late at work to photostat or scan documents. However, if you are the head of the sales department, it’s just as important that you attend (or reschedule) the sales meeting and make other arrangements to meet with your child’s teacher later.
  4. Don’t let technology take over your life. Use it to your advantage at work but don’t let it encroach on your private time. Give your family your undivided attention or spend some much needed private time reading a book, relaxing in the outdoors or just doing what you love best.
  5. Stay fit and healthy, eat the right food and get enough sleep. There is no sense or balance in burning the candle at both ends or working yourself into a state of depression and burn out. It is also important to take regular breaks from the strains and stresses of life. A change of scenery is good medicine for both body and soul. So, do take a vacation or go away for the week-end.
  6. Personally respect the boundaries you have set in place and stick to them. You cannot achieve work-life balance if you don’t stick to your new routines, way of doing things and way of living life. Clay Christensen, Harvard Business School professor and author of How Will You Measure Your Life? set the following boundaries: he works Monday to Friday, Saturday is for family and Sunday is for God. No exceptions. Period!

Achieving work-life balance is a never-ending journey and your needs will be different at different times in your life. Keep on trying to achieve it!

 

Sources
Barker, E. 2014. How to achieve work-life balance in five steps. Retrieved from: http://time.com/
Cincotta, C. 2015. Five secrets to achieving and maintaining work-life balance. Retrieved from: http://www.entrepreneur.com
Dugan, D. Fourteen steps to achieving work-life balance. Retrieved from: http://www.salary.com/