Attaining a balance between the workplace and our personal lives can be a bit of a herculean task, juggling work activities and home pressure demands that you create a consistent structure. Whatever industry you are in, achieving a good work-life balance is vital to your performance at work, and functionality at home. Most organizations are performance-oriented and for any firm to function properly, every link in the chain has to operate effectively.
Subsequently, an employee with a healthy work-life balance generates a positive impact on the organization. Studies have shown that employees with a balanced work-life are better motivated and exhibit improved operational capacities which in turn leads to enhanced productivity. The problem is most people lack the discipline to separate work issues from family issues and most times end up frustrated and unproductive. A poor work-life balance increases stress levels and puts employees at a higher risk of burnout and all of this results in negative effects on their physical, emotional and mental health.
What is work-life balance?
Work-life balance simply means achieving an ideal stability between career and your personal life. A lot of times, people tend to place greater importance on their career while their private lives suffer. Consequently, personal issues have a negative impact on professional life. It’s a universal law that for anything to function properly, there has to be equilibrium. Specific factors have to be considered, certain conditions have to be put in place to ensure that there is an adequate balance. Establishing a work-life balance entails the art of scheduling activities related to work and private life while considering these factors and how they affect the overall effectiveness of the plan.
Some of these factors are interdependent while some are mutually exclusive, hence they have to be well-defined. You should know what elements are beneficial to having a healthy work life and the ones peculiar to having a vibrant personal life.
How to achieve a work-life balance
- Set goals and mark out strategies to achieve them
Set achievable goals pertaining to your career and personal life in equal proportion and come up with strategies to achieve them. Firstly, you have to set boundaries and place priorities, work life shouldn’t overflow allotted time hours. You make your Managers and Team Leads understand at what times you are accessible and anything outside of these time frames, you are off radar for work related activities. Time management is at the top of essential industry skills and it’s also a vital part of achieving work-life balance.
2. Create a structure and follow through diligently
It’s one thing to have a laid down structure and it’s another thing to effectively act on it. You can successfully divide time proportionately between your work and private life but if you lack the discipline to stick to it then it’s going to fall apart and you will find yourself struggling with something you initially set out to prevent. Discipline in this context means having the self-control to get things done in your professional life whilst still having time to attend to your personal life.
3. Prioritize your health.
Learn to engage in activities and hobbies that make you happy. You shouldn’t feel obligated to do everything, you can’t always give a 100% because you are not a robot. There will be lapses, give yourself a break and get that much needed rest. Learn to say no, you shouldn’t overwork yourself trying to achieve every task. Know when to rest and recuperate on lost energy. Exercise, do some yoga, plan movie dates with friends, just engage in things that make you happy and improve your general well-being.