Work Life Balance
Finding a work/life balance can be a real challenge, particularly if you are a parent. Balance can look completely different depending on the age of your children. Juggling work and your home life balance can be exhausting and at times overwhelming with an often multi-faceted complexity of choices and an enormous ‘to-do’ list.
Often the choices that we make are not groundbreaking, they are based on common sense – this does not make it straightforward, and it isn’t always easy. There most definitely is no ‘one size fits all’ and a feeling of balance will constantly shift through the course of your life and stages of your career. If you can be intentional and able to review and adjust, then this can be a helpful option.
It is acknowledged that the pandemic caused a shift in employee priorities to gain a better balance, but the cost-of-living crisis seems to have entrenched what COVID originally put in place – and that does not necessarily involve a heavier pay packet.
A recent report by Hayes revealed that more than half of employees are willing to accept a lower-paid job in exchange for a better work-life balance. It also found that 33 percent of workers consider this a crucial consideration when looking for a job.
Managers and HR can also impact work/life balance by simply making sure that employees are taking their annual leave and are not working long hours. Managers need to ensure that both workloads and deadlines are realistic.
Some key aspects that we thought you may wish to think about are:
1. Effectively managing your time is crucial, this includes setting priorities, creating schedules, and allocating dedicated time for work, family, and personal activities.
2. Identify and prioritize what matters most to you. This may involve determining your core values, both in your professional and personal life.
3. Strive for flexibility in your work elements where possible. This could include flexible hours or compressed work weeks. Having the flexibility to adapt to personal needs is also crucial.
4. Taking care of your physical and mental health is a key component of work/life balance. This includes regular exercise and adequate sleep.
5. Open and honest communication is vital, both at work and at home. Discuss your commitments and expectations with both work colleagues and family. Be clear about your availability and limitations.
6. Technology enables us to be flexible, but it can also blur the lines between work and personal life. Be mindful of turning off work notifications during non-working hours.