Work-Life Balance

I’ve talked with three people already this week who brought up their desire to figure out a better work-life balance. With the current shifts in the economy and marketplace, I encounter many people with desires for a better balance in their lives that seem to stem from too much work to not enough work.

Work-life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities and different lives.  For me, work-life balance is the ability to split my time and energy between work and the other important aspects of my life – like time for family, friends, community participation, spirituality, personal growth, self care, and my hobbies – in a way that creates a feeling of satisfaction. This can be challenging as the projects in my work and personal life ebb and flow.  Certain times bring situations that require extra time and attention.

There are two sides of the work-life balance coin.

On one side is the personal choices and decision that individuals make.  Here is a simple process that will help you guide your choices and decisions.

1. If your life could focus on one thing and one thing only, what would that be? If you could add a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th thing, what would they be? If you answer thoughtfully and honestly, the result will be a list of your top five priorities.
2. Drop unnecessary activities. After making your priority list, you may discover you’re devoting too much time to activities that aren’t a priority, and you can adjust your schedule accordingly.
3. Protect your private time. Your private time deserves some respect. Carve out hours that contribute to yourself and your relationship. Stop checking email and cell phones so often and use time to nurture relationships and renew yourself.

On the other side of the coin is a corporate culture that institutes policies, procedures, actions, and expectations that enable employees to easily pursue more balanced lives.  Here are some organizational practices that we have found instrumental to organizational cultures that support work-life balance.

1. A flexible policy on work arrangements. Organizations that offer work schedule options that give employees the flexibility to accommodate their personal and family needs, whether it’s child care, unexpected family emergencies, doctor appointments, personal time for school events, increase their ability to attract, retain and motivate a high performing work team.
2. Employee Assistance Program. EAPs promote wellness and offer employees confidential, short term, counseling services for personal problems that affect their work performance.
3. Management commitment and communication. Mangers who are sensitive to their employees’ personal needs promote a joint responsibility to communicate with one another on work-life balance issues in an open and trusting environment. This concept of shared responsibility becomes a win-win by valuing both business success and personal fulfillment.

With Respect,
Georgine