No matter what industry you work in, we are all striving to find a work-life balance that is right for us. This is a constant struggle which almost all of us will face at some point. There are many ways you can minimise this struggle and maximise balance, however.
The idea of a perfect, symbiotic work-life balance is actually a myth. It is nearly impossible to achieve a state of being 100% engaged at work as well as at home.
There have been many studies that have found that striving to find this balance can actually end up having a detrimental effect on your overall mental health and happiness. Some of these studies have even found that the individuals who aim to completely separate their work and home life to maximise both of them, actually end up more depleted and stressed.
The solution lies in the latter half of the phrase. Finding a happy medium, i.e. a balance, rather than creating a division is the best way to achieve that healthy work-life balance.
Finding that happy medium means making sufficient time for personal and social commitments as well as work commitments. Giving too much attention to one aspect of your life will generally affect your performance and wellbeing in the other.
So what kind of boundaries can you set at work to help protect this balance?
Communicate Clearly
Communicating firm boundaries can be intimidating for some people but it is key to creating a good work-life balance.
Only say yes when you mean yes and don’t agree to something you cannot do or that is not part of your role etc. This can set a precedent that will impact your work-life balance in the long run.
Decide On Non-Negotiable, Value-Adding Activities
You should determine what activities you need to do to feel fulfilled throughout each week. This could be anything from exercise to attending a child’s sporting event to general hobbies. Identifying activities you need to do every week to maintain your work-life balance lets you set boundaries around them.
As mentioned before, it’s important to stay fluid and connected to work outside of work hours however there still needs to be allocated downtime. Being connected but remaining unpredictable so as not to set concrete expectations with your employer can be extremely beneficial in maintaining a good work-life balance.
We are all trying to find the perfect balance between work life and home life that fits us. Setting boundaries with yourself and your employees is one of the easiest and quickest ways to achieve this. Focusing on communication, staying connected and ensuring you make time for hobbies and enriching, healthy activities as well as prioritising fluidity between your work life and home life are all things that will help you achieve that balance. If you’d like more information, tips or suggestions contact JEM Management Training today!
