Work life balance is a phrase you’ll have heard time and time again, but what does it actually mean? How can you make sure you and your team has a healthy work life balance? It’s important to remember that work life balance means different things to different people. Having a positive work life balance doesn’t mean that employees will have an equal 50/50 split between work and social time, whilst that would be a utopian ideal, the reality is that such a split is practically impossible to achieve. The Mental Health Foundation suggest that work life balance is about, “making sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas of your life”.
As outlined above what is considered to be a positive work life balance will look different for each individual and as someone’s life changes that balance will also change due to circumstances. There are however a number of common steps that employees can take.
Boundaries
Setting realistic boundaries helps to prevent blurred lines between work and personal life. That might be ensuring that you take a lunch break each day, finish work on time, don’t check emails out of work hours or clearing away your work station if you work from home so that you don’t have the urge to work during personal time. Make sure that you stick to whatever boundaries you set and discuss them with colleagues and your manager so that they are aware and have reasonable expectations.
Time Management
Time keeps moving and therefore using that time effectively and productively both at work and at home is imperative for a positive work life balance. Spending work time on meaningful and fulfilling tasks creates a sense of positivity and achievement as does using personal time for hobbies, socialising or simply relaxing and recharging your batteries.
Flexibility
Being flexible allows you to make short term adjustments to the normal structure of your day and over time that flexibility will result in a positive work life balance. It may be that you need to work beyond your normal hours to finish a project and that you stretch your normal boundaries, but in contrast you may also finish work early on occasion for a personal appointment so the balance is therefore maintained.
Self-Awareness
Having a level of self-awareness about how you are feeling and why will help with achieving a positive work life balance. If you are feeling low, feeling stressed or feeling unfulfilled then understanding why is vital. You can then assess your priorities, look at any imbalances in your life and then take steps to make any changes as needed.
Employers can also help their employees with work life balance. Having a positive culture where communication is encouraged is vital so that employees can raise any concerns at an early stage. Managers should be aware of stress triggers and should proactively offer appropriate support to deal with workload. Having realistic and achievable targets that do not put staff under undue pressure will help with achieving a positive work life balance as staff will gain a sense of achievement and fulfilment when hitting a target without it being something that burdens them. Simple steps such as making sure staff take their breaks, use annual leave and are aware of their rights regarding flexible working can also make a real difference, as can signposting staff to external support if they need it.
As discussed in an article published by the Harvard Business Review achieving a healthy work life balance is actually a continual process, as the article says it is, “a cycle that we must engage in continuously as our circumstances and priorities evolve”. Keeping a regular check on work life balance is therefore crucial for our overall wellbeing and will ensure that a healthy equilibrium is maintained.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic Why is Flexibility Important in the Workplace?
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