Work-Life Balance in the Modern Workplace

Balance is a concept that applies to almost everything we do, consciously or unconsciously. To a significant extent, today's work culture revolves around the concept of balance.

Work frequently supersedes all other aspects of our lives. Our desire to succeed professionally can cause us to cast our own well-being aside. Creating a harmonious work-life balance or work-life integration, on the other hand, is critical not only for physical, emotional, and mental well-being but also for a career experience.

What is Work-Life Balance?

In recent years, the phrase "work-life balance" has continued to thrive. This is due in part to the ubiquitous presence of millennials in the workforce. Employers have been putting in a lot of effort to figure out how to best appeal to millennial workers. With millennials and generation Z expected to account for 75% and 27% of the workforce by 2025, many leaders believe it is time to redefine work-life balance.

Work-life balance is an essential component of a healthy workplace, how?

Work-life balance is important for employees, but it also has an impact on the organization. Employees who prioritize their well-being are undoubtedly happier and more satisfied. This is reflected in their work performance and behavior.

Furthermore, employees who have a good work-life balance are potential advocates for their organizations. And this provides a compelling reason for businesses to rethink their corporate culture in order to promote work-life balance.

What Can be Done for a Healthy Balance Between Work and Life?

As an employer, you have an important role to play in ensuring that your employees are not caught up in the work-life balance conflict.

Similarly, you can implement a number of measures to promote a healthy work-life balance.

Tips for Employees to Attain Better Work-Life Balance

The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all prescription. You may also have to experiment with what time scale feels most relevant to you. Trying to find harmony in a single day can be frustrating, but it may be easier to achieve over the course of a week or more. Learning to check in with your inner compass — and your results — is the best way to find the best balance for you.

You can reset your work-life balance and recalibrate your expectations with intention and a little creativity.

Here are 7 tips to improve your work-life balance:

1. Embrace the way your brain works. Block out all other distractions so you can make the most of your time.
2. Set blocks of time for different tasks. Have a time when you check (and respond to) messages, a time when you take meetings, and time to do mentally-intensive work. It helps to anchor these tasks around the times that you are personally more productive.
3. End work at a certain time. There’s a saying that “work expands to fill the time allotted,” and when you work from home it’s even easier to let work spill over into personal time. Set a time to end work for the day, and reinforce it by powering down work-related devices, locking your office, or scheduling something afterward.
4. Go out for lunch, or enjoy lunch with coworkers. Even if you’re working from home, you can go out for your lunch break or connect with colleagues. The change of pace will be refreshing — and, of course, will remind you to actually eat something.
5. Find something you love outside of work to engage in. If you have something that you’re excited about doing after work, it will make it easier to disconnect from work messages or end your day at a predetermined time. Our hobbies boost our energy and vitality. When we play and feel creative, we bring our fresh selves back to work.
6. Communicate with your manager. Poor work-life balance is often exacerbated by the fear that we’re not doing enough. Talking to your leaders can help you prioritize where to spend your time. If there really is too much to do, it might be time to talk about hiring additional help or streamlining certain tasks.
7. Work with a coach or therapist. If you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or don’t know where to begin to disconnect, working with a professional can be invaluable. A coach or counselor can help you identify which changes will make the biggest impact and how to get started.

In conclusion, work-life balance is essential for a healthy workplace and for the well-being of employees. It is important for employers to take steps to promote a healthy work-life balance and for employees to be proactive in setting boundaries and finding ways to balance their work and personal lives.

By embracing the way our brain works, setting blocks of time for different tasks, ending work at a certain time, going out for lunch, engaging in activities outside of work, communicating with managers, and seeking professional help, we can take steps to improve our work-life balance and lead happier, more fulfilling lives.