For many people, the “work” side of work-life balance is somewhat more defined than life. While it may be hard to manage a myriad of tasks and shifting priorities, work is generally time-bound and there are some boundaries, if one is disciplined about it and communicates expectations with others. Back-up coverage may be possible, shifts or work hours can be managed and many jobs come with leave or sick leave.
There are lots of strategies and tips out there for finding work-life balance: Set Boundaries! Just Say No! Set Priorities! Take Breaks! These tips are grounded in good intentions and hold some gold on their own but may also sidestep the deeper questions that cause the best work-life balance action plans to fail. Here are some different ways of reframing the work-life balance equation to create change from within.
You’ve heard that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” So, let’s all make an effort NOT to be like Jack. Not only is he dull, but he has an unhealthy work-life balance. To improve his situation, Jack should pay attention to the latest data and learn…
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For many people, the work experience has significantly changed over the past year. Work-from-home arrangements are becoming more standard, and more people are teleworking more regularly. Many organizations are finding that the resulting productivity is high, despite the distance and empty cubicles. So, what does work-life balance look like in…
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In difficult and uncertain times, finding work-life balance can be a daily challenge. This is particularly true when work and school schedules collide, or when there are too many demands for any one person to handle. Here are five ways to recalibrate if your work-life balance is out of whack:…
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For many, work-life balance is an elusive concept, and achieving that balance is never quite static enough to call it a success. To help you step back and reflect on your work-life balance over time, here is a mini-questionnaire to assess and analyze your work-life balance needs and action plan.…
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Too often, work-life balance is positioned as the balance of two different and separate worlds – opposite ends of a seesaw, where increasing one must decrease the other. What if we instead invited these worlds to interact and overlap? Here are three strategies for connecting our worlds, and the benefits…
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Is your work-life balance a bit lopsided? Are work demands keeping you from being at your best with family, or is your work performance suffering because of life circumstances or repeated emergencies? While we often talk about work-life balance in terms of making sure we protect family life in the…
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The idea of work-life balance can be controversial. Some successful people say that it's nearly impossible to achieve a real balance between one's career and one's personal life. Others use some variation of the tired phrase, "Work to live, don't live to work." It's important to remember that work-life balance…
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At the beginning of a new year, you've probably been hearing a lot about work-life balance. You may find yourself asking: How am I supposed to achieve this balance? There are so many suggestions out there that it can be difficult to decide what advice to follow. One approach is…
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