Work Life Balance – is it really feasible?
Work-life balance means something different to each of us. In today’s ever fast-paced life the scales are constantly determining what amount of time can be balanced to cover outside work activities. Whether that’s time spent with family, friends, outdoor activities, hobbies etc it is vital that this balance is somehow incorporated into your day/lifestyle – easier said than done right?
Finding the suitable balance between work and daily living can be a challenge for many of us especially as we focus on always doing a good job. The ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life and aspirations are important not only for our well-being but also for the positive (or not) impact it has across all members of a family or close relationships.
Are longer working hours the trend?
An important aspect of work-life balance is based on the amount of time spent actually at work. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development evidence suggests that long work hours may impair personal health, jeopardise the safety and increase stress. Statistics show that in the United Kingdom almost 13% of employees work very long hours with 1 in 8 employees in this survey working 50 hours or more per week.
In the 2017 Deloitte Millennial Survey, 80% of those surveyed reported that organisations that allo
w for highly flexible work arrangements have a very/fairly positive impact on their overall work-life balance. That’s nearly twice as much a positive impact vs. those organisations with a low deployment of flexible work arrangements.
The same survey found that 82% express a positive impact on overall well-being, health and happiness, and an 81% impact on their productivity when their employer fosters an environment of flexibility.
How to make that shift change
Constant emails, text messages, ability to check in real time through phone, iPad etc can make it extremely difficult to create a set of boundaries between your professional and personal life.
It is important to recognise that you can’t change everything all of a sudden and breaking habits will take time. Start by taking small steps….
Set Limits
Set parameters – yes, we can all be flexible when certain circumstances happen and deadlines loom however if you don’t set limits the chances are you won’t change habits. Decide on a set time to leave the office and try to stick to it. Try, where possible, to avoid taking any work home. Start, if you can, to separate your professional from your personal life.
Good Time Management
Good time management skills will help build in a process of organising and planning how much time is required across specific activities. Investing time in understanding time management may feel counter-productive but the benefits are far reaching including greater productivity and efficiency and ultimately less stress.
Learn to say No
Is saying “No” acceptable? We believe it is by doing it respectfully and in the right circumstances. We have all been in the situation with competing priorities and continuing to say yes to more work ultimately means longer hours and stress dealing with multiple deadlines. Does this sound familiar? Try to be in better control of what you can get done and done properly.
Understand your priorities
Always “On” isn’t Always Good
Make a very clear delineation between home and the office. For example, don’t answer emails after a certain time. Being on call 24/7 is not ideal and we can be all guilty of checking our phones, emails and as soon as we do that we are back in work mode. Allow yourself the time you need away from work to rejuvenate for work.
#gohomeontime
The organisation Working Families have recognised the importance of “work-life balance” and have announced a formal “Go Home on Time Day” to raise awareness of the importance of work-life balance. This is taking place on 21st June 2018. They want to start a national discussion that puts work-life balance and employee wellbeing at the forefront and stresses that going home on time should be the norm, not the exception. There is even a hashtag associated with this event #gohomeontime.
Creating a work-life balance is your responsibility. Set your boundaries and remember when you can #gohomeontime
Can we Help?
At Alexander Mae, we are focused on recruiting the highest calibre of candidates for our clients and working with our candidates to ensure each person is placed in the right role. If you are considering your work-life balance and interested in looking for a new role please review our current vacancies or email [email protected] or phone: 0117 9055035.
