And you know what? That’s OK.
Talking about “work-life balance” kind of feels like talking about a UFO. We are fairly certain it exists in some form. Maybe we’ve even gotten a glimpse of it a few times.
It’s simple in theory, but it turns out stepping away from work responsibilities to focus on other things that enrich your life is pretty darn hard. As time goes on and the world becomes more digitally dependent, the balance between work and life has changed drastically. Work, itself, has changed drastically. According to 2019 data from TalentLMS, a whopping 66% of companies are set up to allow remote work and 16% of employees are fully remote.
The whole “don’t bring work home” rallying cry is kind of hard to keep in check when your office is your living room. Plus, it’s difficult to disconnect from work when tools like Slack, Google Hangouts, and even simple email notifications make it so easy to work anytime, anywhere. So, where’s the line between work and life? There’s really no one-size-fits-all answer.
Boundaries are important, but you get to set them.
Having access to the world at our fingertips (thank you, smartphones!) is amazing, but as a shock to no one, it can lead to serious burnout. The “always-on” culture requires us to basically become robotic workhorses who are available at a moment’s notice to answer a question, fix a problem, or take on a new task. But we’re human, and that’s not sustainable.
However, there’s no universal approach to boundaries because our needs are so subjective. If someone wants to sign off from all things work-related at 5 PM to enjoy family time at home, that’s perfectly acceptable. If someone works their day job until 5 PM then devotes a few more hours of work to the side-hustle helping them achieve personal goals, that’s also acceptable. In fact, a lot of folks would even argue that time spent toward a passion project doesn’t feel the same as the work you’re putting into your day job. It all comes down to what you consider a sustainable balance.
When do you know you’ve struck the balance?
Here’s a more important question: What are your priorities and how do you want to feel as you keep them in mind? This is where your qualities of character can be of use.
It is important to have a clear sense of success for both short and long term goals. It is equally important to know how you want to behave and feel while you’re working on them. Do you want to feel haggard and short-tempered or tenacious and calm? Overwhelmed and hectic or organized and centered? You won’t feel one way all the time, but it’s good to notice how you’re feeling more often than not because that data can help you figure out how and when you might need to course-correct or keep going as is.
Through it all, pay attention to your body. Stress manifests physically, and your body will tell you by way of headaches, muscle tension, sweating, fatigue, and other tell-tale signs that you need a break. For some, that could mean it’s time to book a week-long beach vacation, stat. For others, taking a chunk of time off work could create even more stress, and a simple workout class and dinner with friends can help right the ship.
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It’s all about figuring out what’s right for you—and taking care of yourself.
Nothing—one more time for the people in the back!—nothing is more important than your health and well being. And speaking of work, you can’t be your best professionally if your personal wellness is set-up to struggle. How are you showing up for yourself and your body to create the balance you need? On days your work calendar is packed to the minute, are you packing enough to eat to stay energized? If you need to pull an all-nighter for that passion project, are you clearing a day in the future to catch up on sleep? Many of us spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our spouses. How are you creating intentional time to foster relationships that keep you emotionally fulfilled outside of work?
We’re a culture of workaholics, and there’s a lot of noise coming from a lot of sources out there (including this article) about how to achieve the fabled work-life balance. Your body, your mood, your relationships, and your energy level will tell you exactly how you’re faring. All you need to do is listen and then follow their advice.
