Nevertheless, the much-discussed idea of "work-life balance" is not very beneficial, nor is the balancing technique practical.
In this article, we will talk in detail about the concept of work-life balance, explain the problem of the balancing method, and present the recommended process for achieving a healthy approach to work-life balance.
What does “work-life balance” mean?
Let's do some quick calculations. If we assume that we sleep 7.5 hours a day (which is the approximate number of sleep hours scientists have recommended for effective stress and health management), then we need to divide the remaining time each working day into 8.25 hours for work and 8.25 hours for personal life for the metrics to be really "balanced."
Nonetheless, studies show that most professionals and executives in the smartphone era regularly put in more than 8.25 hours a day at work. In other words, if we function 13.5 hours a day, five days a week, and read emails for roughly five hours on the weekends, we work approximately 72 hours a week.
When an individual works 13.5 hours a day and sleeps for roughly 7.5 hours every night, they dedicate only 3 hours of their Monday through Friday awake time to their personal life. This results in a total deficit of 26.25 hours per working week, or 5.25 hours less per working day than is required to achieve actual work-life balance.
To compute weekends, we take 168 hours a week and assume that a person sleeps for 52.5 hours. That leaves 115.5 hours for other activities. If we work for 72 hours, we are left with only 43.5 hours to spend as we please.
People have different approaches to dealing with work-life balance
People manage the boundaries between work-related and non-work-related activities in different ways. According to research, the distinctions between work and life are more significant than their equilibrium. Attempting to attain "balance" is counterproductive because many do not feel balanced. We strain and work hard to ensure everything gets done right, but if we focus more on the lines separating work and life, we will have more choices for people and organizations. A particular organization created a model to comprehend people's behavioral preferences regarding work-life balance and the boundaries that separate them.
Styles for Dealing with Work-Life Balance
In other research, the researchers identified five patterns of dealing with work-life balance, where people's natural preferences in terms of how to deal with work-life balance usually fall into one of the following five categories:
1. Supporters of work-life separation
They prefer to separate work and life tasks and obligations and set clear boundaries. They typically work from a designated workspace and during "working hours." They take care of all work-related tasks during working hours and wait to take care of personal tasks until after they are done and have gone home. The individual who seldom works on weekends or holidays is an example of this approach. This individual will also not plan a family outing during business hours, as the recent global shift to remote work, the growing interconnectedness of the business world, and technological advancements all pose challenges to the traditional work pattern.
2. Supporters of work-life integration
Throughout the day, they juggle work and personal responsibilities. Their home and professional lives intersect, and vice versa. That is the kind of person who switches from answering work emails to tending to private needs and vice versa. They also consistently handle assignments that occur at any time and from any location. An illustration of this strategy would be someone who works out during their extended lunch break and then makes up that time by responding to emails from work that evening.
3. Supporters of switching between the integration method and the separation of life and work
They use the models of integration and separation between work and family at different times. An example of this pattern is a person who travels frequently, has seasonal work or is involved in a project-related job. Others might switch between various responsibilities like childcare, family obligations, school schedules, or other personal situations.
4. Supporters of working at the expense of personal life
They put their work program first and take care of working time. They allow work activities to interrupt family time but do not allow family affairs to interrupt their work. An example of this method is the parent who answers emails and makes work calls during sports events, family dinners, and vacations, but rarely makes personal calls at work.
5. Supporters of personal life at the expense of work
They prioritize their family program and the time they spend with their family and allow the family to interrupt work. One example of this approach is when a parent reschedules work hours for a sick child or an elderly relative, but they hardly ever sacrifice family time for work.
(It is worth mentioning that this research was conducted before the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic and the events that followed, and it is clear that this has changed the way people deal with work and life management, and for many, blurring the boundaries between them out of necessity rather than preference.)
Border control
It is an additional variable we can quantify to comprehend how individuals approach attaining work-life balance. According to research, some people's levels of border control vary depending on the circumstances or kind of work they perform:
1. High-Level Border Control
People with a high-level control over the boundaries between work and life can know when to focus on work, the family, and both. They might work past their usual work hours to complete a significant project or work for just half a day on a weekday morning to attend an event at school. Individuals with high control over borders believe they can choose and handle the fallout.
2. Medium-Level Border Control
Although they sometimes feel forced to choose, people with medium-level border control occasionally choose between focusing on their families, careers, or both. For instance, they may be able to devote some of their working hours and attention to family issues, but there are other instances when they wish to but are unable to do so, and they may wish to keep work and life apart or integrate them more than they can.
3. Low-Level Border Control
Individuals with low-level border control cannot discern appropriate times to concentrate on work, family, or both. Typically, these limitations are due to their occupation nature, individual situations, or both.
The more control someone has over their work environment, including where, when, and how they manage other responsibilities, the easier it will be for them to manage various aspects of life together. That is because having more control also makes one feel more secure and independent.
Life and work conditions are ideally aligned with a person's preferred way of setting boundaries, but sometimes conditions are not ideal. While work-life balance may necessitate various forms of assistance, and your program may still be overloaded, having more control over your boundaries will improve the quality and productivity of both work and life.
What does this imply for your organization's approach to work-life balance? The concept of “work-life boundaries” can help employees reframe discussions about this subject with their managers, families, and coworkers.
Speaking about preferences versus reality can help you discover what frustrates managers and staff the most, find potential solutions to ease suffering, and be more creative in setting boundaries to help you stay organized in even the most demanding or structured jobs, allowing employees to better balance between work and family obligations.
Work-life conflict can be more detrimental to organizations than you may think, but frequently, little adjustments that accomplish the intended result can have a significant positive impact on your employees' lives and increase their capacity to be devoted, productive, and influential at work.
Why doesn't work-life “balance” work?
Thanks to cell phones, the lines separating work and other facets of life are becoming less distinct; anyone easily can always be reached. Therefore, “work-life balance” is a flawed and unhelpful approach.
The phrase "work-life balance" encourages us to choose one over the other rather than integrating them. It conveys the idea that there is a problem that needs to be solved rather than that there is a polarity that needs to be managed, Therefore, we need to think about work-life balance differently.
It is not about finding the "right" formula to split your time and energy between your responsibilities; Rather, it is about making decisions and concessions. For example, being a mother shouldn't prevent you from being a leader. Instead, consider aligning your behavior with your values.
Give work-life integration a higher priority than work-life balance. For instance, you might occasionally work on the weekends and undertake personal tasks during the so-called "work day." Regardless of the time, place, or if you get paid for them, the best course of action is to effortlessly transition between pursuits that make you feel accomplished and happy.
Studies reveal that people have more energy to give when they are engaged in activities that they believe have a significant impact on their lives and even put in long hours at work (volunteering, employment, or other pursuits).
In light of this, consider what you can do at work and home will enable you to lead a happy life. Remember that having the energy to accomplish things you want is just as important as having the time to do them.
Work-life integration is about feeling motivated by your activities in all your life spheres, enabling you to focus your energy on the things significant to you at work and outside.
How to achieve better work-life integration?
Here's a quick three-step process to set the balance aside and create work-life integration.
1. Reflection
First, constantly do everything you can in your energy to feel more energized, authentic, and productive at work and home.
To ensure that your actions are in line with your values, take some time to consider what matters most to you. Then, consider whether you are allocating your time in a way that aligns with your values.
Record what you do in one hour or more for a week, write down why you did what you did, and see if your actions reflect or contradict your values and goals.
Alternatively, take stock of your strengths, interests, favorite work environments, and things that bring you joy. Then, consider how to increase your participation in similar activities.
You may also need to consider what you are doing now as a choice rather than a situation in which you are a victim. Remind yourself of the reasons behind your decisions or why the current circumstances are like this. For the time being, you may concentrate on overcoming a brief hardship or setback; however, if future demands do not align with your values, or if these reasons are no longer essential to you, think about new decisions that you can make now, or in a few months, to help life and work feel less apart.
Remember that as time goes on, your needs and expectations will also change. Therefore, keep up your meditation practice and ensure your goals are realistic and consistent with your present priorities and values.
2. Having Conversations
Discuss potential future changes you might make with friends and family. Once you've given it some thought, see if you can find any means of exerting more control over the boundaries between work and life. You may also need to converse with your boss about how to use your skills more effectively and add more value to the company. For instance, request that you be given a challenging project to complete and that your working hours be made more flexible so that you can start later if needed, leave work early if needed, or make up time for a later time. Bring up the fact that flexibility boosts worker productivity with your supervisor.
3. Develop a plan
If you believe that the way you invest your time does not align with your values, decide how you like it, set aside five minutes for yourself, picture yourself on your deathbed, and ask yourself what you could not do that was crucial. And who is the one you couldn't be like?
What are you going to do about it? Create a plan to accomplish what you could not achieve and bring your objectives to life. By doing this, you will become more productive and energized, which will enhance your sense of authenticity and work-life integration, as opposed to work-life balance.
In conclusion
In this piece, we discussed the idea of work-life balance, how individuals differ in how they approach life and work and manage the boundaries between them, why this approach is ineffective, and how integration between work and personal life is critical.
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