What do you do if your career demands compromise your work-life balance?

Achieving work-life balance is critical for both personal well-being and career success. In today’s interconnected world, where work-from-home arrangements blur the lines between professional and personal life, finding harmony becomes essential. Rather than striving for a perfect balance, consider a “yes/no” balance approach. Prioritise your commitments, learn to say “no” when necessary, and manage expectations transparently. Achieving work-life balance isn’t about perfection; it’s about finding a rhythm that works for you; and it won’t be what works for others. By embracing this mindset, you can navigate the demands of work while nurturing your personal life effectively

The notion of work life balance is a misnomer. There are periods of your life where you may need or want to devote more of your time and self to work and other times to your personal life. Be deliberate about your choices and ensure that you are clear about the tradeoffs that each may require.

If your career demands compromise your work-life balance, it's crucial to reassess your priorities and establish boundaries. Communicate with your employer about realistic expectations and explore options like flexible schedules or remote work. Prioritize self-care and allocate time for activities outside of work to maintain balance and avoid burnout.

If our career demands compromise our work-life balance, it is essential to evaluate the reasons behind the imbalance. Reflecting on our goals, values, and overall well-being can help us determine the necessary steps to address the issue. This might involve exploring alternative career options, seeking a more flexible work environment, or implementing strategies to manage time and stress effectively. It is important to find a balance that aligns with our personal and professional aspirations. It happened to me in my 40s when I started to realize that my career was killing my private life , I had to leave and seek for a more flexible career path.

Prioritization, identifying and reducing waste (such as non-value add processes and manual touch points) and setting clear expectations are key for maintaining work-life balance.

In 2007, after the iPhone was released, almost overnight, my work-life balance was compromised. Suddenly, the entire world of customers on a website could message me online 24/7 through social apps. I found myself working 8am to 9pm and taking the phone to bed. I was newly married, have a disability, and some boundaries had to be put in place. I sat with my boss, team, and my wife (my real boss). I explained my ambitions and problems. But it was hard because customers had expectations. Yet, setting boundaries like: - No phone in bed - Sticking to a work schedule - Set times to disconnect It all led to me researching new technology on how to be more efficient, which made me a "smarter" worker. Not a guy with a job for a lifestyle.

Setting boundaries at work is vital for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. It prevents burnout, boosts focus and efficiency, promotes respect, and enhances mental health. By clearly defining when work ends and personal time begins, individuals can achieve greater satisfaction and success both professionally and personally.

Unfortunately, there is no universal standard for what boundaries you get to set. Each of our work agreements and their associated tasks, colleagues, culture, and environment will vary greatly. Easiest example—if you work an hourly job you have more clearly structured/defined working hours, whereas salaried employees can be more at risk for working what could be seen as unpaid overtime. Set boundaries within the context of your work agreement. That said, setting boundaries take a great deal of courage and commitment in how you communicate.

Remember you are the cavalry! No one is going to save you but you ! You have to set boundaries, couple of things that worked for me- 1.if you manager is open minded and empathetic ; talk to her/him/they to set boundaries . Sometimes we don’t always get the manager we want so then: 2.set your own boundaries/ ask yourself is the late night call or message really super urgent that it needs to be answered? Or can it wait till the working time next day ? This is very important often people message or email at a time that works for them , not necessarily for you. Understand this - and don’t respond to every single message or email outside work hours , unless it’s absolutely impacting something meaningful!

1. It's especially important to differentiate goals that i "like" to complete vs Goals that i "must" complete. Often, we end up doing tasks that we like, and we tend to avoid tasks that are difficult, so we keep postponing them 2. Create this awareness in yourself and while prioritizing your goals for your day, use this filter for decision making. 3. Review every evening or next day morning task completed vs planned .... that will itself tell you your patterns and behaviour 4. Reflect on changes in actions that you want to make and iterate your plan 5. Have a discipline to follow this routine till it becomes part of your auto pilot

Prioritizing is one thing that is not only important but also completely in your control ! Evaluate all your tasks - what are the things you absolutely need to do , what are the tasks that you actually should not do ( yes everyone has them ; delegate them out)!

Begin by pinpointing the non-negotiable aspects of your personal life and schedule time for them accordingly. When feasible, delegate tasks, establish clear boundaries for work hours, and openly communicate your needs with your employer. Implementing strategies to streamline tasks and improve time management can further contribute to achieving a healthier work-life balance. Be sure to regularly review and adapt your priorities as circumstances change.

Prioritizing tasks is key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Identifying what's most important and what can wait allows you to allocate your time and energy more efficiently. Sometimes, that means being selective about the projects you take on and learning to say no when necessary. Delegating tasks to others can also lighten your workload and free up time for personal activities. Remembering that not everything is urgent helps you pace yourself and avoid burnout. Taking these steps can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling work-life balance.

One thing I recommend, do assess the urgency and importance of each task and focus on those that align with your goals and deadlines. Delegate tasks when possible and communicate with your team about workload distribution. Set realistic expectations with yourself and others regarding what can be achieved within a given timeframe. Remember, effective prioritization ensures that your time and energy are invested in activities that matter most, allowing you to maintain a healthier work-life balance. #WorkLifeBalance #TaskPrioritization #CareerSuccess

Exploring flexible work arrangements can indeed be a game-changer for improving work-life balance. Remote work opportunities, flexible start and end times, or compressed workweeks can offer you more control over your schedule and allow you to better balance work and personal commitments. Many employers are open to such arrangements, especially when they can lead to increased productivity and employee satisfaction. It's worth discussing these options with your employer and proposing a plan that could benefit both you and the company.

Exploring flexibility might entail discussing alternatives like remote work, flexible hours, or part-time schedules with your employer. Moreover, consider refining your workflow and prioritizing tasks to carve out additional time for personal obligations. Maintain open communication with your employer regarding your needs, and be ready to negotiate mutually beneficial solutions.

Open communication with your employer is key when it comes to addressing work-life balance. Expressing your concerns professionally and offering solutions that won't compromise your work performance shows that you're committed to your job but also value your personal time. A good employer will appreciate your honesty and may be willing to work with you to find a mutually beneficial arrangement. It's important to approach these conversations with a positive attitude and a willingness to collaborate on finding solutions.

Ensure open communication to ensure you don't suffer from burnout. While it's great, even necessary to burn the midnight oil, or cannot be all the time. Must employers will value this and hopefully be practical and fair

Engage in open discussions about your concerns, collaborate on adapting your workload or schedule, and explore potential resolutions together. Clear communication fosters boundary-setting and ensures effective understanding and fulfillment of your needs.

Open communication is paramount in these situations. Depending on your environment, talk to your boss, HR, your next level manager. Do NOT compromise your life and health for your job.

I’ve found the key to long-term career success is sustainability. This means always asking the question: How can I consistently apply myself to generate significant progress? Your career demands will always be changing, so you must understand what is sustainable for you. There will be times when you need to go above-and-beyond at work and sacrifice other parts of your life to get a certain outcome. But if you constantly feel burnt out or feel what's being asked of you is unrealistic to sustain, then at some point your system will break. If you can’t influence this system to foster sustainability, you should explore other options.

Yes life changes and so do you! So when committing your time and abilities to a cause or a project, make sure that the end-rewards are discussed and agreed before the start..then reevaluate at specific intervals. It's easy to loose yourself in a project, this way you secure your raft at the starting line.

Take time to understand yourself and the why behind your decisions to set work-life boundaries, it will be a lot easier to identify when you’re inadvertently in a position that is not in your best interest. It’s easy to tip over into an unhealthy work- life balance ratio when you’re not aware of your own personal joy compass, therefore I would recommend you reflect & re-evaluate this often! I found that it takes a few trial and errors to find that healthy threshold of joy in your personal life and undisputed dedication to your professional craft. I have always encouraged my teams to do the things that bring them joy & over time I got good at role modeling making adjustments as necessary and it’s working out so far!

In most cases work life balance is impacted because want to complete everything now. Take 20 minutes towards the end of each day to evaluate what's on your desk and evaluate what needs to be done the next day versus in the coming week versus in the next month etc.... Lead stakeholders expectations by asking questions on when it's required/expected. This will help you better understand the urgency and if required to communicate if it's doable or not and come to an agreement on the need by date to ensure you can plan for on time delivery whilst maintaining balance.

I want to enjoy my job, which requires that it doesn't make unreasonable demands of me. The most miserable I have ever been was in a workplace that consistently interrupted my personal life and stressed me out all the time when I wasn't working. I don't recommend anyone live like this, but I certainly won't. Having learned my lesson the hard way, I would not remain at a company that didn't respect that my life outside of work is important.

Actually if you are so competent and talent in your area, you have right to choose the work you want and which time to do. So develop yourself, create values for clients and organization in way that people need it, then you can arrange your work and life more balanced.

When it comes to career and work-life balance, here is what else to consider: 1. Setting clear boundaries for ourselves, not just others. 2. Recognising if our sense of reward comes from being busy, potentially unbalancing our lives. 3. Assessing if our work dedication stems from a need for external validation. 4. Evaluating our energy focus - are we prioritising effectively, delegating when necessary, and avoiding micromanaging minor tasks? Striving for control is an easy way to create unnecessary stress and work.

Let me start by discussing the example of Female professionals who work at office beyond usual work times on project exigencies and also have to complete the duties of a home maker viz attending to care of family members, cooking at home and serving meals at home etc. It is certainly not easy to have a taxing job or a gruelling career unless there is support system at home be it arrangements of home help or a supportive family member from a joint family system or an extended family system.