What do you do if your work-life balance is suffering?

Take a pause and reflect if you are in a loop and cannot disconnect from work. In the urge of growth and ambition, we might miss the long term goal. Always ask yourself the following question in these situations. "Do I want to be a 100meter running champion or a marathon champion"? The answer to this question will help you with the balance you want to bring in. We as humans take personal relations for granted and realise it's importance only when it's way too late and the damage which cannot be undone. Anything in excess is not good so is the work. Role models are not the ones who are only passionate about their job but also who are passionate about their personal relationships.

Lets be very truthful to us, work-life balance is a myth. Those who loves to work will always keep overworking as for them its true love unless that person falls ill or have any kind of emotional setback. So for those who actually need that work-life balance first things first stop and find out your imbalance if its physical or mental entity. Embrace and sleep over the thought that work is worship but not at the stake of family, relations and emotions. Next step every morning create a plan for the day, keep a start time, keep and end time, stick to the plan no matter what. Keep 1 hour for personal time. Repeat this for 21 days to make it a practice. P.S - "Easy to say, impossible to concur, once decided changes are bound to occur"

"Work never ends", "You will get as much work as you can get done", "The more you accomplish, the more work you will get". Most of us have commitments to family, to people we associate with, to our community and I would go as far as saying to society in general. Ignoring these commitments and associations will make us more isolated and dependent on the jobs we do. So if we lose our jobs the devastation will be total and outcome will not be good. This is why it is important to timebox activities at work and in general any other activity we do so that we do not get overrun by one thing or another. I have to say I regret all the extra hours I put in work, time taken from my family. We are replaceable in our jobs but not for our families.

Agile changed the way we worked in the past with continuous delivery in smaller shippable functionality by human machines. In my perspective, Prioritization and Delegation are the two important items. In today's world, everything is needed now. When these can't be done due to competing priorities or your delegates already have more than enough on their plate, reflect on yourself to decide what makes sense or seek support from leadership. Work always takes precedence but balancing the time between work, family, keeping up with industry trends, and social life is part of the life ecosystem which can't be compromised for longer periods of time

If you're feeling burnt out, consider these steps to improve your work-life balance: Identify the Cause: Is it workload, long hours, or stress? Talk to Your Manager/Friends/Family : Discuss solutions and adjustments. Prioritize: Focus on high-impact activities. Set Boundaries.limits : Disconnect after work hours when possible. Practice Self-Care: Ensure enough sleep, exercise, and relaxation.

As a professional working from home, I can vouch for the fact that the work and personal life boundaries can blur pretty quickly and can lead to unwarranted stress. We have always seen our parents and people around us give more importance to work than personal life and regretted it later. Its always best to set personal boundaries and understand your limitations and learn to let go when needed and prioritise your family over everything else. This will lead to more contentment and happiness within. Its not wrong to say NO to additional work if it disrupts personal life and the key is communicating in the right manner. If you are a happy person, you will be productive at workplace as well.

Ontime Delivery within agreed budget is key to the program success, at same time Work Life Balance is equally important. EQ (Emotional Quotient) has larger role to play these days. To strike balance between delivery & work life balance, One should - 1. Have Proper Project Planning - this is only possible when the scope of work is clear & we estimate the task realistically. 2. Right set of talent in the team - team should be empowered to take decisions. A true leader is who empowers and shows trust on his team. Mix of right talent and attitude. 3. Close Monitoring & Reporting the status to all the stakeholders to avoid last minute surprises. 4. If needed say politely NO to customer. Avoid last minute changes which really result to chaos.

Setting boundaries is essential for maintaining healthy relationships, both personal and professional, and for ensuring your own well-being. There are some steps to effectively set boundaries, such as identifying your limits, communicating clearly, setting realistic expectations, implementing consequences, practicing self-care, seeking support, being consistent, and adjusting as needed. Remember, setting boundaries is not selfish; it's a fundamental aspect of self-respect and creating healthy, mutually respectful relationships.

Somewhere down the lane, a firm No can be much better than a confused and hapless 'Yes'. Setting up quality time in every thing we do needs special focus, be it work or otherwise. Setting the boundaries clear should pave a longer work-life balance to ponder upon??

Setting boundaries includes not to Don't overcommit yourself. Be selective about taking on additional responsibilities and learn to say No to tasks or obligations that don't align with your priorities. Schedule short vacations to rest and recharge. Stepping away from work periodically can boost productivity and prevent burnout

A helpful approach for prioritization is to ask yourself two key questions: - If I had only half the time, which tasks would I eliminate? -What are the consequences if I don't complete this task? These questions provide valuable perspective when everything seems like a top priority on your list.

Always have a prioritized backlog for yourself so you can focus only on the next set of high priority items. Use regular agile ceremonies like daily stand up and retrospectives to pause and reflect on your work and to bring up any of your concerns. Ensure you have limited work in progress items at any given point and shield yourself from scope creep.

Prioritization, a cornerstone of Agile Methodologies, is equally crucial for managing work-life balance. Utilize techniques like a backlog to list all tasks and rank them based on importance and urgency. This method enables you to concentrate on what truly matters without feeling overwhelmed by less critical activities. By addressing high-priority tasks first, you can create more time for yourself and sidestep the stress of last-minute rushes. Remember, striking a balance means not only being efficient at work but also prioritizing personal well-being and relationships.

First thing of the day would be to evaluate the list of tasks I have it for the day and to prioritize the tasks based on criticality and urgency. Once we know what we are doing we will be clear with the rest of the day.

Few things I found helpful - - identify the must do’s and nice to do activities for the day. - be realistic about the deadlines and ask for help if needed. - delegate the tasks where possible. This will also help folks planning to go to next level - don’t hesitate to use PTOs. - set working hours expectation with the team. if the team is not in alignment with your expectations or vice versa, then that’s not the right team for you! Most underrated suggestion and topic for self reflection - stop using work as excuse to avoid other problems in life. When we get used to working for long hours, it’s difficult to just work for 9 hours after sometime. Cultivate work life balance from the beginning of your career. Consistency is the key!

Recognizing that work-life balance management is unique to each individual, I prioritize understanding my own habits, routines, family commitments, work style, and preferences. I actively seek tips from others on how they manage their work-life balance and incorporate the tactics that best align with my needs into my own routine.

I have always been able to leverage flexible schedule as key tool to address it. Incorporating remote work options on longer days, flexible schedules, and wellness routine during workdays and sometimes taking few hours over the weekends and evenings to address work backlog has helped me manage responsibilities while nurturing personal well-being. Open communication about my flexible schedule and promoting a culture of trust enhances overall work-life harmony.

I prioritise my work and personal life in a way i can give equal attention to both work and family and this was possible with flexible working hours. With flexible work hours you can give time to your loved ones and equal attention to work as well.

Agile mindset is empowering. The foremost thing is allow yourself to be present in the moment, whether you're at work or spending time with loved ones. Strive for balance by adapting to different situations and being willing to shift your focus between work and personal life as needed. Flexibility can help you navigate life's ups and downs more effectively and create space for both professional success and personal fulfillment.

Embracing flexibility can greatly improve work-life balance. If your workplace offers flexible work hours, take advantage of this. Try to balance your workload throughout the week to avoid burnout. Be open to changes in plans and schedules - it’s okay if things don’t always go according to plan. Work schedules can become hectic, along with dynamic lifestyles. Remember, the goal is to create a work-life balance that suits your needs and lifestyle.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. At work, this could mean delegating tasks or discussing workload management with your supervisor. In your personal life, family and friends can be a great support system, whether it's sharing household responsibilities or just having someone to talk to. Professional support from a coach or therapist can also be beneficial.

Prioritise “life”. If you are really suffering to a point that your work is affecting your personal life then you need to prioritise life over work. Take a break firstly to clear your mind and think over if the role / job is really something you want to continue. Once you have made your mind take actions accordingly. If you decide to move on from the job then prepare accordingly. If you decide to stay then work with your manager and team to define clear steps to help you have this balance. Remember, your work can replace your role easily but not your family.

It’s advisable to discuss with your immediate manager to bring out your concerns on work life balance. The manager would be able to understand and facilitate managing the stakeholders and help in reducing/re-prioritising the workload. Many companies these days focus on work life balance and sure they would support their employees.

I agree. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support. Often times we take on things/work that do not belong to us for the sake of getting things done. Collaboration is also a form of support. You don’t have to do it alone. In agile there may be someone on the scrum team that can help you free up time.

Today's work style puts support at center stage. You aren't there just for the organization; you are out there for the community too and vice versa for the community folks as well. Never hesitate to ask a question, just because you think it "may sound dumb." LinkedIn is a live example where knowledge sharing is foundation to networking.

Like Agile teams hold retrospectives, review your work-life balance periodically. Identify what's working and what's not. What helps you, and what you can adapt. Don't be afraid to make adjustments.

We could explain it with a scenario to better understand it. Imagine you're juggling work and family responsibilities, but your current schedule isn't working well. You decide to try a new approach by rearranging your tasks and allocating specific times for work and personal activities. This flexibility allows you to adapt to unexpected events while ensuring you stay productive and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Think of handling your work-life balance like tackling a project with Agile Methodologies – it's all about being flexible and constantly improving. So, instead of stressing about trying to juggle everything perfectly, break things down into smaller chunks, like mini-goals. Take it one step at a time and adjust your plans as you go. If something's not working out, don't sweat it. Just switch gears and try something else. And hey, don't be afraid to lean on your buddies for support. And remember – Take care of yourself too. Make time for hobbies, exercise, and chilling with loved ones. It's all about finding that sweet spot where work and life blend together nicely. So, keep iterating, stay flexible, and don't forget to enjoy the ride!

I would regularly reassess my work-life balance and make adjustments as needed to ensure sustainability and well-being in the long term. Overall, my approach revolves around proactive communication, effective time management, and prioritizing self-care to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

In the fast-paced e-commerce industry, regular reflection is akin to the Agile retrospectives we hold for product development. It's crucial to analyze key metrics and adapt strategies to ensure not just business agility but also personal work-life equilibrium. By frequently assessing our work patterns and life demands, we can strategically think about and implement changes that enhance our productivity and well-being, mirroring the continuous improvement cycle in Agile methodologies. This practice of reflection is not just a task—it's a mindset that fosters accountability, problem-solving, and adaptability in both professional and personal spheres.

The term “work-life balance” is ill defined and is suggesting as if work isn’t part of life. As if life is all roses, fun and leisure. And the work we do is separate from that in a way that is not fun etc. this isn’t true. If you treat work as another activity in life there will be no “chasm” between work and life and the problem will be solved.

One thing i found help ful is to have a daily plan for office and home. Do not start working if you haven't completed your plan for the day. Remember there are two type of work urgent and important. You have to do both everyday. If you keep on working on urgent task only then all important task will become urgent ultimately. Keep a balance ...

In my experince , tradeoffs are always important for work life balance ... Specially for young mother or father.. one has to take a role which suits his / her priority of the current situation It worked very well with me and I am happy about it.

Additional ways to evaluate and address the work-life balance and the impact on our personal life: - Delegate: Do we need to be the owners of what needs to be done? Is there a better person that could do the tasks? Can it be done differently to what we are used to do it? - Pareto rule: Focus on the 20% of the tasks that cover 80% of what needs to be achieved. Don't let perfection get in the way of done. - Introspection: Evaluate, acknowledge the facts and take action. "If you see something, do something". There is nothing worse than expecting a different outcome while doing exactly the same. - Lessons learned: Evaluate what you did and whether this achieved the best outcome or not. What can be improved?

There are different prioritization techniques( MoSCoW, WSJF, Eisenhower principle)..But the best that worked for me are - 1. Identifying most important task for the day and complete them first 2. Learning to say "No"