Busy Busy or Busy Easy?

I am no expert in writing on this subject, but still, I am attempting to do justice by writing on this topic. I humbly thank all the readers who have taken the time out of their hectic schedules to read this article. You can read this due to the work-life balance, you maintain in your life.

Often, work takes precedence over everything else in our lives. Our desire to succeed professionally can push us to set aside our well-being. Creating a harmonious work-life balance or work-life integration is critical, though, to improve not only our physical, emotional, and mental well-being but also to succeed in our careers.

Why is work-life balance becoming a buzzword?? Have you observed that this is a recent jargon and not the one that our parents’ generation/previous generation faced!!!

Work-life balance is about finding a way to manage the demands of your work or study with your personal life and the things that ‘top you up’. A good work-life balance means you can be happy and productive at work and have time for yourself and your family.

If you have a casual job or work from home, your days may not be clearly defined into work time and home time.

If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed at work or home, acknowledge that this is not a sign of weakness and ask for help and support.

Nearly across the board, research shows that employees who achieve work-life balance are more productive, happier, healthier, and more likely to remain at their jobs.?Companies and small business owners would be wise to take an active role in helping their employees attain a work-life balance.?

To give a small bit of history, Work-life balance was first anticipated by Johnson and Packer (1987) in their description of future changes in the workforce Economic and work environment from the year 2000 and beyond.

Work-life balance is the interaction between work and other activities that includes family, community, leisure, and personal development. It is about the right or the balanced combination of the individual's participation in the work and other aspects of their life and this combination doesn't remain the same it can be changed over time. Work-life balance is where the tensions between work life and personal life are minimized by having a proper policy, systems, supportive management and provisions at the workplace, and a good relation in personal life. Work-life balance is an important aspect of a healthy work environment.

What causes an imbalance between work and our day-to-day life?

Burnouts –

Not planning the days' work is one of the important contributors to the imbalance in work and life.

Working long hours daily can cause burnout, which can have negative mental effects. Burnout can affect your motivation and focus, cause confusion, increase your risk of making job errors, and reduce your total productivity.

Reduced free time -

Working too much or too hard may cause you to miss important family events such as anniversaries, birthdays, or special family times with loved ones. Navigating demanding work obligations and rigorous deadlines consistently can affect your relationships with family and friends. While you might make occasional personal sacrifices to accommodate the demands of your job, it's important to still make time for yourself and those you care about.

Increased stress levels -

Work-life imbalance can increase your stress levels. Continued feelings of stress can have negative effects on your health. In addition, if you experience stress at any point, you may have difficulty controlling or managing your emotions. It's important to find outlets for your stress that allow you to live comfortably and healthily.

Decreased physical activity -

For those who work in non-physical occupations, like those who work in offices, imbalance in your work and personal life can decrease your ability to stay active. If you sit at a desk or in a chair for most of your day, try to incorporate more walks or chances for movement into your schedule.

Missed work -

When you suffer from imbalances in your life, the resulting burnout can lead to prolonged fatigue. Prolonged exposure to stressful work situations or inadequate free time might even cause you to miss work or fail to meet deadlines. Poor attendance and performance can also damage your professional reputation. It's important to address imbalances early, so you're able to mitigate the long-term damage they may cause to your professional relationships.

Let’s crack the formula of work-life imbalance.

?Yeah, let's throw the life and its pattern of imbalance, and let’s embrace the positive balancing act.

A well-articulated, 5-10min consumer which is a To-Do list is truly a savior and a very good tool to save us from imbalances.?

?Workouts, meditation, and other forms of self-care can help you reduce the stress you feel in your position.

Talk to a supervisor if you fear your workload is unmanageable. They may have helpful suggestions or be able to reduce some of your job's demands.

Moving and staying active can help you manage stress and reduce your risk of physical ailments, every day counts on your physical fitness which helps to keep the mind active.

Good rest is also an important factor contributing to work-life balance, as the mind gets into a rested state and scales up for higher performance.

Also, comparing others with self - make a list of what you need to compare with - make sure the comparison leads you to a positive drive and not a negative drive. No one is right or wrong. Let's do what is important for the self! This gets toxic, both to the body and mind. And the body becomes weak due to no energy left.

Work-life balance improves when we

1. Understand ourselves better.

2. Be a critic of self - both good and bad. (Exercise of 10 good things and 10 things to improve)

Change your statement from “I'm busy” to ?“I’m easy”.

3. All the other miscellaneous things do in your nonproductive time like waiting for the meetings etc.

4. Make the meetings more effective by being a good listener and not multitasking.

5. Flexible working hours also reduce stress and might lead to an increase in productivity.

6. Establish Work Hour Boundaries.

7. Institute No-Meeting Hours or No-Meeting Days.

8. Implement Employee Wellness Programs.

9. Lead By Example.

If you want your employees to buy into policies and practices that encourage a work-life balance, leadership must model the behavior they seek from their employees.

Work-Life Balance is a necessary alignment that empowers you to thrive in all areas of your life. It's the harmony that fuels creativity, nurtures relationships, enhances health, and fosters a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Question to ask self - What gives our life meaning?

Wondering why am I bringing this as the context is completely different. When we think of our purpose, we will undoubtedly prioritize and make time accordingly. Surely your mind says "I'm Easy" :)