Navigating Work-Life Balance

In today's fast and connected world, finding a good balance between work and personal life is really important. The lines between work and personal time have become fuzzy, causing more stress, burnout, and unhappiness. For me, this became more evident when I started working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It became more challenging to get away from the laptop as my office space was also my living room. This stopped me from being able to ‘switch off’ from work due to the physical parameters.?

Balancing work and life used to be just a trendy idea, but now it's really important. Before, success was mainly about work, but now it includes things like being healthy, having good relationships, and being happy. Employers are starting to see that helping employees find this balance makes them happier and better at their jobs.

More than three-quarters (78%) of those who worked from home in some capacity said that being able to work from home gave them an improved work-life balance. (Gov UK statistics, 2022)

To think about success now, we need to realise it's not just about work or just about personal life. You can be successful in both parts of your life at the same time. To do this, you have to think about what's really important to you and set goals that make room for everything.

At Skewb, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a top priority, and it's integrated into our routine discussions and meetings to ensure our employees enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. This focus on work-life balance was central to our Summer event this year, aptly named "Improving Life." During this event, we had a lineup of speakers who shared their impactful and personal life stories, shedding light on how these experiences have shaped their lives today.

In addition to the inspiring talks, attendees were equipped with practical tools and valuable tips to help them work towards achieving a more harmonious work-life balance. This commitment to the well-being and happiness of our employees remains a fundamental part of our culture at Skewb.

How to Balance Work and Life;

1. Set Clear Limits: Decide when you're working and when you're not. Tell people about these times so they know when you're available. This stops work from taking over your personal time.
2. Take Care of Yourself: Make sure you take care of your body and mind. Exercise, relax, and get enough sleep. When you're healthy, it's easier to handle work and personal stuff.
3. Take Breaks from Technology: Turn off your devices when you're not working. This helps you recharge and focus on your personal life.
4. Manage Your Time Well: Organize your time to do your work and your personal stuff. Methods like the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking can help you focus and avoid getting burned out.
5. Share the Load: Get help from others at work and in your personal life. Let your team members take on some tasks, and involve your friends and family in things you need to do.
6. Check In with Yourself: Every so often, see how well you're balancing things. Are you spending enough time on your hobbies and with the people you care about? Adjust your plans as needed.

Work-life balance isn't just for a special few; it's something everyone should have. It helps you feel good and do well in your career. Remember, it's not something you figure out once and forget about. It's an ongoing thing that you have to work on, change when you need to, and always take care of every part of your life.

Aaron Cooke is a Management Consultant working with the Skewb Opus delivery team as part of the Energy Networks Team. He provides guidance on Streetworks performance, offer insights into improvements, and provide support with training and the introduction to the Skewb Opus Streetworks Solution. To speak to him about this topic in more detail, you can connect with him on?LinkedIn.