Pushing buttons: Hitting RESET

The recent social media noise about “quiet quitting” has in many ways brought to the forefront, again, the age-old struggle to find work-life balance. The post pandemic emphasis on mental health, self-care and well-being has put a lens on the future of our relationship with work. Gen Z and millennial workers are increasingly questioning hustle-culture against the backdrop of the pandemic. The trending of “quiet quitting” posts has been viewed as a threat, and also as an opportunity for organizations and individuals to reflect and reset work related norms, practices and culture. Although there are many nuances to the over-simplified hashtag, at the heart of it all seems to be the desire to set boundaries such that work doesn’t take over life.

I have previously written about the topic of work-life balance. Work and life certainly aren’t at odds with each other as the two pans of a classic?balance?would imply. Personally, I have benefitted from acceptance of what I call work-life semblance - appreciating and integrating similarities between how we operate at work and outside of work.?In fact, one can look at the strategies we typically use to allocate resources at work and perhaps do the same in life. Defining work-life balance comes down to how people allocate their resources effectively across their work and non-work lives. The Personal Resource Allocation (PRA) framework suggested by Grawitch et. al. resonates – and I will refer to this work throughout this piece.

On the button

The authors of this proposed framework essentially describe work–life balance?as an individual's perceived optimal allocation of personal resources that guarantees effective functioning of both, their work and non-work roles. After all, we have a limited pool of available resources, typically time, energy and finances, that we use to respond to the demands placed upon us across all the domains of our lives. The authors assert that we feel a sense of good work-life balance when the demands we face, the resources we have and our perception of the sufficiency of these resources is aligned. By the same token when these elements are misaligned it generates a sense of negative wellbeing and can lead to disengagement.

There is ample research to show that increased autonomy at work yields increased performance and well-being. When we are faced with a variety of demands, we have to make choices about how we allocate our resources. And how we do that allocation can of course depend upon individual factors such as demographic differences, trait personality differences, and interest/attitudinal differences. An emphasis on equitable work practices as they relate to diversity and associated intersectionality are critical here. Also critical, research shows is prioritization, because the notion of having to do it all or for that matter wanting to have it all can lead to frustration and disengagement, and can lead to burn-out. Prioritization leads to finding ways to do those things that are, or feel, most important. From a work standpoint, clarity on individual expectations, company goals and work priorities go a long way in helping employees self-regulate.

Hot button

External resources can also influence a person’s resource allocation process. Two major areas that are currently hot topics for the future of work are support and training/personal development. Support encompasses supervisor, peer and organizational support and these augment available resources that one can draw upon. Training and development are also critical in that they improve an employee’s ability to effectively allocate resources largely by increasing their mastery of some competency. In fact, 3M State of Science Index 2022 results show 64% of those surveyed worry about being able to keep up in the evolving job market and 89% believe employers should offer financial support or reimbursement to employees for upskilling. Organizations are listening to employees and striving to provide a supportive work environment and ample training and development.

In addition to work demands, which are often balanced against family demands, the authors of PRA framework account for other demands on people’s personal primary resources: time, energy (physical, mental, and/or emotional), and financial resources. These activities that people prefer to pursue (e.g., hobbies, a social life, religious practices, sports, sleep etc.) also demand resources. People are likely to favor preferred demands more positively than they are the required demands. But research also suggests that expending resources on activities that we enjoy and those that strengthen physical and mental health can actually help to generate positive energy, which can positively impact work and other aspects of life. Hence, there is a holistic benefit of these activities and even at work opportunities can be provided to produce this factor.

Moreover, people who find meaning and inspiration in their work are known to report fewer negative outcomes and more positive outcomes than those who do not. Aligning, and reframing work demands with purpose, are useful in decreasing the amount of resources required to meet those demands. Many are making attempts to do just that by framing the purpose of their organization and being more inspirational in leading their constituencies.

Buttoned up

At the end of the day people need to effectively self-regulate if they are to effectively manage resources. Making informed decisions about the way we allocate personal resources is likely to increase our overall performance in responding to life demands. Just like we allocate resources to work projects, it pays to do the same overall - be thoughtful about our personal resource inventory, including any external support, use an allocation criteria that allows us to meet work-life demands, and do a periodic tracking of outcomes to help adjust the strategy as needed.

According to?a recent Gallup survey around 50% of US workers are “disengaged”, doing just the minimum required while staying detached from their job. Just 32% are engaged, with the remaining 18% actively dissatisfied at?work. It is quite the time to reflect, to RESET:

Resource allocation strategy

External influences

Supply inventory

Expectations and demands

Tracking outcomes

For those who don’t like the idea of “quiet,” it is a great reason to find voice and help organizations evolve – the nature, the culture and the future of work, such that more employees are energized and engaged. I have recently talked about the importance of developing one’s voice to bring about positive change. And for those who don’t quite like the notion of “quitting,” resetting periodically for one’s own self, perhaps makes a lot of sense as demands and resources change. After all work-life balance has also been referred to as a cycle of continuous re-evaluation and improvement. To make real changes, to reset, we must continuously remember to pause, connect with our emotions, rethink priorities, evaluate alternatives, and implement changes.

The best way to reset, often is to get away for a bit. It allows reflection to gain renewed perspective, on boundaries and setting them. I have myself recently done just that. In fact, it was what a friend once referred to as “factory reset,” and for me what does it is a trip to India, my country of birth. It isn’t just about the place or the people… its everything put together that allows for reflection at a deeper level, and I get diversity of thought and perspective in conjunction with a unique sense of grounding that I feel is essential for me to rethink, recharge and work through a RESET.

All this talk about #QuietQuitting has pushed buttons, since for many, work isn’t about passive acceptance, it is more about active engagement, and driving for satisfaction and joy, through learning, leading and growing. And there are many who say they are not even afforded the privilege to contribute effectively or quit quietly. Regardless, there may be times when we all feel we are on the bench, for reasons we may or may not control, but the human desire is typically to be in the game.

Sometimes, we just need that "periodic resetting." Sometimes - a reframing to use passion and purpose to find meaning and motivation, and helping others to do the same, in work and in life, goes a long way.?