Since the beginning of my career, I have always been skeptical about the term "work-life balance," as in why work and life are kept on opposite sides when, actually, most of your productive day is spent at work.
Nevertheless, I think that this idea of work-life balance is dying (if not dead already), as the boundaries between work and personal life continue to blur, especially with the rise of remote work and flexible schedules in the “new normal” post-pandemic world.
Here are some perspectives on this shift:
- Work-Life Harmony: The concept of work-life harmony suggests that rather than viewing work and life as opposing forces, we should aim for a harmonious relationship between the two. This means finding ways to make work enjoyable and ensuring that it supports your overall well-being.
- Integration Over Balance: Instead of striving for a perfect balance, many people are now focusing on integrating work and life in a way that feels more natural and less compartmentalised. This approach acknowledges that work and personal lives are interconnected and can coexist harmoniously.
- Continuous Adjustment: Achieving a perfect balance is often seen as an unattainable goal. Instead, it’s more realistic to view work-life balance as a continuous process that requires regular adjustments based on changing circumstances and priorities.
- Technology’s Role: While technology has made it easier to stay connected to work, it has also made it harder to disconnect. Managing how and when you use technology can help create a healthier relationship between work and your personal life.
- Personal Definition: Work-life balance means different things to different people. It’s important to define what balance looks like for you personally and to communicate your needs and boundaries to your employer and loved ones.
- Emotional Intelligence: #emotionalintelligence skills have become a must-have when it comes to navigating through the challenges of life (including work), especially for people in #leadership positions (team leads, parents, business owners, etc.). For a long time, IQ was considered an important trait for success in life, but people with IQ without EI will be replaced by machines in the future, thanks to #AI.
Please feel free to share if anything else comes to mind on this topic.
#personaltransformation #transformation #harmony #lifeperspective
Link to some further readings if you are interested.
AVP Delivery Lead, Digital Products at Emirates NBD
7 个月Well said! Thanks for the insights. I’d like to add something I learned from Dr. Corrie Jonn Block, PhD, DBA : maintaining daily calander that combines personal and professional meetings and activities can really foster harmony.