Do you feel like you need some work-life balance tips? For some, the line between work and home has blurred over the past few years. And technology may feel like a leash, rather than a tool.
Recently, I conducted a LinkedIn poll about some work-life balance tips. While the poll’s sample size is not large enough to be considered scientific, it is interesting that there is no clear way of maintaining work-life balance.
It would be a fair guess to assume that people know some kind of change needs to happen but they’re not sure what to do. Let’s talk about each of the options and see if one of these work-life balance tips can help you.
A Strict Policy Where You Unplug
This was the choice that received the fewest votes and I can understand why. Not everyone can make a commitment that by, for example, 5 p.m. they no will longer respond to or check for messages.
Most people can’t or feel like they can’t unplug when the clock reaches a certain time. Whether it’s a temptation to triage your email or you worry that you’ll fall behind others if you don’t stay connected to work, you can’t reach that level of commitment.
Still, you have to respect people who understand time off from work needs to be time off. If you want to try this tactic make sure it’s defined and communicated to others. You don’t want people wondering why you are not responding to them, if you’ve trained them to think otherwise.
Some supervisors may be nervous about this work-life balance tip. Maybe you try it out for a month and then evaluate it. You may discover that messages that were sent to you at 9 p.m. really don’t need to be read until 9 a.m. the following day.
And if you can show that your job really requires you to be on-call during off hours, then that may be a good negotiation point for a salary raise or other perks.
Limited Time For Catch Up
This was a popular option that sees you periodically check in on work. The idea is that you take a few minutes to make sure you’ll start the next day prepared or not miss anything. For instance, you spend ten minutes checking your messages after diner.
Some see it as a fair trade of free time for work, as they avoid staying late on the job, so they can catch up on things.
You should have a rough idea of how long you need to do this and stick to that number. Also, make sure that you’re present in the moment.
It’s okay to check your email when there’s a break in the action at your child’s school play or sporting event. But when memories are being made, you need to watch them. You don’t want your child to look back and remember all the times you were staring at your smartphone.
A Commitment to Family Time
This was the most popular response and one where people are clearly stating their priorities. To me this is a smart choice, as jobs come and go but your family is forever.
This is another case where your employer needs to know where you stand. Bring it up during an annual review. During the interview process, it’s smart to ask about the business culture and work-life balance. If things don’t match up, then there will likely be problems down the road.
In some organizations, a commitment to work-life balance can be seen as an attractive employee benefit. Some may value time with family more than a raise.
Game Over! It’s Impossible
Finally, many feel work-life balance is out of reach. It’s true that some jobs are more demanding than others. And many have become more demanding over the years.
If you need to be plugged into work at all times, then consider whether it’s a good fit for your life. Will the salary help you achieve things that otherwise would not be possible? Or is it a situation where you work constantly for several years and then are rewarded with a higher paying, less demanding job.
As part of The Great Resignation, a lot of people are thinking about these scenarios. And for some, it’s time for a change.
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