Women are often praised for being able to wear many hats as they juggle full-time jobs with managing their homes, spouses, and children. When comes to handling “both sides” of their lives, achieving work-life balance is seen as allowing them to maintain both their professional and personal lives efficiently without burning out. However, today in the light of more flexible work schedules, the idea of striving for work-life balance should be replaced by striving for work-life integration. Women’s work and personal lives are equally important and so one should be integrated with the other to suit their unique objectives and needs.
Work-life balance or integration looks different for every woman. What works for one will be quite different for another. For example, for both these women work-life balance seems more like an unreachable dream than a realistic goal:
- Women One: A working mother of two young children may get up with the sparrows to get breakfast ready and pack lunch boxes for the whole family while she waits for the spin cycle to finish so she can hang up a load of washing – all before joining commuter traffic and getting to work exhausted. What to cook for dinner and the need to oversee homework and spend quality time with her husband will loom over her day as she steps into work mode and tries to focus on doing an excellent job.
- Women Two: A single women working in middle management, who is focused on getting ahead in her career, may find herself working in a corporation in which leaving at 5pm is seen as working half-day. To get ahead she feels obligated to work overtime and her work life erodes her personal time, extending well beyond the typical nine-to-five working day. Alongside striving to advance in her career, she also squeezes in time to keep fit and strives to have a social life – all while trying to get enough sleep. Ultimately, the endless slog leaves her feeling spread thin and out of love with her work.
Work life balance is essential for women
Achieving work-life balance is vital for women as it enables them to excel in both their professional and personal lives without sacrificing one for the other. It allows them to pursue their career goals while also nurturing their health, fitness, relationships, and interests outside of work.
Here are three benefits of achieving work-life balance:
1. A healthier body and mind
Research has found that the greater part of taking care of family needs lands on women’s shoulders. When women are continually stressed and overworked, they run the risk of jeopardising their physical and mental health. Left unchecked, a lack of balance between their professional and personal lives will likely lead to burnout. A good work-life balance means that outside of work they will have time to spend on important things, such as caring for family and taking time for themselves by keeping fit, socialising with friends, and pursuing leisure activities. Self-care has been proven to be a vital component in supporting women’s overall physical and mental wellbeing – which has the great knock-on effect of being empowered to be more focused and productive at work.
2. Being more present and engaged at work and at home
Human beings only have so much physical energy and mental “bandwidth” to spread around before they are utterly depleted and burn out. When women are continually overstretched, their ability to be present and fully engaged in their different roles diminishes. Something must take a back seat, be it in the role of employee, life partner, parent, or friend. This outcome is a major source of guilt. Achieving work-life balance serves to ensure that women can give of their best in all facets of life, rather than being forced to rob time from one role to give to another.
3. Overall, a happier and more fulfilled life
Personal happiness and fulfillment are achieved when women are enabled to maintain a balance between work and their personal lives. Fortunately, the rise in working remotely – or the hybrid workplace – is allowing women today to make significant strides in their careers while raising families and finding time for leisure activities for their own benefit and enjoyment. In turn, this healthy work-life balance enables them to approach their job and daily tasks with greater enthusiasm, creativity, and motivation.
Strategies to attain work-life balance
By setting boundaries between their professional and personal life, and prioritising self-care, women can keep stress – and ultimately burnout – at bay. Here are five recommended strategies to help in getting started:
1. Set clear, guilt-free boundaries between your work and personal time
It is important to prioritize your well-being and set boundaries around your time and energy. Create a clear distinction between your work and personal life by setting work hours – especially if you work from home where timelines can blur. Avoid taking work home and when you are not working, turn off your work phone and resist checking your email. Without being impolite about it, it is okay to set a precedent and communicate to your boss that you do not answer work messages and emails outside of work hours.
2. Take regular breaks throughout the day – including a lunch hour
Regular breaks help maintain focus which leads to less mistakes and improved productivity. They have also been proven to be essential to maintaining good health. It is hugely beneficial to regularly get up and step away from your desk for a few minutes. Taking a lunch break away from work can help you clear your mind and relieve stress, so that you return to your work with renewed focus and energy.
3. Say no to extra work if necessary
Be conscious of the size of your workload and ensure that it is a reasonable amount of work to accomplish during working hours and do well. Keep your boss in the loop. Offer to take on extra work if you have capacity and be very clear as to why you are turning down additional tasks that may jeopardize your work-life balance. Though it may be tough to say no, this is a valuable skill – and it can even pay off in terms of the excellent quality of the rest of your work. If you find yourself with too much on your plate, do not be afraid to ask for help.
4. Do not let your leave days accumulate – take leave
Using your paid leave to relax and recharge, physically and mentally, is an essential part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. If you can, take a holiday that takes you away from home and your normal stamping ground. This is the best way to disconnect from work and ensure that routine domestic chores do not swallow up your break so that your battery is recharged, and you return to your job energized and with a fresh perspective.
5. Schedule time for your hobbies and interests
Prioritise keeping fit and pursuing your personal interests or hobbies by consciously carving out time in your schedule for them. Whether you love to spend time crafting, gardening, reading a book or going for a hike, making time for the activities you enjoy is good for your mind and body. Remember that personal development, whether you are studying for fun or getting better at a particular sport, is just as important as professional development
If you are struggling to achieve a healthy work-life balance, consider seeking the guidance of a therapist or counselor. A professional can keep you accountable and assist in the development of coping strategies that will help you to manage your stress and overcome the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Over to you for sharing your comments and experiences.
About the Author: Kerstin Jatho
Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.
