Work-life Balance? But We Are Born to Work…
A 2021 survey conducted by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) has given a new direction to what work-life balance really means. It argues that work-life balance isn’t an achievement because it should be a basic right. Rightly so! Treating it like an achievement puts it in a positive light for the wrong reasons.
“Work-life balance is a cycle, not an achievement.”
When you don’t have a healthy work-life balance, “you feel resentful and bitter that something that fundamentally isn’t that important to the essence of life is stripping valuable time and minutes away from you,” HBR quotes one of the respondents saying.
In essence, work-life balance should be the primary benefit of working with your organization for your employees. And if you don’t offer them that, you need to work hard to make it a constant incentive in their life - a reward for their actual achievements at work.
Helpful tips to maintain Work-Life Balance
Now that we have already established the fact that work-life balance isn’t an achievement, let’s take a look at how you can help your employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Normalize taking breaks
The hustle culture is probably one of the most toxic ideologies of the modern world. It glorifies burnout - of both the mind and body - and demands people to push beyond their limits. But successful leaders know that working without limitations is the perfect recipe for a mental breakdown and low productivity. Encourage your employees to take small breaks and set boundaries. It is a more sustainable way to ensure they enjoy what they do and have time for things other than work. And if they are still having a hard time dialing down their work thoughts, this short meditation might help.
Acknowledge limitations
Work-life balance is about priorities. If you make your employees do everything at once, they will end up feeling more stressed out. Make sure that your work culture advocates the fact that is okay to admit imperfection and accept that there will always be some things that your employees won’t be able to achieve. Establish that they can always make up for their shortcomings by doing other things that they are actually good at.
Encourage taking vacation days
Typically, employers will rarely force their employees to take those pending vacation days if they don’t take those days off themselves. Successful leaders know that a good way to ensure their employees don’t burn out is by letting them disconnect for some time only to get back with extra motivation. If you make it a point to tell your employees to schedule their vacation, they will more likely be committed to taking time off work.
Pause and celebrate achievements
A poor work-life balance also stems from the feeling of not doing enough. More often than not, this feeling occurs because employees don’t take (often, have) the time to assess their achievements, so you don’t know if you have done enough. As a result, they put in more hours at work to achieve more. In this case, more time is not an accurate measurement of positive contributions.
Another point to consider is that, employees are constantly looking for the “next thing,” so they rarely enjoy their present wins. Good leaders make sure that they help their employees savor their little victories as they come to avoid losing that sense of accomplishment and keep morale high.
How do I know if our employees have healthy work-life balance?
Work-life balance comes from knowing that you are doing well and have done enough for the day. This self-awareness usually comes from training your mind to be in the present. If you aren’t sure whether or not your employees have a healthy work-life balance, you might benefit from a mindfulness training program.
A mindfulness consultant can equip them with the knowledge and skills that your employees need to withstand work pressure, know their limitations, and maintain productivity without burning out. They can help your workforce achieve a high level of focus and a sense of self-control, which can ultimately help them maintain a healthier work-life balance. A healthier work-life balance will promote long standing, committed employees and reduce turn-over. Check out this article if you wish to learn more about how a mindfulness consultant can contribute to a happier, more balanced workforce.
Summary
The amount of time employees spend at work has grown considerably in the past several decades. What’s more, they know that their work environment directly affects their productivity and well-being. That’s not all. Loss of creativity and burnout are a couple of other major drawbacks of long work hours. It is crucial to take heed of your workforce’s chaotic work-life balance and work on improving it exploring a variety of workplace wellness and corporate mindfulness services.