We have all heard people talk about work-life balance, often when people are explaining why they don’t have balance or need to find balance. The very word balance suggests we should spend the same time at work on personal endeavours. The reality is this is unlikely to happen! It doesn’t exist!
I would like to suggest that work-life balance itself is wrong and that we should be looking for work-life integration.
The world of work is shifting and no longer are people tied to their desk. We have flexible working spaces, hot desking, virtual offices and the traditional office is slowly becoming a thing of the past!
This has pros and cons; with the shift to remote workplaces and the upswing in technology we are now more accessible to our employers than ever before. The 9 to 5 doesn’t exist for most workplaces and the end of the day is no longer as clear cut!
(EY Survey)
By 2025, millennials will account for 75% of the workforce and they have very different drivers to the generation before them. The majority of millennials want to be able to work flexibly and still be on track for promotion.
So how can we better integrate our work and personal lives to feel successful, grateful, achieve our goals and be more fulfilled?
Prioritise What’s Important!
Your children will not remember the countless hours you spent at work and/or appreciate the challenges or sacrifice you make at work for the family; (at least while they are children) They will remember that you were at their ballet concert, the basketball final, their school awards, other key events in their life or family dinner. Prioritise what’s important. Your family deserves your best, not just your employer!
Plan Your Day/Week (Timeblock Key Activities)
How do you plan your week or day? Are you consumed with firefighting or timewasting? Is your to-do-list simply too long! Consider how your plan your day and week and timeblock out key activities. Simply work smarter.
I won’t focus in detail in this block on the best way to schedule but I suggest examining your work day and work week and adopting a strategy that drives both efficiency and success. Make your to do list shorter and focus on key activities that drive results.
Perhaps consider using Stephen Covey’s model (an expanded version is below. Source: http://galeforceconsulting.com/coaching/steven-coveys-matrix-expanded/) or Brendan Burchard’s 1 Day Productivity Planner
Set Your Boundaries
Set boundaries. I can appreciate that people find value in their work, (some to an unhealthy level) want to overachieve and drive for success. But more hours doesn’t equal more success. Set appropriate boundaries. Don’t be contactable 24 x 7. Communicate your boundaries with your colleagues and boss.
Turn Off Your Technology
Most people are addicted to technology. Even when you have left the office you are attached to some form of a device. We are too accessible! I would suggest you need to find time to unplug. It is hard but necessary. Boundaries are important. I find this balance in the evening by turning off the work mobile at 9pm. Perhaps that is too late but it works for me and my schedule.
Another good way to unplug from technology is to leave the phone at home when you have family time on the weekend. Quality time should be exactly that, quality time! Not interrupted by technology. I do this during the weekends and periodically check in when at home.
Too many people these days are glued to their phone and don’t engage. This is only getting worse. According to Dr Adam Alter 40% of people have some kind of internet-based addiction and the average millennial picks up their smartphone 150 times per day. These are astonishing numbers!
Exercise / Meditate
No matter how busy you are with work or life we find time for vital activities such as sleep, food, going to the toilet. I would put exercise or meditation in the same basket. This should be a priority for everyone, whether it is walking, running, gym or HIIT. Include this daily.
Do Things You Enjoy
We all have hectic schedules but you need to have things you enjoyed locked in. This could be a hobby, sport, exercise, walk or whatever works for you. Put it in your schedule and make it non-negotiable. The two things I enjoy most are boxing (Monday evenings) and basketball. These are scheduled in and I ensure that work folds around these events.
Say No!
This can be difficult for a lot of people. Saying no to activities, timewasting or simply taking on too much. They want to make everyone happy or they feel that more = success! I would challenge this and believe that saying ‘no’ is one of the keys to success for high performers. Be focused in on what serves and remove things that do not. Don’t be afraid to say no!
Reflection, Every Month
Find time every month (I suggest minimum 1 hour) to reflect on how you are tracking. Consider the goals you have set both short and long term across your work and family life. Are you on track? What is working? What can you do differently? How can you utilise your strengths to be more productive?
Consider the future (best) version of you. Who do you want to be for your family? Your friends? At work?
What are you grateful for? Who are you grateful for?
I tie my self reflection back into the shared goals I have with my partner (for home) and with my team. (at work) This aligns me back to what is important across all areas of my life.
Understand Your Energy Levels
Understand and be aware of your energy levels. Manage these as importantly as you manage your time. Schedule your ‘Big Rocks’ around your key energy times where possible. Monitor your energy levels and have flex in your schedule to either take advantage of your extra energy or to rejuvenate when required.
Don’t be afraid to take a day out for yourself. Sometimes a well-timed day off to relax can be as important as a holiday! Listen to your body.
And take your holidays! We all need time to relax, reset and spend time with those who are most important to us. Life is to be enjoyed. Book regular breaks without technology or being accessible. You won’t regret it!!
Final Thought
I will close with this thought from John Maxwell – “Success means having those closest to me love and respect me the most. This made success for me possible only if I included my wife and children in the journey. From that moment on, my success depended on putting my family first.
If you want to truly succeed in this life, you need to ask yourself a question: Is this pursuit of success drawing you closer to – or farther from – the most important people in your life?”
What a great question to consider in the context of work/life integration.
What do you do to find work/life integration? And is your pursuit of success drawing you closer to the most important people in your life?
Share your comments and thoughts below.
This article is originally published at www.matthewcossens.com/blog/
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