How can I achieve work-life balance?

What you need to know:

  • This may seem hard initially but if you commit, draw the line and communicate well to your stakeholders, you will achieve a healthy balance. Finally beware of the technology diversions and attendant stress (smartphones, emails & social media, etc) as you juggle your balancing act.

What is life work and life balance, and how can I achieve it? I do not know what it means to have a life-work balance, and wonder if other people with busy schedules are like me.
Brian.

Dear Brian,
Wikipedia defines Work life balance as the term used to describe the balance that an individual needs between time allocated for work and other aspects of life. Areas of life other than work-life can be, but not limited to personal interests, family and social or leisure activities.

Work-life balance is not a system of having your work and life take exactly the same amount of hours or focus. It is a way of making sure both your work priorities and your personal priorities are being met optimally.

This then implies that failure to maintain a balance of your work-life and personal or social life may result into imbalance and stress in the sacrificed areas your life and you may actually end up with compromised health.

Brian, as you rightly pointed out, in today’s fast-paced business world, the ability of individuals to achieve work-life balance is becoming increasingly difficult yet a healthy balance is not only important for your personal health and social relationships but, is also vital in improving your productivity at work.

The best advice I have been given about this phenomenon is to give undivided attention and focus on your work when at the office and, when out of your workplace, giving the same undivided focus and attention to your private and/or social life.

This may seem hard initially but if you commit, draw the line and communicate well to your stakeholders, you will achieve a healthy balance. Finally beware of the technology diversions and attendant stress (smartphones, emails & social media, etc) as you juggle your balancing act.

Moses Ssesanga
Head Human Resource
NMG - Uganda
[email protected]