finding your balance

Finding your Balance

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Take Aways • Understanding work-life balance

• Three aspects of the balance

• When can there be an imbalance?

• Factors that tip the balance

• Bringing back the lost balance

• The work life connect

• Benefits of maintaining work life balance

• Case studies


What is Work Life Balance?• No agreed definition

– A satisfactory level of involvement or ‘fit’ between the multiple roles in a person’s life.

• The ‘right’ balance

• Very subjective

• ‘An individual's ability to balance the commitments, responsibilities and goals relating to their paid work, with personal commitments, responsibilities and desires’


Three Aspects1. Time Balance

– the amount of time given to work and non-work roles

2. Involvement Balance– the level of psychological involvement in, or commitment to, work and non-work roles

3. Satisfaction Balance– the level of satisfaction with work and non-work roles


Influences • The flexibility of hours worked

• The quantity of hours worked

• Sick and holiday leave provisions

• Availability of support structures within the workplace (e.g. childcare facilities).


Can There be an Imbalance?• YES!

• Work/life imbalance or conflict = Pressures from one role make it difficult to comply with the demands of the other.


Can there be an imbalance?• This leads to:

– ↑ Stress– ↓ Productivity– ↓ Commitment – ↓ Satisfaction


Who is Affected?• Gender (Men vs. Women)

• Parents

– Childcare and childcare facilities

– Changing domestic roles

– Career advancements

– Financial stability


What tips the balance • Job Related Factors

• Personality Factors

• Family Life Cycle Factors

• Cognitive Factors

• Life Events


Job related factors • Poor Time Management

• Communication

• Lack of role clarity


Personality Factors • Mr. / Ms. Workaholic• Mr. / Ms. Yes• Mr. / Ms. Chaos• Mr. / Ms. Perfect• Mr. / Ms. Dramatic


Family Lifecycle Factors • Are you single or recently married?

• Are you a parent with– An infant– A school-going child– A teenager– Dependant young adults

• Are you taking care of parents?


Life events • Loss

– Death– End of a significant relationship

• Marriage• Chronic Illness in family• Birth of a physically or mentally challenged child


Cognitive Factors • Everyone’s doing it

• I’ll do it to please my boss/spouse

• I promised, so I must

• I must be selfless

• I must not show how tired/upset/angry I am


Bringing back the lost balance • At workplace• At home• In personal life


Job related changes • Time management

• Get organized

• Communicating effectively

Assertiveness

• Gaining role clarity


Time Management


Managing your Time to Achieve Balance• Be willing to negotiate

• Reduce stress

• Attempt to spend more quality time with the family


Assertiveness Statement• Assertiveness is the ability to formulate and communicate one's own thoughts,

opinions and wishes in a clear, direct and non-aggressive way

• Being assertive means speaking in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others

Example:

• I will be unable to take on this task since I am already occupied


Gaining role clarity • What is expected of me in my position?

• Where is this organization going and how do I fit into the plan?

• What additional skills do I need to progress?

• What can I expect from you ?


Bringing changes at home • Sharing tasks between spouses/other family members

• Getting hired help for taking care of children/ill parents

• Planning the daily activities in advance

• Taking time out


Dealing with Chronic Illness • Dealing with the shock

• Dealing with the uncertainties

• Managing the financial burden

• Managing with the care-givers’ role along with the already existent roles and responsibilities


Dealing with marriage • Weaning from the family of origin

• Adjusting to the spouse

• Adjusting to the new roles & responsibilities

• Balancing the personal and professional


The work life connect• Find support and strength from friends and family.

• Participate in laying the foundation of your unique family unit…

• Schedule your time well to include time for family and friends.

• Discuss expectations

• Learn to be self evaluative.

• Take breaks from work.

• Prepare your family for the late nights at work and other demands of work.

• Understand what brings you peace and calm.

• Don’t be afraid to seek tertiary support such as child care support.

m your family and of your family.


Benefits of Maintaining a Work-Life Balance• Less stress (↓ risk of mental health issues)

• Higher job satisfaction

• Better parental health

• Better family relationships

• Improved social relationships

• Reduced risk of poverty

• Improved child development and wellbeing


Case Study• A is having trouble meeting his deadlines at work. Ever since his parents moved

with him, he has started coming in late.

• His usual excuse is that he has to take them for various medical procedures. The quality of his output has fallen, and his mind always seems to be elsewhere.

finding your balance

Lifestyle