Balancing Act

As the leisurely summer months are wrapping up and the hurried and harriedness of the fall begins, along with that often comes a change in work-life balance or more like imbalance.  What really is work-life balance?  Does it really exist?  Is it even possible? Many would say “no” to that question.  There is much in today’s workplace that fights us at every turn. 

I contend, and so does the research, that the modern workplace needs to be a lover, not a fighter when it comes to promoting and supporting work-life balance.  There are MANY benefits to organizations when their employees have synergy with home and the office.  For example, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, higher employee engagement, less turnover, enhanced company reputation, better team collaboration, increased creativity and innovation, and greater employee loyalty.  All of this leads to improved revenue and profitability, not to mention better health and wellness for the employees.

So, how do we get there in a culture that can’t see the forest (all the benefits) for the trees (all the busyness)?  Here are some ways to do that:

Lead by Example: It starts with you.  If you start work at the crack of dawn and leave work when the stars are out that sends a message to the team that is what is expected.  Modeling good work-life balance practices like respecting and prioritizing your own personal time sets a positive example for your colleagues and team.  If you are a leader or manager, you have executive amplitude which means you have tremendous power to influence the team you lead, for better or for worse.  The behavior you model sends a powerful message whether you realize it or not.

Encourage a Pretend Commute: If you or your team works remotely, gone are the days of listening to a podcast, book, or music during your commute, which served as a healthy buffer zone before and after our busy days. Now, Zoom meetings start shortly after waking and don’t stop until the sun has set. Combat that with the “pretend commute”, a 15–30-minute activity before and after work (i.e. grab breakfast or coffee, take a walk, run an errand).  That sends a signal to our brains that it’s time to start or stop working for the day.

Allow Flexible Work Schedules: If your employees are not remote, offer flexible working hours. Based on a person’s circadian rhythm, some may perform better early in the morning.  Others may perform better later in the day.  Depending upon a person’s season of life, they may have certain family demands in the morning or afternoon.  Outline the “required to be in the office” times, for example between 11am-2pm, so that people can meet and collaborate as necessary, but if someone is an early bird and wants to start their workday at 6am and leave by 2pm or 3pm, why not?  Similarly, if it works better for another person to come in at 10am and work until 6pm or 7pm, why not? Allowing employees to manage their personal responsibilities alongside work, reduces stress and improves job satisfaction. 

Manage the Meetings:  Take a hard look at your company’s meeting culture.  If everyone’s calendars are filled with back-to-back meetings, that’s a problem.  Consider alternative ways to seek input or decisions. Managers can hold “office hours” so anyone can drop in and get a quick question answered vs. the revolving door of interruptions. If you must have a meeting, consider making it a walking meeting.  That way you discuss what needs to be discussed while moving blood through your body which will energize you and help you to be more productive when you are not in a meeting.  Turn 30-minute meetings into 25-minute meetings, or 60-minute meetings into 50-minute meetings.  That way people have a buffer to refresh between meetings.  Start on time, stop on time, and use an agenda to keep the must-have meeting focused.  The goal is to make meeting time well-spent, leaving room in the day to do focused work. That way, employees don’t feel like they must work late to catch up on projects they couldn’t work on during the day.

Limit After-Hours Communication: Set clear boundaries on after-hours communication. Encourage employees to disconnect after work and avoid the expectation of immediate responses to emails or messages outside of working hours.  If you absolutely must get some work done and send emails to co-workers at off-hours, schedule the emails to send during normal working hours so they do not feel compelled to respond during their downtime.  This is kind and considerate.

Provide Wellness Programs: Offer wellness initiatives, such as fitness programs, stress management workshops, or counseling services. These programs support employees' physical and mental health, promoting a balanced lifestyle.  I offer a variety of workshops to help people feel and function better at work.  Check them out here.  Even if your company can’t afford workshops or fitness perks, you always have my library of Express Desk Stretch videos to choose from for free.  Here is my latest one specifically focused on balance.  These videos will help re-energize and refocus you in your workday so you can feel better on the job and get more done, so you don’t have to come in early or stay late.

The bottom line is that you must set the intention to have a work-life balance because, if you let it, the demands of our society and the board room will squeeze everything it possibly can out of you and your team and that is ultimately a race to zero.