You’re the last to turn off the lights at work. You spend your evenings putting your children to bed before catching up on a stack of assessments that are due tomorrow.
You’ve lost count of the times you’ve cancelled a family picnic, drinks with friends, or a gym session, because your life has become an endless procession of obligations and deadlines.
Work-life balance? You’ve never heard of it.
According to the Australian Life and Work Index 2012, you’re not alone. Of the 2887 working Australians surveyed, almost a quarter reported that work frequently, often or almost always, interferes with other life activities.
While men recorded high levels of work-life instability, a whopping 27 percent of women surveyed reported a deep dissatisfaction with their work-life balance.
This, according to experts, can have severe repercussions on your physical and mental health.
“A lack of balance can create major stress, anxiety, depression, hypertension and panic related issues,” says Jaye Hoelscher, Golden Door Health Retreat and Spa, Elysia Program Manager.
Nonetheless, when it comes to attempting to strike an equilibrium, not many of us know what balance is or how to achieve it.
“The pressure we’re experiencing nowadays is phenomenal,” says Barbara Holmes, Director of Managing Work|Life Balance International.
“However, it’s not impossible to achieve a well-rounded life.”
Phase One: Identify your goals
Holmes claims that the first step is to visualise what your life would look like once you have identified what needs to be incorporated to achieve a better work-life balance.
“Work-life balance is personal and varies from person to person,” says Holmes. “Some may believe it’s having time to spend with the kids and partner while still pursuing a career.
“Others may be looking for time to do community work or spending time with friends and family while running a business.”
Once you have identified your needs, it is time to communicate them to your loved ones.
“Include them in the process,” Holmes says. “The best way to go about it is to take them out to dinner and ask them what they want your lives together to look like once you have struck a balance.”
As you develop a clearer picture, it is time to take action and implement the changes.
Phase Two: Take Action
Implementing work-life balance revolves around time management.
“Time management means getting good at prioritising your time and being disciplined enough to stick to the time frames you’ve set,” says Hoelscher.
For those finding it difficult to leave work at work, Hoelscher claims that reverting back to visualisation can help.
“Ask yourself: what the consequences are of leaving work versus not,” she says. “Question what you will achieve, or miss out on, by working 100 hours a week for the next fifty years.”
Holmes also stresses the importance of learning to switch off your phone.
“We live in a technological age and have an inbuilt compulsion to constantly check our emails and texts,” she says.
“Unless you are in a role where it is absolutely critical that you address these at once, turn the phone off.”
By switching off, Holmes asserts that you are safe-guarding your balance-achieving goals.
“You’re placing boundaries around things that are important to you,” she says. “By doing so, you’ll have all your focus on your kids, partner or friends in the time you have allocated.”
Phase three: Ask for Help
This phase is directed at, though not exclusive to, the “yes” men and women who have trouble with saying no to extra work being dumped on their desks at the last minute.
“You can accept the task, but let it be known that you won’t be able to finish the other tasks assigned to you for that day,” says Holmes.
“That way you are still getting on with work but not sacrificing time you have assigned for your personal life.”
This also applies to those who run households, while maintaining careers, without sharing the load.
“Some partners may think they are contributing by taking out the garbage and mowing the lawn,” says Holmes. “You need to communicate to them that other things need to be done to free up your time.”
Phase Four: Recognise balance
The final phase is being able to pin-point the moment you have achieved balance and strive for that feeling each time you sense your life has gone off the rails.
“It’s that moment you don’t feel guilty about not being at work,” Hoelscher says.
Your body will be your best barometer for balance.
“Listen to your body when it is asking you to regain a sense of balance,” Hoelscher says. “It is incredibly important for longevity and wellness.”
If you’re burning the midnight oil on an regular basis, perhaps it’s time to look for another job. Read SEEK’s advice on How to quit.
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