Everyone has gone through the difficulty of balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Juggling job obligations with family, health, and private interests can be challenging. Putting one aside to focus solely on the other is difficult and unlikely. So, how can individuals create a work-life balance in practice when the vast majority don’t? We are guilty of not being able to stay focused on the task at hand because our minds are always wandering to other things.
Whether personal or professional, when someone from work pings you at a family function, you may experience anxiety. You may contemplate whether to check the message or not. This article will help you integrate a work-life balance like never before. So, let’s dive right into it.
Stop asking pointless questions
“But what if it’s essential? I’m not on the clock; they’d call if it were an emergency, right?” If it was essential, they’d have called.
“What if I need to respond so we can get on with things?”
“What if they need information I don’t have with me at the moment, and my anxiety levels rise as a result? Should I try to forget about it and focus on the family gathering I have planned?”
This happens a lot more often than you’d imagine. With the rise of telecommuting and/or hybrid work, it may seem like everything is emerging. But what if we shouldn’t keep them apart and instead work to merge them? Does that sound possible?
Do you ever feel like you can’t balance two lives at once? You aren’t alone. Because of this, there has been a recent shift towards a different approach to work and personal life. Many people no longer seek work-life balance but rather work-life integration.
Understand what work-life balance is
Integrating our work and personal lives means balancing both at the same time. You may do anything from folding laundry during a conference call to bringing the kids into the workplace on a snow day. If we can complete our obligations, we have a far more fantastic opportunity to reduce our stress. It will also help us increase our sense of purpose. The idea of work-life integration is to tell workers how to divide their time. This will lead to more happiness and success in all areas of life. As a result, you’ll enjoy greater efficiency in all spheres of life.
No work-life balance = detrimental effects
Not implementing a work-life balance might have a harmful impact on workers. Employees will face increased stress and a significant drop in satisfaction and productivity. They will suffer if they fail to create proper boundaries about their work and lives. Many businesses are demonstrating their support for the work-life integration trend. This is because it is their responsibility to grasp the idea of work-life integration, encourage workers to adopt the movement, and assist them in improving their work life.
Comparison with work-life integration
Let’s compare work-life balance to work-life integration. A “work-life balance” tries to ensure that work and personal responsibilities do not meet. These barriers that help keep work and personal life distinct seem to dissolve in work-life integration. Because of the widespread use of remote work, employees may have to do certain things they should not. This includes checking their work emails or messages from coworkers without office hours. It’s also tough to stick to a routine when workers must stay late at the office to finish a massive project. They may have stayed home to deal with a family emergency. For this reason, maintaining a consistent work-life balance may be challenging. Individuals may find themselves shifting this “balance” often.
Which is better: Work-life integration or work-life balance?
Work-life balance and work-life integration are both tools for achieving a healthy balance. But work-life balance emphasizes keeping the two spheres distinct. Work-life integration seeks to have them cohabitate and brings the two closer together. The whole point of settling on one or the other is to create peace. Work-life balance has its own problems. Many experts think work-life integration is the better route. When weighing the benefits of each, how should one choose?
Choose based on areas of life
You should consider each area of your life and your typical approach to problems. Setting firm deadlines for each task can ensure that you complete it. You can perform your other duties too. It will allow you to make better use of your time and be more productive. You should remember that any of these options aim to help you reduce stress. It is to improve your health and increase your productivity. Don’t get caught up on the specific terms; use them as you see fit!
