Striking a balance between our personal and professional domains of life may become more challenging as a result of work pressure and greater domestic obligation. Unfortunately, we pay a price in the form of extended working hours, less free time for hobbies or family, stress, or burnout.
On the other hand, work-life integration is more about prioritizing tasks that are important to you in a day. You don’t stuff the day with every kind of task, you simply focus on what is required for the day.
Work-Life integration, is it good for you?
What determines "work time" and "personal time" is a little less important to professionals who practice work-life integration than when is the ideal time to perform these activities.
“Work-life integration creates a mindset that allows an individual to look at the big picture and synergistic interaction of all these components,” explains Michelle Marquez, Associate Dean of Human Resources and Administration at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. “There is not a sense of competing elements of work and life that must be evenly distributed.”
However good this sounds, work-life integration has its process of implementation. Let’s understand this before you dive deeper into this.
Tips For An Integrated Work-Life Balance
1. Sync up your body and mind
I understand there are some days that you have to forget about your sleep cycle but if it keeps happening every day then that’s a sign to stop. Individuals who take care of themselves usually take up tasks according to their bandwidth of work.
If you are over-scheduling, and sabotaging your sleep cycle, what do you think you are doing to yourself? Be diligent about keeping track of your mental and physical health.
2. Build a time schedule
1. Write down the tasks that you are planning to do.
2. Use an app for scheduling your meetings. Schedule the important ones first.
3.Look out for the optimal time that is suitable for you. Work according to that schedule. In this way, you will get time for pursuing your interests.
4. Release yourself from the toxic productivity mindset. If work is done for a day, wrap up your work. Schedule the rest for the next day.
3. Everything cannot be a priority
How many of you are guilty of taking calls during an easy evening walk? Ironically, you don't let anything get in the way of your work yet you can't say "no" when it comes to personal matters. The key to understanding this is you will always be on a deadline, or a high-priority task, so you negotiate what you will do in a day. Not every task can be a priority.
4. Stop checking emails on weekends
I cannot insist enough on this, what a strange habit each one of us has. Tell me why you would work on weekends, which is not even your regularly scheduled work day? Then stop checking the mails, and stop replying to them. Even better, write it somewhere where you can remind yourself.
5. Be willing to experiment
As you all are reading this, you eventually understand that work-life integration is not happening in a day. Be mentally prepared, you will have to try different ways to reach this state. Just start with a small shift in your routine. For e.g - Scheduling a call in the mid-morning rather than afternoon or after work. Exercising in the evening rather than early morning. Go ahead and experiment and don’t fear if it doesn't work out. No experiment was successful in the first attempt itself.
6. Leverage remote work
Leveraging the ability to work remotely may help you save a lot of time and free up time for personal activities like working out, picking up and dropping off children at school, cooking nutritious meals at home, etc.
7. Make use of technology wisely
We live in a technologically advanced culture; how can you make the most of it?
For example, if you need to pick up your laundry, or deliver something to your relatives, utilize the help of an app that takes care of this work. You will be surprised how significantly a portion of your time is saved.
8. Stop procrastinating
Priority tasks can often distract you from doing them and lead to procrastination. You are a working professional, you have a family as well. There will be times when you need to take care of some tasks at your home. Rather than procrastinating, create a timeline of those tasks, which should not interfere with your work. And to avoid such sudden requirements, establish a system where you can outsource the routine tasks and easily focus on the meaningful tasks.
9. Establish social interactions with your family or friends
To preserve emotional ties outside of the office, spend time with friends and family. Additionally, make an effort to socialize with your coworkers so they can better appreciate your need for breaks from the office.
10. Live in the moment, not guilt
The need to “always work” is not healthy for anyone. To be honest it is not a sustainable way to work. One of the biggest obstacles to successfully integrating your personal and professional life is guilt. Do keep in mind that work-life integration is not about feeling guilty. It is a way to achieve a major aspect of your health and mental well-being.
Once you start being honest with yourself you will be efficient, healthy and things will be naturally sorted out in your life. Take charge of your life and your tasks. Assess what is important to you. It is completely fine if you value peace more in your life rather than losing yourself in every task.
Shellye is committed to helping people from diverse backgrounds to achieve their aspirations in careers and life. The content published above was made in collaboration with our members.
Shellye Archambeau is determined to help you with all possible strategies to climb the ladder of success. She values your feedback. Do mention them in the comment section.