by Rougayyah J
As the school year begins to come to an end, many are preparing for summer internships, employment, programs or even the beginning of their careers as they complete their studies. The aspect of starting a new job is exciting and an incredible milestone to celebrate! It can also be a new and challenging transition to navigate. The words ‘work-life’ balance have been mentioned often in different settings but what does it mean and does it mean something different from one individual to another? Can it also differ depending on what field you work in? What does work-life balance mean to you?
Work-life balance can be defined as an equilibrium between one’s work life and personal life outside of their job/career. This can include personal interests and hobbies, social life (family, friends, etc.), and overall well-being outside of your said job.
Why is having a work-life balance important? Having a healthy relationship between your work life and personal life is essential to maintaining overall health and well-being. At some point, we may experience stress within our jobs. Whether it is due to certain projects, deadlines, situations, or other external factors it is key to have an outlet (whatever it may be) to help ease the stress we are experiencing. In addition, by having a balance with our personal life, it has been proven that levels of productivity increase, job satisfaction and mental well-being increase. When we take care of our well-being and invest in our personal lives – it shows in our short-term and long-term health.
Sometimes the lines between work and personal life can be blurry for many reasons. Especially as the world continues to adapt to changes such as working remotely – it is easy for many to prolong work hours or neglect their personal life. One may also find it difficult to create a distinction between their personal and work life as working remotely (in your home for example) makes the environment for both work and overall life the same.
How do we continue to create a healthy work-life balance?
- Establishing boundaries: By establishing set work hours for example (8 am – 4 pm) and remaining true to those hours (to the best of our ability), it allows us to create a distinction between our work time vs. the rest of the time we have for ourselves/life outside of work.
- Creating a schedule: One can also create a daily schedule. Doing so can help us stay organized throughout the day and allow us to schedule activities, personal time, and other tasks outside of the work hours to complete. It is a very useful and visual tool that is custom from one person to another.
- Getting good quality rest/sleep: An important and overlooked step at times, getting a daily recommended amount of sleep is essential in maintaining overall health and productivity for both one’s work and personal life. Resting = repair. Allowing your body to rest after a busy workday/shift and even resting after personal activities allows your body to heal and prepare for the next day or next activity.
- Pursuing hobbies/personal interests: Part of having a healthy relationship between work and one’s personal life is to also explore hobbies and activities that go beyond one’s job. For example, it may be reading that an individual enjoys doing in their downtime. It could be exercise, cooking/baking, photography and more. It also includes time for relaxation, shopping, enjoying a good show/movie, and much more.
- Investing in meaningful connections: In addition to pursuing hobbies, surrounding yourself with positive influences and good company is an integral part of our well-being. It could be spending time with friends, family, or a loved one. This may be through clubs/extracurriculars, social events, and quality time (having company over, taking time to coordinate a call with loved ones).
At the end of the day, there are many other factors and personal preferences for maintaining a work-life balance. It may change throughout one’s life as well – and that is okay! The key is balance and being true to yourself and your goals.
