By Rachel Baldacchino
Rachel Baldacchino explores the never-ending journey of creating balance.
Work-Life balance (coined in 1986) is a phrase that means finding harmony between workplace demands and the ever-mounting duties in your personal life. People are still looking for the “caramel secret” to finding a healthy balance between their professional responsibilities and more freedom to spend time doing what they want on their own time.
If you’re reading this article and expecting me to walk you through my solution to living a balanced life, I’ve got some bad news for you – I don’t have the answer. I’m still searching and making sure my work demands don’t creep into my personal life and vice versa.
I’m starting to accept that I don’t have a work-life balance and likely never will. My solution is to segment the two worlds and create harmony within them.
The World of Work
I’m fortunate to work for an organization that puts its employees first and takes work-life balance seriously. They provide flexible hours, work-from-home arrangements, wellness days, access to mental health and wellness resources, and more.
But, if you don’t have these options, you might want to give some thought to changing your place of employment, if possible. Employers can’t provide 100% work-life balance, but in today’s world, there’s no excuse for an employer not to implement simple practices like:
- Embracing balance as a culture. All companies should have a work-life balance creed in place. They should be reinforcing the importance of taking a vacation, taking breaks during the day, providing access to mental health support, and other family-related types of support. And this starts with the leadership team; they should walk the talk and demonstrate how they achieve balance.
- Focusing on employee productivity rather than counting the clock is another critical component to balance at work. Workers don’t want to be micromanaged, and if an employee is a hard worker and puts in their time, leaders shouldn’t fuss about them taking time off for personal reasons, like going to the doctor or picking up a sick child from school.
- Reinforcing agreed-upon workday end time and not sending emails after work and infringing upon employees’ personal time.
- Asking for feedback. Keeping a pulse on what employees would value in terms of work-life balance can inform future wellness initiatives and help reduce stress, improve productivity, and decrease turnover.
Your Personal World
On the flip side, we can do so many great things for ourselves and build a less stressful, healthy, personal lifestyle:
- Focus on your wellness. If you’re struggling with getting through the day because of a personal stressor such as an illness or caring for a loved one, please talk to a medical professional who can point you toward getting professional help. Also, it may be time to get a complete physical. How often do we let this one slide off our to-do list? The truth is – if you’re not physically or mentally in shape, it will likely cause you to battle with your workday. Your health comes first!
- Keep your manager in the know. If you are having difficulties in your personal life or experiencing work burnout, have a conversation with your manager. That way, your manager can support you by revisiting your workload, making sure things are manageable, and offering options to get you the help you need.
- Let the sun in. When I work from home, I make it a point to open all of my blinds to let the light in every room. It’s incredible how this can immediately trigger good vibes.
- Learn to unwind. Carve out some time to exercise. You don’t have to run or join a boot camp. Start with something simple that you enjoy, like walking, cycling, or hiking.
- Spend time with your loved ones. If you’re married and have kids, spend as much time with them as possible, so you’re not always thinking about where the time has gone as your kids get older.
- Dust off your hobbies. How long has it been since you’ve read a good book, finished a puzzle, baked a key lime pie, or spent time in the garden?
- Challenge yourself. Put your brain to work in different ways. Whether it’s a puzzle, playing a game, or using an app that helps train your brain like Elevate and Lumosity.
- Chit chat. You don’t always have to text your friends. Pick up the phone and have a real conversation. It’s a great way to listen to them and help them with any difficulties they may be going through. And it’s a great way to let them in on your challenges.
- Schedule your weekends wisely. If you like being on the go non-stop, you may be okay with a jam-packed weekend, but I’m learning to slow things down, and as a type-A personality, this has been a journey. I’ve realized I can drop chores or say no to crazy little obsessions like cleaning the coat closet just because you walked by it. Instead, I can just chill and read a book.
- Feel like you are part of something bigger. Find a cause that you can volunteer for. Connecting with your community and with those who are in need can give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction.
As you can see, I haven’t figured out the secret to work-life balance, but I realize that I control most things in my personal life. And that’s where I’ll leave out my other world – the workplace. Creating balance is a journey, and it’s different for everyone. You just need to reflect on what’s suitable for you and not be afraid to change your priorities as your journey changes.
Rachel Baldacchino has more than 20 years of experience as a professional writer. She promotes the customer experience and creates copy for a variety of vehicles including customer communications, blog articles, digital communications, and collateral. She currently works at Allstate Insurance Company of Canada. By Cassandra Cleveland As a new mom and communications professional, returning to work after maternity leave brought a wave of mixed emotions. The excitement of rejoining the professional realm was tempered by the realization that the communications landscape had evolved during my time away, leaving me with a potential knowledge gap. Determined to bridge […] By Linda Bicho-Vachon I’ve always been a learner. In my former role, I completed my association’s certification program and stayed updated by attending industry seminars. The certification demonstrated that I had the skill and expertise to do my job and gave me confidence to grow my career. When I decided to transition to a […] By Prachi Shailendra As a communications professional who embarked on the Canadian journey in 2019 with over six years of international experience in corporate communications, I vividly recall the challenges and triumphs of breaking into the local job market. I soon realized that for newcomers, success often hinges on more than just a polished […] By Andrea Walasek Dear Readers, It is a pleasure to introduce myself as the Editor-in-Chief of IABC/Toronto’s Communicator publication for 2023-2024. As a dedicated professional who has worked in Public Relations for over 19 years and a proud volunteer with IABC/Toronto, I am happy to bring you the Winter 2024 issue, focused on a topic […] By Matisse Hamel-Nelis Matisse Hamel-Nelis reminds us that IDEA are more than just buzzwords; they are vital principles that can transform the world of communications. In the ever-evolving world of communications, the principles IDEA are gaining increasing significance. When applied effectively, they help foster a more enriched, engaging and impactful communication environment – enhancing meaningful internal […] By Amanda Cosentino Amanda Cosentino poses the question: When you think about the word “accessibility,” what images pop up in your head? When you think about the word “accessibility,” what images pop up in your head? Perhaps a person in a wheelchair, or a reserved parking spot? But those are only small pieces of accessibility. […]Return to the Winter 2022 Issue of Communicator
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