It’s the buzzword in today’s world of work: work-life balance. For some, it’s quite clear that this refers to striking a balance between work and private life. But is that really the case? And what sort of balance is this supposed to be? Of course, in times of increasing absenteeism due to burnout, it’s important to look after yourself more and not let work take centre stage. But is there a universal balance between these two poles, or is work-life balance just a myth?
What is work-life balance?
Put very simply, the term means ‘work-life balance’. That sounds rather clunky, though, and doesn’t really capture the meaning behind the term. It makes it sound as though work isn’t part of life, and that is definitely not the case. Essentially, work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between professional and private life; more specifically, it also concerns the compatibility between work and family life. But that’s as far as the precise definition goes. This equilibrium cannot – and should not – be defined in greater detail, as it is determined on an individual basis. For some people, it’s fine to work ten hours a day several times a week, provided they have a longer period of free time afterwards. Others find this stressful and prefer to stick to the standard eight-hour working day, but then only need a short weekend to recharge. However, neither of these areas should be allowed to take over. Yes, not even private life! After all, people generally need a role that fulfils them and secures their standard of living in order to be happy.
Criticism of the work-life balance model
As you can see, defining the term is not that straightforward. People can set their own work-life balance, and that is what makes it so difficult to define a uniform balance. And there is plenty of other criticism of the model too. After all, this constant urge to optimise one’s private and working life and bring them into balance only puts even more pressure on oneself. Of course, we can draw up lists of priorities and make plans. This certainly gives us some guidance and helps us to remember things. But we must also come to terms with the fact that life is, fundamentally, unpredictable and that things can always come up to disrupt our plans. The magic word here is: adaptability. With the ability to improvise, you can navigate even complex situations without stress. You should therefore focus your efforts on improvisation rather than on detailed planning beforehand, which ultimately becomes obsolete anyway due to unforeseeable events.
Work-life balance could therefore be equated more with life balance. There are phases when our professional lives demand the utmost commitment, and others when we have more time for our family, friends and hobbies. As long as these phases are balanced for us personally, everything is fine. This is also linked to many other factors. If we are unwell, we inevitably cannot always deliver what our job demands of us. But our private life can also become a challenge if we’re not feeling well ourselves. Accordingly, other factors that contribute to a healthy work-life balance must also be taken into account. For example, it can help to develop a routine. Experts divide people into ‘owls’ and ‘larks’. Owls tend to be night owls, whilst larks are early risers and are at their most productive in the early hours of the day. Find out when you feel most comfortable and establish a reasonably fixed daily routine. This provides stability and can help you find balance in stressful situations.
What can employers do?
But it’s not just up to us, as employees, to take steps towards achieving our own personal balance. Employers also have a responsibility here and can do their staff a favour by implementing a few measures:
- Provide options for healthy eating (e.g. by making fruit and water available)
- Organising health days
- Provide facilities for leisure activities in the office (e.g. a staff room)
- Company sports
- In-house childcare
Flexible working time arrangements are also helpful in supporting a good work-life balance. Is a colleague’s child ill and she can’t come into the office? In that case, working from home might be an option. A virtual office from COLLECTION Business Centres is the perfect way for start-up founders or companies with limited space requirements to balance family and work life. Whilst you work from home and keep an eye on your children, you also have a centrally located business address where your customers can reach you by post and telephone. If necessary, you can also hold meetings in your exclusive and fully equipped day office. With these small and large measures, you can significantly increase your own satisfaction and that of your staff. And it’s a proven fact that people who enjoy coming to work also perform better.
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