Achieving the Work/Life Balance

We are all in charge of the choices we make. So, the first choice is whether you actually want to achieve work/life balance?

Setting boundaries when climbing up the traditional corporate ladder

If you are climbing up the traditional corporate ladder, – you will probably find this an extremely rewarding path and good on you.  But just keep in mind, that although there are a few adjustments you can make to create more balance, to get to the top will probably involve more work time, than family time, as the prevailing corporate culture is that it is vital to do more and be more, to get to the top.

Some tips you might consider to create more work/life balance include:

• Set boundaries around your accessibility, via cell phone, emails, and text messaging.  Unless the matter is life threatening, or will result in the collapse of the entire company, those so-called phone calls and emails you receive during the evening, or weekends, usually can wait until you get back to work.  Emergencies are seldom-real emergencies and people are poor judges of importance.  If you set the boundaries in relation to contact, then the only contact you will receive are the really important messages.
• Don’t check your email every five minutes and turn off the audible alerts if you have one on Outlook.  So much really unproductive time is spent checking emails that have no direct relevance to completing a task.  I mean realistically you only probably only need to check your inbox a couple of times a day.
• Create systems and routines that simplify and speed daily tasks.  Multi-tasking actually dilutes how much you achieve in one day.  Instead try to focus on one task at a time.  (Try it, it is amazing how much more productive your day will be).
• Mark out personal appointments on your calendar and consider them sacred.
• Instead of eating your lunch at your desk, take this time to visit a friend, meet up with your loved one, call your wife or husband, or go to the gym.

Creating Flexibility

If you are like an increasing number of client’s I work with, then you might want to bypass the traditional corporate ladder altogether.  If you want more flexibility in your life, then you can achieve this without a complete sea change, or imitating The Good Life.  Some options include:

Job Sharing

This arrangement is not just for woman and involves taking a job that might entail 40 to 50 hours a week and cutting the responsibilities down the middle to be shared by two people.  The downside is that you will take a pay cut, plus it is essential that you have a sound working relationship with the other person.  It is possible and is becoming more accepted, so don’t be afraid to negotiate such an option with your employer.

Working flexible hours

If you are happy working 40 hours a week, but want greater flexibility, then why not ask for greater flexibility from the boss.  Options might include scheduling a 4-day week of 10 hours each day (which is how I work), or starting early and finishing early.  The options are endless – you just need to negotiate these options with your employer.

Work from home

With the Internet revolution it is now possible to work from home and avoid some of the rat race, such as long commutes altogether.  While there is still some reluctance among employer’s to allow staff to work from home, many employers now understand the advantages of such an arrangement and are happy for staff to spend some of their time working from home.  Again, the options are endless and you just need to negotiate with your employer.

Portfolio Career

OK, I’m sure you are asking, ‘What is a portfolio career’?  Well, a portfolio career is a concept that is embraced in Europe, in which instead of working a traditional full-time job, you work multiple part-time jobs, which may include part-time employment, temporary jobs, freelancing and self-employment, that when combined are the equivalent of a full-time position.  The advantages of such a career, is that is offers more flexibility, variety and freedom.  The disadvantage is that you need to have a higher risk tolerance, like variety and can tolerate the unpredictability.

Conclusion

Our workplace culture is putting greater demands on us.  But remember it is OK to want more time for yourself or your family and it is OK to set healthy boundaries to protect your priorities.  If you decide you don’t want to take the traditional career route, there are lots of options to consider which will enable you to have a greater work/life balance.  And even if you decide to take the traditional route, you still have options, such as phased early retirement, relocating to shortening your commute, or working more from home.  The choice is yours and you are in charge of leading any negotiations with employers!