Is having a balance between "work" and "life" a fantasy? At a time when many people feel fortunate to still have a job, are we asking for too much when we want a balanced life?
When was the last time you:
- took a vacation?
- went away for a weekend?
- got away from work early to do something fun?
- worked out?
- spent some time on a favorite hobby or sport?
Achieving balance in your life when your work or business is exhilarating, enjoyable, or demanding can be a challenge. When you have a family, they can be your reminders. When you don't, then you need other factors to remind you to re-align your life.
Sarah had been working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for many years at her employer. After getting married and having children, various relatives helped with childcare when she returned to work. When their two kids started school, however, both sets of grandparents moved away to other states. Her husband started work at 6:30 a.m., so he left the house by 5:45. Sarah had to leave by 7:30 to get to work by 8:00, leaving the kids alone for an hour. Since the children were still so young, being home alone didn't work, and going to a neighbor's house wasn't an option.
Even though all of Sarah's co-workers worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sarah decided to ask if she could start at 9 a.m., take a half hour for lunch, and leave at 5:30. Her employer agreed to accommodate her request. That way, she could leave the house when the kids left to catch the school bus, and her husband got home in the afternoon just before the kids arrived. This worked out very well for their family, and soon her employer began to pursue other avenues to help make employees' lives easier.
Achieving a work/life balance is a possibility, and I think it's reasonable to request it.
Having a work/life balance is often about adjusting your work patterns.
If your place of employment has not yet adopted changes to their policies to help employees achieve a balanced life (and you notice that co-workers seem to be stressed out), it may be time to start discussions with human resources and other management about which types of changes would be do-able.
Why Help People Achieve Work/Life Balance?
More and more companies are realizing that by making it easier for employees to live a balanced life, the employees:
- have less stress (they stay focused on work when they're at work)
- stay healthy (they get sick less often, and call in sick less often)
- stay with the company (there is a higher retention rate)
All of these things are great for employers. I know it's a clich, but it's true: it's win-win.
What Types of Practices Do Employers Put in Place?
There are a variety of things that companies do to help their employees balance their work/life. Some of these include:
Flex time: Employees choose their start times, lunch hour, and finish times, and can vary this from day to day. Typically, the times are within certain parameters (i.e. 6 a.m. = the earliest start time; 7 p.m. = latest finish of an 8-hour slot).
Comp time: When employees work overtime, they can take an equal amount of time off on another day, or spread the time to more than one day.
Job Sharing: Instead of one full time employee, a particular job is shared by two part time employees.
Telecommuting: The employee works at home, using a computer and phone to stay connected. Technology has enabled telecommuting to be easily accomplished for many jobs.
Compressed Working Hours: This concept allows employees to work their total number of weekly hours over fewer days. For example, one person may work a 4-day week, while another may work 9 days over a 2-week period.
Annualized Hours: An employee's total working hours are calculated over a year instead of a week. They work according to the peaks and valleys of activity over a year's time.
What Else Have Some Employers Done?
Some large employers have conveniences available for employees right in the building. Many have workout facilities. I've heard that SBC in Chicago has a hair salon/barber shop. Some have a dry cleaning pick up & delivery service. Others have a concierge service that helps with running errands, making doctor's appointments, or finding an electrician or plumber. I've also seen (and used!) a chair massage service that was brought into a company weekly.
How Do I Know if I Need More Balance in My Life?
Rob Parsons, author of "The Heart of Success", says that if any of the following "danger signs" appear in your life, then it's time to readjust your work/life balance:
- You work longer hours than anyone else
- You resent colleagues who work fewer hours than you do
- You are often irritable, exhausted, and/or have a headache
- You feel ill when you're on vacation
- You go out for dinner wearing business clothes
- You feel tense when the car in front of you doesn't move immediately when the light turns green
Have you recognized yourself or your business anywhere in this article?
What are you going to do to make a change?
Glory Borgeson is a business coach, author, and speaker, and the president of Borgeson Consulting, Inc. She specializes in helping small business owners to catapult their business to new levels of profit. Whether an entrepreneur is at the top of his game or a rookie just starting his business, Glory works with the entire spectrum of entrepreneur. Top athletes have a coach; why not you?
Check out Glory's book, "Catapult Your Business to New Heights: Sure-Fire Strategies to Increase Profit". Designed to get small businesses on a better profit-making path, "Catapult" is a practical approach that exercises both the business and the owner! The book is available in both Paperback and E-book versions. Click here to find out more: Programs & Products (Or purchase on Amazon.)
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