“No one on his deathbed ever said ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office’”, stated politician, Paul Tsongas. Being able to split your time and attention between work and family or leisure is crucial because many aspects of one’s personal life may overlap with their professional lives, such as family, leisure and health.

There are several benefits to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, including less stress, a lower risk of burnout and a greater sense of wellbeing. The best part is, both employers and employees benefit from this.

Employers who are committed to providing environments that support a healthy work-life balance for their employees save money, have fewer cases of absenteeism, and have a more loyal and productive workforce. Employees can achieve a better work-life balance with the assistance of employers who provide options like telecommuting or flexible work hours.

While making a plan that works for you, take into account the best method to strike a balance between your personal and professional life. It’s possible that some days, you put in longer hours at work so that you can take part in other activities later in the week.

Here are some suggestions for improving or effectively managing work-life balance.

• Find a job that you love.
• Prioritise your health.
• Don’t be afraid to unplug/disconnect. i.e breaking ties with the outside world on some occasions allows us to recover from weekly stress and creates space for new thoughts and ideas to emerge.
• Make time for yourself and your loved ones.
• Set goals and priorities (and stick to them).
• Take a vacation.
• Accept that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance.

All said and done, “Balance means different things to different people, and it also varies depending on the season of your life”.

Question: Is Work-Life Balance an Illusion or a Reality?