While life-work balance can mean many different things to many people, it ultimately ensures that an organization’s employees can perform their roles to the best of their abilities without impacting their personal lives. It’s a system of ethics which understands that our families, our health, and our leisure time should be our priorities — our careers may not be less important, but they also shouldn’t negatively affect any of these other areas.
Why is work-life balance important?
Nations that prioritize and promote a healthy balance between life and work create an environment where their employees can access a better overall quality of life, making them happier and more engaged in their work and ultimately increasing their productivity.
Without this healthy equilibrium — a recent report by the International Labour Organization highlighted that over a third of global employees still regularly work more than 48 hours a week — there will inevitably be a detrimental impact on the mental and physical health of workers, leading to increased turnover, more absenteeism, and diminished productivity.
How to get a better work-life balance
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving a healthy life-work balance. We’re all different — we value different things and we have different responsibilities in and out of work. It’s about finding the right balance for you, and discussing any concerns or issues you may have with your employer.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering your life-work balance:
- Being productive and being busy are not the same thing. It’s easy to mistake one for the other, but the old adage of working smarter, not harder, applies. Feeling overworked doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being productive, and in fact, it’s often a barrier to productivity.
- There’s no such thing as a perfect balance. If you strive for perfection, you’ll continually end up disappointed and frustrated. Schedules shift, demands change, and concentration wanes. The key is to be adaptable, accept there will be fluctuations, and recognize when your workload is becoming unmanageable.
- You should never feel guilty for taking time off. Though it’s tempting to believe your company can’t function without you, it can. Nearly all countries are obligated to offer statutory annual leave, and it’s there for a reason: taking time off to unwind and recharge is essential to remaining engaged and productive. After all, you’ve got to rest to be the best.
Here at Remote, we champion countries, businesses and individuals prioritizing life-work balance and creating healthy yet productive working environments. If you’re looking to relocate or want to explore working in a different country, see how our employer of record services can help.
