Imagine warm sunny days in the Netherlands and plenty of work on your plate. Imagine again, more and more of these warm sunny days in the Netherlands and a heavy workload. What would you do? Would you think of going to the beach, gather with your friends, do some outdoor sport activity; or stay at your desk working with full concentration?
Even if there are not that many desirable sunny days in the Netherlands, there are many ways, people, opportunities, events, places, activities etc. that can bring you joy other than chasing deadlines, working extra hard, money earning satisfaction or self actualization. But is it possible to enjoy the best of life and our work at the same time, without stress and with success?
Work-life balance is an issue that affects both the individual and the organization. A happy life means a happier worker and vice versa. And a happier worker is a more productive worker, researches confirm. According to Greenhouse and his colleagues, the work-life balance can be based on three main components:
1. Time Balance: an Equal Amount of Time Devoted to Work and Family Roles
Understanding time is necessary in time management. There are two types of time: clock time and real time. In clock time, there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year. All time passes equally.In real time, all time is relative. Time flies or drags depending on what you are doing. Time flies when you are having fun and drags when you are doing your taxes.The good news is that it is possible to manage the real time to fit into the clock time in efficient way following some steps.
- Take the first 30 minutes of every day to plan your day, but keep in mind to schedule time for interruptions as well. The most important time of your day is the time you schedule to schedule time. When planning, designate time for work tasks and family tasks, but also include moments of enjoyment.
- Carry a schedule and record all your thoughts, conversations and activities for a week. This will help you understand how much you can get done during the course of a day and where your precious moments are going.
2. Involvement Balance: an Equal Level of Psychological Involvement in Work and Family Roles
Understanding your needs and the needs of your organization can help you prioritize your daily activities in private and work life, and express your needs towards your environment. Good communication at work and in your private life makes your life easier. People will know your needs and vice versa, so there will be less disappointment incase there are different expectations from both sides and sharing ideas can always be beneficial.
List your tasks and set priorities based on the information you already have. According to priority, have a pipeline of your work and life projects(plans) completed one by one, within the deadlines and other constraints. Re-order with your feasible but viable timelines.Gather more information and reconsider again.
Stop thinking about work when you go home and get quality time with your family, friends or just with yourself(no work calls, e-mails).Remember that it is impossible to get everything done by yourself. Delegate some tasks to your colleagues, friends and family and return the favor when you can.
3. Satisfaction Balance: an Equal Level of Satisfaction with Work and Family(Private Life) Roles
One of the aspects of the work-life balance that can be experienced is the level of satisfaction both at work and in private life. Commitment to roles other than work and family can bring you more space to breathe when you leave your office after a working day. Being satisfied with your work achievements on a daily basis is fertile ground for planting your other roles in life to grow happiness, joy and satisfaction. When achieving a high goal, treat yourself to spending extra moments with your favorite people or on your favorite things. Afterwards, prepare for the new challenges again, step by step and enjoy your life!
Sonja Vos Ralevska