Is Work-Life Balance Really Achievable? And How?

We all know the drill. We’re supposed to have successful careers and fulfilling personal lives, but sometimes it feels like we’re just barely keeping our heads above water. We’re told that we need to find a work-life balance, but what does that even mean? And is it really achievable? Let’s take a closer look.

Work-Life Balance Defined
Work-life balance is often defined as the amount of time we spend on work versus the amount of time we spend on our personal lives outside of work. The problem with this definition is that it assumes that these two areas of our lives are mutually exclusive, when in reality they often overlap. For example, you might check your work email from home in the evening or attend a work event on the weekend.

The Reality of Work-Life Balance
The reality is that finding a perfect work-life balance is often an unattainable goal. Instead of striving for perfection, it might be more realistic to think of work-life balance as a continuum. On one end of the continuum is complete work dedication with little to no time for your personal life, while on the other end is complete dedication to your personal life with little to no time for work. Ideally, you want to find a place in the middle where you’re giving enough attention to both your professional and personal life without letting either suffer.

Finding Your Ideal Work-Life Balance
The first step in finding your ideal work-life balance is understanding what’s important to you and what you need in order to feel fulfilled both at work and at home. Once you know what you need, you can start making small changes in your day-to-day routine that will help you achieve the balance you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re struggling to find time for your hobbies outside of work, try setting aside 30 minutes each day to do something that you enjoy. If you’re finding it difficult to disconnect from work when you’re at home, set strict boundaries for yourself and make sure that you stick to them. Turn off your work email after 5 pm and don’t check it again until the next morning. If you have young children at home and are having trouble juggling parenting duties with your career, see if your employer offer flexible working arrangements or whether there’s someone else at home who can lend a hand.

Making real changes requires effort, but even small changes can make a big difference when it comes to achieving a better work-life balance.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to finding a good work-life balance; what works for one person might not work for another. The most important thing is to figure out what’s important to you and what YOU need in order order to feel fulfilled both at work and at home. From there, you can start making small changes in your day-to-day routine that will help move you closer towards the balanced life that you want to lead.