How a Work-Life Balance Could Just Save Your Money & Your Life!

Are you a leader in Business? 

You may be familiar with the term, ‘work-life balance’ (WLB), some of you may even manage to achieve this, or at the very least, something as close as is physically possible.

With technology advancing and home office becoming an increasingly popular choice for companies, we’re in danger of losing control of the fine line between our personal and professional time.

Have you ever been relaxing on the weekend or your day-off, and out of nowhere, the peace and serenity of your day is disrupted by the all too familiar sound of your boss or colleague frantically calling you on your mobile or sending you ‘urgent’ whatsapp messages at night.

When you think about it, these calls and messages are rarely so urgent that they can’t wait until the next morning, or until Monday.

The problem is once a line has been crossed, it’s easier to cross it again and again, unless we take charge of the situation.

What is a Work-Life Balance?

A work-life balance isn’t about doing less work, at least in my opinion. It’s about self-maintenance, or better yet, personal and professional growth, without burning yourself out. It’s about keeping your health, both mentally and physically, at its peak. Which ultimately enables you to work smarter, harder, and more effectively.

If you allow work to creep in and overtake your personal ‘down-time’, you can put your health at serious risk.

As professionals from a diverse array of industries, overworking and not getting enough ‘unplugged’ down-time, exposes us to burning-out and developing conditions such as chronic stress, which are two of the most common workplace health issues.

These conditions significantly influence your physical and mental health, and ultimately your quality of life. Not to mention, the amount of medical leave you need from work!

The Cost of a Work-Life IN-balance

Burnout and chronic stress can lead to serious issues such as hypertension, digestive problems, chronic aches and pains, heart problems, as well as negatively impacting mental health, having been linked to a greater risk of depression, anxiety and insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, irritability and jeopardising performance at work.

In fact, Harvard Business Review recognises that the cost of healthcare spending on psychological and physical problems in the USA due to employee burnout, is an estimated $125 billion – $190 billion a year.

Every nation has a different experience and perspective on the concept of a work-life balance. It’s influenced by culture, profession or industry as well as the values shift between generations and the associated demands and pressures.

Did you know, for example, that Japan still faces a serious health crisis due to exhaustive corporate overtime demands? It’s said that the latest employment law prohibits more than 100 hours overtime, per month!

This overtime culture has been linked to many potentially fatal health issues, even elevated suicides levels! There is now even a Japanese word specifically for this tragedy, “Karoshi”, which translates to “death from overwork”.

Whatever your opinion about a Work-Life Balance, the benefits of getting your personal and professional lives aligned are undeniable, and on the flip-side, the cost and impact on your physical and mental health for failing to do so are serious enough that we should all be, at the very least, conscious of it.

WLB is a Two-Way Thing

It really does require some discipline these days, considering that we are all driven to progress in our careers, to earn more money and climb the corporate ladder. As a result, it’s increasingly difficult to switch-off on weekends and in the evenings once you arrive home, particularly if you’re in a management or leadership position.

Companies often place heavy expectations on employees, especially managers, influencing their priorities to choose work over relaxation, and to give up their free time to work even more.

We find ourselves in a battle of two desires: On the one hand, we want rapid career progression, recognition at work, financial wealth and corporate success, and on the other hand, a vibrant social life, family time, relaxation, happiness, and physical and mental Health.

Often, when we’re caught in this battle, we become stuck in the middle in ‘no man’s land’, and neither our performance at work, nor our personal health and happiness prosper from it.

How are companies changing?

Nowadays, many companies recognise that a WLB is an essential part of a healthy working environment and they’re adapting their offices, rules and regulations and operations to further balance and improve their employees’ quality of life.

The truth is that great business leaders want their management and employees to be well-balanced individuals, not over-stressed or burnt out.

They value the long term health of employees, as well as happiness and low stress levels, because it directly reflects in employee productivity, effectiveness and commitment to their company.

Some firms incorporate things like casual Fridays, flex-time working hours, and themed food days, while others take a more liberating approach, allowing employees to choose the hours they work, so long as they deliver the results, sometimes even removing dress code policies, altogether.

How about you?

How does your company approach the subject of overtime?

Where do you draw the line of too much work and how do you prevent yourself from burning out?

Moreover, how do you manage your employer’s expectations, while still being committed to your work, live a healthy lifestyle, and pursue career progression, all at the same time?

That’s why it’s called a balance!

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Best,

Adam