The eternal question for female professionals has always been, ‘How can I have it all?'
In a fast-paced, post pandemic world, striking a balance between personal and professional life has become more crucial than ever, particularly for women. Personal aspects, ranging from having a social life to handling motherhood, shouldn’t serve as a hindrance to achieving successes in the workplace. In this article, we'll explore five essential strategies for women to achieve work life integration successfully. We will also discuss how employers can support their female employees in this endeavour by creating a healthy, holistic work environment.
1.Prioritising Self-Care
Creating balance between two competing spheres of your life can often be an incredibly stressful task. Maintaining a regular self care routine has been clinically proven to not only reduce anxiety or depression, but also increase overall satisfaction. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate, expensive routine. Prioritise giving yourself 30 minutes a day, and maybe go on a walk, read a book, or take a nap. Just remember that a spot of me-time isn’t a luxury - it is essential to your mental health, and you owe it to yourself.
2.Finding a Job you are passionate about.
One surefire way to achieve work life integration is to find a job you're genuinely passionate about. When you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work, and you'll find it easier to invest your time and energy into it. Reflect on your passions, interests, and skills, and explore career options that align with them.
3.Boundaries
Drawing clear demarcations between your home life and work life is essential to promote a balance between work and life. Define specific work hours and establish a designated workspace in your home if you work remotely. Communicate these boundaries with your family, friends, and colleagues, so they understand and respect your personal time. By distinctly compartmentalising work and personal life, you'll reduce the chances of burnout as well.
4.Refresh and Recharge
While dedication and hard work are admirable qualities, it is equally important to take time out and recharge. Constantly pushing yourself without breaks can lead to burnout, ultimately impacting both your personal and professional life. Schedule regular breaks, vacations, and relaxation periods to rejuvenate your mind and body. Use this time to create memories with your family, or simply to enjoy some alone time.
5.Delegation
Let's face it: women, more often than not, bear the brunt of household chores and additional work responsibilities, which can be overwhelming. At home, consider hiring help if feasible, try to share tasks between household members, or try to downsize chores overall. At work, an issue that women often struggle with is saying no to work well below their pay grade. Remember that you can ask questions and you can always delegate certain rote, repetitive tasks, and focus on getting through the more essential work.
Employer Support for a Healthy Work Environment
When it comes to work life integration, the onus is not always on the employees. An ideal work environment is also necessary to achieve some kind of balance. 90% of women consider work life balance to be a crucial factor when finding a job* so employers that offer initiatives like paid family leave, more flexible work schedules that allow for remote working, and more comprehensive benefits, including allowances for counselling or coaching will attract better talent. Consider as well encouraging 'breaks'" during the working day by enabling movement around the office through break out rooms and spaces so employees can feel enabled to take a mental break throughout the day. After all, a healthy, balanced employee is more productive for the company as well.
If you are looking for more ideas on how to prioritize work life balance in the workplace, read our article here.
Achieving work life integration is a continuous journey, and finding the right balance is unique to each individual. No two paths are the same, and to compare is not useful. This process may not always feel perfect, and that’s okay. If you want to share more about how work life integration looks for you right now and how your employer is supporting you, share your thoughts by rating your company anonymously on our website today!
