By Wendy Viljoen |
We all have to navigate the delicate balance between our work and personal lives. This is no easy feat! To make matters worse, Covid-19 has restricted our interactions with anything and anyone beyond our front doors, and we became accustomed to working from home. The lines between where work ends and life begins have now become very murky.
“There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is only work-life choices – you make them and they have consequences.” -Jack Welsh
Thinking of it as a work-life balance creates an unrealistic expectation that both parts require equal commitment and dedication all at the same time. Though this is a wonderful notion, life itself is fluid—in a constant state of flux—and the only way to be happy is to balance the tension between it.
Work in Progress
Work and life will continue to coexist. As such, we need to find a sustainable way to manage the demand that each has on the 24 hours of our days (well, less if you deduct the time we are asleep). If you are fulfilled at work, you will be happy at home and vice versa. The same applies when things are not going well. Work and life are two distinct forces, interlinked around the same person: you. So, managing work and life is not a task you simply complete. It requires constant work.
Boundary Management
The secret to a healthy balance is not better time management but better boundary management. Accept that there is never going to be a perfect balance. Control what you can. Oprah once said: “You can have it all—you cannot have it all at once!” Sometimes saying no means you are saying yes to placing realistic boundaries that guard yourself against overcommitment, exhaustion, and ultimately dismay.
AUTHOR
Learning Strategist at Construct
