Heymate! has been a staunch supporter of work-life balance. We firmly believe that work-life balance is important to our enterprise. Encouraging our staff to have a healthy work-life balance, will improve productivity and ultimately generate more profit. By fostering an environment where everyone is dedicated to the task at hand, work-life balance help maintain physical and mental health.
Flexible working arrangement often means working from home. It might eventually distort and blur the home/work balance. Flexible working arrangement might in the end cause employee isolation. Therefore, one must be borne in mind that the goal of work-life balance is to foster a happier, less strained workforce. Instead of placing cart before the horse, employers must evaluate carefully whether the goal of work-life balance is achieved. All work adjustments should be based on the premise that they could foster both employee productivity and employee happiness.
It is not easy to achieve work-life balance; however, the followings are a few suggestions that guide you to achieve it.
- Avoiding Perfectionism
Despite being viewed as a positive trait, perfectionism is often unattainable. Being responsible and attentive is not mutually exclusive to perfectionism. Having fun at work is just as important as doing good work. The problem coupled with perfectionism is that it has the potential to paralyses one’s life. One might miss out on all kinds of opportunities both at home and at work as you might be too engrossed in perfecting your work. Accepting that there is no real 'perfect' work-life balance, would open door to a real work-life balance.
- Unplugging when possible
According to the organizer of the event, the National Day of Unplugging is an awareness campaign that promotes a 24-hour respite from technology. This is an event that is annually observed the first weekend in March. The rationale of this event is to encourage those to be less stressed out about their everyday life. Unplugging would give you more sleep, build up your interpersonal relationships, and boost your morality. Unplugging also allows you to be in the moment and enjoy the life you are living. Instead of observing the National Day of Unplugging once every year, disconnecting from work occasionally would have positive effects on mental and physical health invariably.
- Making time for yourself and your loved ones
Working too much can take a toll on both your mental health and productivity. Whilst your job is important, it should not be dominating all your life. There are various ways to take time for yourself in spite of a hectic schedule. Your employer is important to you since they furnish you with your pay. But you are just as important to them as you are an asset to your company. One should set a realistic boundary with your employer.
- Implementing an exercise routine
Exercising after the pandemic has been difficult as many of us have forgone the routine of going to the gym. Those who constantly work from home also do not have enough time and motivation to step outside of their comfort zone to spend time on exercising. Exercise would greatly improve mental health. Various scientific research has shown that exercise can effectively reduce anxiety and sadness. It is also shown to improve one’s self-esteem and cognitive functions. It would as well prevent social withdrawal. With various mental benefits in mind, exercise is great for your brain and great for your body as well!
Research from McKinsey Consulting Firm suggests that about 1/4 of the workforce in advanced economies could work from home between three and five days a week, without loss of productivity. Establishing a stable and sustainable way to work has been a trend lately. The COVID pandemic has created various digitalization initiatives to society. Not only does it change our life, but this would inevitably change the future of how we work.
