5 Strategies for Work and Family “Balance”

11 de May, 2021

We live in a society where the need to be more productive and competitive places people in a complex situation. And now, we need to add on the phenomenon of the pandemic that has forced many families to work from home and blur the lines between work and personal lives. This competing demands from family and work, which was already a great concern, is affecting more than ever the well-being of people and at the same time the productivity of companies. 

To look at it from a health standpoint, these conflicts between work and family life have negative consequences such as depression, poor physical health, work addiction, dysfunctional family relationships, etc., affecting men as well as women.

The importance of work-life balance

In this sense, human beings need to create a “balance” between work, personal and family life. We require time for ourselves to read, de-stress, and connect so we can improve our relationships and we also need time to develop professionally. If we neglect one of these aspects of our lives for too long, it can become a big problem that over time becomes a vicious circle.

So, it’s important to find harmony among all the important aspects of your life, and here are some ideas to help you get started: 

1. It is important that you make balancing a priority. That is, make a conscious decision that you have to achieve it and make the effort. Identify blocks of time in your schedule in which you want to dedicate yourself to certain types of tasks or activities, whether work or personal. To ensure that you can really make time for the things that matter to you beyond work, put them on your calendar as well. In the case of your work, if you are already well established, try to communicate with your bosses and discuss the possibility of making your schedule a little more flexible.
2. Talk to your family about your work requirements and your desire to find meaningful time and spaces to share with them, generate a relationship of trust and support with the members of your family.
3. Allow others to help you. If you have a friend or family member who is willing to help you, take it. Just make sure it is someone you trust and they can help you with things like watching your kids while they do homework or picking them up from school.
4. Set boundaries between work and family. Try to get crystal clear on your work goals so you can focus and get things done without requiring extra time. Be sure to identify your priorities and the things you can delegate, do not procrastinate, and focus on the goals you need to achieve daily.The most important thing is that you do not take work home. Although today many people dedicate themselves to doing work from home, try, as far as possible, to fulfill your purpose of keeping clear boundaries and “closing your office by closing your laptop” so you can disconnect from work.

Learning to find a rhythm between work and family life is not easy. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each person and family must find specific solutions to their problems based on their own preferences and needs. And most of all, be patient with yourself because you are doing your best!

     

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