Work-Life Balance

Constant emails, text messages, and everything in between can make it difficult to create a set of boundaries in our professional life. Millennials outwardly crave that balance between home and the office, but other workforce generations are partial to the idea as well. 

Setting professional boundaries, whether it’s saying “no” more often or truly leaving work at the office when we’re done for the day, are the first steps towards a healthy work-life balance. Something the COVID-19 pandemic helped me realize is how important family is and how much I value my time with them. 

There are dozens of things to finish before the workday is over; despite our efforts to complete tasks, co-workers come to us – virtually or in-person – asking for help with “just this one thing”. When multiple people request our assistance, we don’t stand a chance of getting our own work done. 

Does this situation sound familiar? The solution to this obstacle is as simple as courteously saying “no.” 

Being a “yes man” at work isn’t as beneficial as it seems. It’s about learning when and how to respectfully say “no.” When we can negotiate deliverables and budget our time at work, we can gain more respect with a calculated “no” than an unrealistic “yes.”

 

To develop this balance, it's important to make a clear delineation between home and the office especially now that the home and office lines are blurred. For example, consider not checking or answering emails after a certain time (or texts or phone calls for that matter). Remember that We –not our employer – are in control of our work-life balance. 

Serve clients when we can have the most impact - during work hours. Take the time needed away from work to rejuvenate to do our best work. 

My place to rejuvenate is Onaway, Mich., and Black Lake. My father was 5 when he first went there with my grandpa and grandma in 1953 and it has been in our family since. 

This is my place to let the world go and be off the grid. The vast openness of the lake allows me to simply look up and see the beauty easily forgotten in this world and to totally let go of work and the real world even if only for a couple of days. 

Where is your getaway? How do you rejuvenate? In what ways are you balancing work and life?

Creating a work-life balance is our responsibility, not that of our employer. We have the power to dictate when we will and will not be available after leaving the office. Remember, saying “no” is okay. When we set and communicate those boundaries, our team and clients will benefit from working with the best “us” we can give them.