ACHIEVING a work/life BALANCE

JUSTINE COLEMAN shows us how to win our lives back, while arguing that organisations who do not address this issue risk affecting their bottom line

THE CENTRE FOR WORK LIFE POLICY (CWLP) calls them “extreme jobs” – characterised by long hours (more than 70 hours per week). The people who are addicted to the adrenaline rush the work brings are “extreme workers” and they can be found as often in media and retail as on Wall Street – but is it sustainable? Nearly 60% of extreme workers believe that their carer undermines their relationship with their children and 50% say their work interferes with their sex life. In this BlackBerry-dominated era, is it possible to attain work/life balance?

The CWLP study suggests that if organisations and individuals don’t take action, the threat to the bottom line is real – 50% of top talent is looking to move, and replacement costs can run to six figures. On the positive side, a work/family directions study in the US showed that for every $1 a company spends on flexible work or family benefits, there is a return of between $2 and $6 through reduced absenteeism, increased motivation and higher rates of retention. So, what can be done to reverse the trend of longer work weeks and increased stress levels? The answer lies with both the organisation and the individual.

What can organisations do?

Australian research shows that increased flexibility in work arrangements that enable employees to balance competing work and family demands is the most important step. This includes initiatives such as: job sharing, paid parental leave, unpaid personal leave and flexible work hours. Using technology to provide flexibility for staff, rather than as a tool to encourage longer hours and more work, can also have a positive impact. Someone who can work from home one or two days a week, or even for a few hours in the morning (thereby reducing the time and stress of the morning commute), is likely to be more engaged and productive.

What can I do?

For individuals, there are four key things that we can do to take control of our personal work/life balance:

Step 1
Decide what you want

Ask yourself if you are happy with the current balance between your work and non-work life. If not:

Step 2
Take action

Before quitting your job and joining a commune, ask yourself if you can make changes to better meet your needs. How can you work smarter, rather than harder? Talk to your manager and tell them how much you value your job, but that you need their help to improve your work/life balance so that you can stay engaged and performing at your best. Suggest flexible work hours, job-sharing or telecommuting if you think one of these solutions will work. A 2005 UK survey found that there is far less flexible working than imagined. But two-thirds of employees are aware of the right to request flexible working, and 69% of requests were accepted in full by employers, with a further 12% partly accepted. If this doesn’t work, it might be time to consider if another role or another organisation will bring the balance you’re looking for. However, this step will not bring the satisfaction you look for if you’re still a poor time and stress manager.

Step 3
Manage Time

The CWLP study showed that 64% of workers felt that their work pressures were self-inflicted. A fundamental but often overlooked business skill is time management. It is vital to be clear of your work priorities, to spend time on the things that matter and to not get caught up in “administrivia”, or work that doesn’t add value. Don’t be controlled by technology (email, phone etc), but use it to manage your time effectively.

Step 4
Manage Stress

People react to stress in different ways. If you can’t change your external environment, you have to learn to manage the stress in your life in the best possible way. There are a vast variety of stress-management techniques and it’s important to find the one that suits you. Whether it is exercise, meditation or a hobby, find an activity where your mind gets a rest each day.

A good place to start is with applying your emotional intelligence skills. Unless we can recognise that we’re stressed, what the triggers are and how we respond to stress, we’ll never be able to actively manage the stress in our life. Ensuring people get the right balance between work and play is vital to the sustainability of functional organisations and families.

 

“Knowing when not to work is as important as knowing when to”
– Harvey MacKay

Read them and Reap

Manage Time
The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch First Things First by Stephen R. Covey Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

Manage Stress
Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life by Joel Zeff

Justine Coleman is Managing Director of Performance Culture Consulting, Melbourne, Australia. She specialises in Talent Management strategies, team effectiveness and advanced communication techniques. www.performanceculture.com.au

ILLUSTRATION: ADAM GRAFF