Can You Balance Work and Life?
The Problem
I come from America and in America, we work. We work a lot. According to one study, it is estimated that the average American works 47 hours per week. [1] Some segments of society are in the 60-70 hour range. No wonder there is some stress in the workplace.
It is a tempting thing to work long hours, especially if you enjoy what you do. It can be easy to get caught up in it all. Long ago in a past life, I was in this category. My primary job took up 50-60 hours of my week. When I evaluated my priorities, I realized that my time was disproportionally spent ‘working’. Since then, and certainly now that I am married, I have strived to make sure that my time spent is aligned with the priorities of my life.
This is not a post about those priorities, I perhaps will save that for another post. Rather, I want to focus this post on how I maintain a balance of work (the things I do to get money) and other aspects of my life.
First, let me start by saying I like work and I work hard at my job. However, I do make a conscience effort to keep my job from hindering other things where I can. If you are working more than 50 hours per week, I would encourage you to take a look at some of the research by Stanford that shows you lose productivity for working more than that. [2] I will attempt to outline some of the strategies I use to get things balanced.
Expectations
Every time I start a new job, get a new boss, get a new client, etc., I immediately talk about expectations of work as well as boundaries. I am upfront about responding to emails in 24 hours and not checking them at night. Some people comment that this can cause tension with bosses, but I have found that when this conversation is done up front it gives everyone involved a pleasant experience. I don’t feel pressure to answer emails and bosses are not wasting time checking their phones to see if I have responded. They know a response will come in the next 24 hours. If it is truly an urgent matter, they know there are other avenues that I am comfortable with to get in touch.
Optimal Work Time
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One of the biggest ways I keep things balance is by being insanely productive while I am at work. When I‘m at work, I get as much done as I can, so that I can truly not take it home. One way I am productive with this is by going in early before others get there. Right now, most of my office comes in an hour or two after I do. I can get so much done in those moments. I also do not feel bad about leaving earlier than others. Find your optimal work time that fits your schedule so that when you are at work you are actually productive.
Hobbies
This one may be counter intuitive, but having a healthy hobby helps keep the balance. By having a hobby to invest in, I am not always thinking about work. My work goals are not the only goals in my life. I find that you tend to make time for the things you are passionate about.
Disconnect // Reconnect
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This one is a no-brainer but needs to be said. I do my best to disconnect from work. Not an easy task in today’s digital age. I changed the settings on my phone so that emails ping my phone only at certain hours. Additionally, I am very intentional about reconnecting with my wife each night. We talk about each other’s day, have dinner together, and maybe watch some TV. The point is that there is an intentional time of disconnecting form work life and reconnecting to personal life.
Routines
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I have a morning and evening routines that are designed to help me be productive at work, as well as support reaching other non-work goals. As a believer in Jesus, my top priority is knowing him and being obedient to him. To support this priority, my morning routine has a dedicated time for study and reflection. By starting my day here and not checking work emails, I keep things focused and in their proper place.
Make it your own
An important point I want to emphasize to you is that you should find what works for you. These are just the things that I do. They work for me in my situation and my current profession. I know there are professions out there that do not have the luxury to not bring work home. My wife is a teacher and I know that teaching is a profession that work spills over into personal life no matter how productive you are. So, there are certainly exceptions to what I am saying and I want to be sensitive to that. No matter what you do, I would encourage to evaluate your time and check that against your priorities. If work is a huge priority for you, then maybe 60+ hours per week lines up with those priorities. For me, I seek to make each day my time is reflecting what I truly value.
Further Reading
- https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/05/05/1-in-3-workers-says-work-life-balance-getting-tougher
- http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/12/30/email-and-the-internet-are-the-dominant-technological-tools-in-american-workplaces/
- http://ftp.iza.org/dp8129.pdf
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