As workplaces grapple with the aftermath of the pandemic, ever-present struggles to balance the demands of work and daily life are the subject of debate and experimentation. Resourceful workers and forward-thinking workplaces are sharing accommodations that give employees time to recharge and consider what is most important to their well-being.
Work/life balance can be defined as the state of equilibrium resulting from the individual’s ability to weigh and balance the pressures of career and the priorities of personal life. The tendency to be tethered to work at all times through technology and the rattle of many competing responsibilities allows stress to build and health issues to arise. Stress undermines our concentration and even our family and work relationships. Achieving better balance can deliver improved physical and mental health, renewed clarity of purpose, and unique learning possibilities.
Finding balance is in the best interests of both employer and employee. Employers can offer flexible schedules, telecommuting options, the freedom to unplug and generous vacation time. Such workplace accommodations reward employers with employee loyalty, fewer sick days, higher productivity and heightened creativity. Employees can bolster their own mental and physical health by availing themselves of workplace benefits aimed at fostering self care.
While vacations are happily anticipated and hopefully relished, sometimes the days fly by so fast they don’t fully relieve stress buildup. The work sabbatical is an offering widely used in the academic world to allow faculty to travel, recharge, refine research and return to the classroom renewed. Although rare, the business world is experimenting with the sabbatical concept. After a set number of years, professionals are encouraged (sometimes required) to take extended time away from work. A friend who serves as a vice president in the energy sector was expected to spend a month away from work, separate from her allotted vacation benefit. She chose to spend her time hiking in Patagonia, a trip she had long hoped to make, and returned to her demanding job refreshed and energized.
Another workplace phenomenon emerging is the employee decision to quit their job and leave the workplace for a time. Some younger workers are prioritizing the importance of retirement-like experiences earlier in life so they can take on rigorous and challenging travel while they are still hardy and fit. Others wish to engage in intense and meaningful volunteer experiences in another country or pursue a startup idea they have been contemplating.
One of my family members spent a year out west hiking and working on physical and mental health following years of heavy professional responsibilities, coupled with completion of a degree. She returned to her work in health care the following year ready to tackle bigger challenges. Such pauses in a career might delay a home purchase or eventual retirement, but for those who crave deeper adventures while young, it may be worth it.
Remember, life is short and work is only part of the equation
Deborah D. Hoover is the Immediate past CEO of Entrepreneurship Education Consortium
