Work-life balance isn’t about working less - it’s about working differently
Posted on 7th October 2024 at 11:03
By Matt Parker, Senior Delivery Consultant at Iridium
"Everyone has their own perception of a good work-life balance. Not everybody is the same and people need to switch off in different ways and with different timeframes. My ideal balance is where I get to enjoy time away from work to achieve personal goals. This allows me to be fully engaged whilst in and out of work.
I don’t think it's about working less but working differently. Being more efficient with your time and how you use it.
My version of a perfect balance
I am into fitness and a big ethos of mine is “health is wealth”. I go to the gym pretty much every day, participate in marathons and half marathons, and play hockey.
Sport is one of the biggest parts of my life. It allows me to have “me time”. I get to focus and engage my brain in a different way than that in my job. With playing hockey, I get to see my friends twice a week at training and match days and socialise after a game. Having this downtime personally makes me feel more motivated when at work. I feel refreshed, energised and mentally re-charged.
I have to make myself switch off
I don’t really switch off. I love what I do and who I work with, so it's not really an issue for me. However, I do have to force myself to switch off when around friends and family and be present with them.
The employer's role
Iridium encourages me to pursue personal goals, and my colleagues are always one of the first to congratulate me for achieving these out of work. The business has put things in place such as your birthday day off, as well as a Christmas shopping day in December, to promote a good work-life balance. Plus there’s always flexibility when you need time off or have an appointment.
Work and life contentment go hand-in-hand
I think that there is a correlation between being happy at work and out of work. Most people spend the majority of their waking week doing their jobs, so it is going to affect your overall life.
If anyone was struggling to strike a good balance, I'd suggest making time to do things you enjoy doing. If you don’t know what that is, then try new activities, and don’t be afraid to do so. The positive effects exercise has on the body and mind are well-documented. Even going for a walk at lunch, getting some Vitamin D and fresh air can do a world of good.
Also, holidays. If you work from home, then switching off can be more difficult as you live where you work. Taking yourself away from the house for an evening, going on holiday, and exploring the world we live in can put that recharge mode into overdrive.
As Matthew McConaughey once said in Dazed and Confused “You just gotta keep livin' man, L-I-V-I-N.”
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