Work-Life Balance - an illusion.

Have you ever wondered how many courses you attend or how much advice you hear on this famous yet superficial statement? Furthermore, can you count the times you have tried to set the agenda for the day or the week or set time for emails, meetings, and other matters without success?

The answers to the above questions can be slightly different between individuals. However, the crux is that it is impossible to achieve a work-life balance when performing daily duties and focusing entirely on specific tasks and situations. For some roles, such as managerial roles, the task becomes even more complex.

Stephen Kohler, CEO and Founder of Audira Labs stated, “Work-life balance is focused on keeping your work life and your personal life separate but equal, whereas work-life integration is centred on the belief that there is no distinction between the two and that both must coexist in harmony.”

The above statement from Mr. Kohler illustrates that to achieve a work-life balance, you have to clearly and sharply distinguish between the time you spend at work and home. Although, on paper, this is an ideal scenario, it is impossible to achieve. Why?

We spend most of the day at work, so a positive or negative experience naturally affects our mood at work and beyond. Therefore, it is tough to erase such an experience as soon as we step on the doorstep of our home.

We can mention many instances that are crucial to maintaining work-life harmony. Believe it or not, the most essential thing in this area is not to persist and keep trying to disconnect from work but to create harmony, where work and life can live together.

As long as you have the right conditions at work and personal life, the following becomes the key to success, which we sometimes try to avoid.

It is ok to go home, and after you enjoy quality time with your family, you open the laptop to see emails

It is ok that, at times, you have to give priority to work

It is ok that you talk regarding an issue at work with your family members

… also

It is ok that at times, you take some time off to reconnect with your family and spend time together

It is ok if you are scheduled to work and you ask to be excused or work from home to support your family

It is ok if, at times, you look at your email on your mobile device and decide to answer it later

Stop trying to detach work and life. It is useless and cannot be achieved because without knowing, even subconsciously, you need to have harmony in both to live peacefully.

It is not work and life, them and us. It is a relationship that, if maintained, creates harmony, not balance.