Oprah Winfrey said that "you can't have everything and do everything at the same time." There are not enough hours in the day for professionals in high stress careers like healthcare, emergency services, teaching, or the law to work the long hours necessary to be successful while also leaving time for family, friends, hobbies, and relaxation. However, balancing the relentless demands of work and quality of life is essential to avoid burnout, anxiety, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues.
In an October 17, 2019 feature article “There Is No Work-Life Balance” in the American Bar Association’s Litigation Journal (Volume 46, Number 1) by the Honorable Bridget Mary McCormack and Len Niehoff, the authors noted that there were nearly two trillion search results for the term “work-life balance.” So how do you achieve a work-life balance?
The first step is simply to recognize that commitments and responsibilities outside of your professional life are important and to allocate time and energy to those endeavors. It requires being intentional and setting boundaries that allow you to prioritize self-care. You must make a conscious choice not to let work result in the neglect of the other important aspects of life.
Work-life balance is a subjective concept that will vary from person to person. While volunteering for a local nonprofit might be important to one person, playing a competitive sport might be what brings somebody else joy. Someone who likes reading on the beach might not want to spend free time hiking or camping. Reflect on your values and priorities and figure out what matters most to you outside of your work life. It could be family, a hobby, a meditation practice, traveling, or many other things.
Be realistic about the time you can spend on personal pursuits. As Oprah said, you can't do it all. If you're spending three hours at a time training for a marathon, chances are you won't have much time for volunteer work. Or, if you want to be present at your kids' games after school or on the weekends, you might not be able to practice and play with a neighborhood band.
Then, make the time to honor your personal commitments. Treat them like you would a work commitment. Block time on your calendar for them, establish and communicate boundaries so that work doesn't intrude on your personal time, and treat your personal time as non-negotiable. But be flexible. Life happens. Despite the best laid plans, situations can arise the will interfere with your personal time.
Even just starting the process of thinking about prioritizing personal time will start the cycle of finding balance. Doing so will improving overall well-being, which will not just positively impact you and your personal relationships, but which will also lead to increased satisfaction and productivity at work.
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