Is work life balance attainable – how can women manage the burden?

The workplace and expectations of employers and employees have changed dramatically in recent years. The influence of hybrid working, flexible conditions and ever-changing personal responsibilities has created an evolving landscape for organisations and their personnel to navigate. The ultimate aim is to achieve a healthy work-life balance but is this truly attainable or do we need to take a more practical nuanced approach especially when it comes to those who have caring responsibilities?

Traditional caring roles have changed and continue to do so but we know that caring responsibilities still fall overwhelmingly to women. It follows that the challenge of work-life balance is greater for women. But for many of us this concept of balance indicates “work” and “life” can be kept separate and finding the balance is the ultimate goal. Applying the concept of work-life integration in this world of flexible work, may be more realistic particularly for women. This refers to the more contemporary concept that personal and work life is blended, and we have greater control how we use our time.

Technology allows many of us to work from wherever we are and provides great flexibility in how we work and how we arrange our schedules. This allows incorporation of caring responsibilities and other demands into the day during traditional working hours. Flexible working has many benefits and has resulted in increased productivity, greater job satisfaction and improvements in wellbeing for many workers.

To try and address the challenges of managing the integration of work and personal life it is important to have strategies in place to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Understand your workplace policies around flexible working so that you can negotiate what works best for you. Having a conversation with your manager to find out how they apply the organisation’s policies and how flexible they are prepared to be is a good starting point.

Also consider the implication of the right to disconnect laws and how they can help in setting boundaries and ensuring you are able to focus on family time and personal responsibilities without work interruptions. What tools can you utilise to support management of tasks? Functions such as out of office notifications, do not disturb, shared calendars all help with time management but also letting colleagues and family members know your schedule and where your supports can step in and help out.

Setting boundaries is a crucial skill in managing conflicting demands. Recognise your limits and avoid over commitment. It is OK to say no politely to taking on additional tasks that ultimately create time pressures.

It is also important to recognise that every person’s situation is unique. What works for your colleagues and friends may not be the best approach for you. Your responsibilities will continue to evolve and change throughout your working life. Learning to adapt as changes arise and allowing your core values to guide your choices can help you make decisions to support both your professional and personal wellbeing.

Other strategies that can help are:

• Mindfulness meditation to help reduce stress and maintain focus.
• Exercise and nutrition to help with stamina, energy and reducing fatigue along with supporting mental health
• Building strong and reliable support network of family, friends and colleagues to provide both practical and emotional assistance.

Marinating work-life integration is a continuous process throughout your professional life. Whilst true balance may be unattainable, applying strategies, being proactive and adaptable may help you find harmony and thrive.

At Enmasse, we understand that achieving harmony between work and personal responsibilities is a constant challenge in today’s dynamic workplace. Our range of training and consulting services is designed to help both individuals and organisations thrive, offering practical strategies in areas such as work-life integration, stress management, and leadership development. Let us support your journey towards building a more balanced, productive, and resilient workforce.

If you’re interested in learning more about how our tailored workshops and wellbeing programs can benefit your team, contact us today to explore how we can help.

References:
National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality – Discussion Paper. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Government. 8 March 2023. https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/national-strategy-achieve-gender-equality-discussion-paper/current-state/burden-care Extracted 4 October 2024