Work-life Balance

“There is no such thing as work-life balance – it is all life. The balance has to be within you”. The phrase, work-life balance has turned out to be a part of our active vocabulary. It indicates the balance between one’s work and other aspects of life. It’s something we don’t find, rather we create. Personal and professional lives are inextricably intertwined with each other. In the ‘sick-hurry, divided aims and palsied hearts’, all employees/workers/ working professionals are in dire need of a work-life interface. It does create an impact on their performance and behavior at the workplace. Employees with great work-life balance become potential advocates of their organizations. A break from work is not a luxury but a necessity to pause and denormalize, switch off and enjoy, recover and recharge. One has to be instrumental in promoting a healthy balance between work and life. It’s the dire need of the hour to promote the notion of work and family in harmony. Hobbies hearten employees to take up some time for themselves. Amidst the hectic and engaging daily schedules, employees find time to nurture their hobbies. Gardening is worth mentioning as it promotes the purest human pleasures. Who does not fall for the serenity and life emanating from nature? A garden of vitality bestows a garden of positive thoughts in one’s mind. One can inculcate the art of gardening as a part of work-life camaraderie. The unprecedented Covid- 19 pandemic has given way to gardens and vegetable farms in a lot of homes. Yoga, the union of spirit, mind, and body hardly needs any introduction as it is a one-stop solution for the multiple functions happening in one’s physical and mental spheres of life. One must encourage the art of yoga to inculcate the need of stabilizing one’s mind, spirit, and body. Next comes the Soft Skills. They are a part of work culture as they comprise interpersonal skills, communication skills, listening skills, and empathy among others. One should promote soft skills in handling pressure. Stress is quite natural to any human being. It is imperative to manage the stress of any employee for better productivity, equilibrium, health, and so on. Soft skills in handling pressure have shown a positive impact so far in the unit. This is beneficial for the personal and professional points of life. Some people regularly pay visits to the orphanage. A warm gesture, a pat on the shoulder, and shaking hands can bring a smile to many who don’t have anyone as their kin or relatives. The residents at the orphanage don’t crave anything but someone willing to share some worthy time, lend ears to their feelings and care for them. Every visit to the orphanage marks a new page as the touching experiences make one feel like going again and cheering someone. Many people do this act of orphanage visits with utmost sincerity and happiness. The balance we create knowingly or unknowingly is vital for any productive work. “And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made” (Genesis 2.2, King James Bible) There must be time to switch off or rest for a while. A work-life interface is the need of the hour and any working professional can emerge triumphant in materializing this balance between work and life.

Published first in ToI Blog