The work-life balance is becoming increasingly important in the world of work. It is already an integral part of many working models. Flexible working hours and hybrid working methods promote work-life balance and help to better reconcile private and professional life. However, achieving the perfect work-life balance is difficult. To achieve it, you have to go one step further.
What does a good work-life balance consist of?
Work-life balance does not simply focus on dividing up work and private life. It is much more about making decisions and setting priorities. A healthy work-life balance focuses on four factors that represent the individual areas of life: The professional, the health, the social and the senses. Specifically, three quarters of these factors relate to leisure time and one third to work. This basically gives us a bit of an idea of what a good work-life balance looks like. Of course, this division does not have to be adhered to directly. What is important is that all four factors are included in the work-life balance. They complement each other. At work, everything revolves around your career. Money is earned and success is achieved. This money is invested in the factors that focus on leisure time. Health is primarily about a healthy lifestyle. In other words, a good diet and exercise. This is important in relation to work, because performance can drop rapidly if you don’t look after yourself. A good balance should be struck here so that work and health complement each other. The social aspect relates to the immediate environment. Friends and family are a constant source of support and keep you on a positive level. This is important for motivation both at work and in private life. The senses refer to everything that brings joy or sparks enthusiasm in some way. These are hobbies, art, self-realization or even love. This is the broadest factor and includes numerous things. Together, the four factors form a perfect symbiosis for a healthy work-life balance. However, the balance should also be properly adjusted.
Individual goals
For a good work-life balance, the notional scales must be as even as possible. This means that there is an equal balance between work and stressful situations in the form of free time and relaxation. This works best through individual goals. It is difficult to simply divide work and private life into 50% each or to divide them equally into the four factors. That’s why goals need to be set. These goals relate to what you personally consider to be a good balance for stress. Sport, for example, is a good way to compensate for stress. But only if it doesn’t cause you additional stress. Personal goals should be an incentive, not a means of pressure. If you don’t like jogging, you shouldn’t put yourself under pressure to go jogging. There are plenty of alternatives and everyone can find what helps them to fulfill themselves. This applies equally to all factors. The right sport, the right food, the right balance. These are always personal preferences that have to be decided individually.
Flexible working models to support the work-life balance
For the younger generations and therefore future employees, it is particularly important to be able to shape their lives as freely as possible. The world of work is changing and with it the demands of employees. Money is no longer the primary motivation for future generations. Instead, the focus is on self-realization. A work-life balance is not enough for this. The next step is work-life integration. Modern companies already support this method to some extent. The idea is to combine work and leisure directly with each other instead of keeping them strictly separate. Checking and answering emails at breakfast before taking the children to school. Relaxing in the bathtub and working on your laptop. This is possible with work-life integration. For this to work, however, very flexible working models must be integrated. The job must also provide the opportunities. It will be difficult for the craftswoman to do her work in her own bathtub. So the conditions have to be right.
Conclusion
Work-life balance basically consists of four factors that complement and balance each other out. Individual priorities can be determined personally. Balancing stress only works if it does not create any new pressure. Where work-life balance ends, work-life integration begins. However, it is only possible to combine work and leisure time if the conditions are right. In a future article, we will take a closer look at work-life integration.
