A Work-Life Balance Is Dynamic.

Finding a work-life balance has been a significant issue for all types of jobs, both employed and self-employed. I remember when it was my turn to enter the job market; I thought having a job would solve most of my problems at the time. However, we all know how it goes: the moment you start a job, if you’re not careful, you can easily feel trapped by it. I recall an instance where I prayed to God for a job, but when the job came, I found myself unable to attend church regularly. From that experience, I learned two important lessons: first, be specific in your prayers so they won’t interfere with other important aspects of your life, like going to church; and second, finding a work-life balance is crucial, or else you risk ending up with a boring and robotic life that feels programmed.

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My first official job was hybrid, and I vividly remember how some weekends I was home while other weekends I was not. I reflected on what the best work-life balance might look like for me and came up with two strategies: first, I needed to learn how to manage my time effectively, and second, I aimed to master my job.

Managing my time involved getting a wristwatch and timing almost everything I did related to work. With each repetition, I found ways to shorten the time needed for various tasks, allowing me extra time for myself. Mastering my job enabled me to complete tasks more efficiently, and with experience, many activities became repetitive. This also freed up additional time for me.

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Now, the question is: how do I manage this extra time, and what do I do with it?

To me, there are three major areas that a lack of work-life balance can affect: health, relationships, and work itself.

Starting with health, not maintaining a work-life balance can have both physical and mental consequences. Physically, it can lead to issues such as body pain, deformities, and obesity. Mentally, it may result in depression, stress, and burnout. To prevent these problems, I take regular breaks after sitting for extended periods and ensure that I maintain a good posture while working. For mental well-being, I often call colleagues, listen to music, or enjoy audio stories.

Regarding relationships, many people don’t realize that they can develop unhealthy relationships with their work, which can destroy their connections with family, friends, and loved ones. Neglecting work-life balance can lead us to forget the importance of the people in our lives. To counter this, I recommend planning outings or engaging in fun activities, whether organized or spontaneous.

The quality of work also suffers without a work-life balance, as one may run out of ideas, feel burned out, and even make mistakes. A lack of balance can affect our emotions and could lead to transferring aggression onto customers and colleagues, which is detrimental to a healthy workplace environment. To mitigate this, I switch off my phone while at work to avoid distractions and leave home-related distractions at the office door.

Finally, for those of us who are spiritual, a lack of work-life balance can adversely affect our relationship with our maker. To maintain this aspect of my life, I make an effort to attend any church programs available on my days off, and I listen to inspirational messages and songs.

One crucial point that is often overlooked is that achieving work-life balance is dynamic; it should adapt to changing situations rather than remain static. Just as change is constant, we should continually modify our work-life balance to ensure we have more time for ourselves and our loved ones.