Why work life balance matters

As we enter the second half of the year and lockdown restrictions continue to ease it’s a good moment for a quick reminder of why work-life balance matters. This week I’ve summarised the argument in three succinct points:

1. Work-life balance is important for physical and mental wellbeing.

For the past few years employers have shown a growing interest in mental health at work. It’s a complex topic that often requires clinical support. Nevertheless, the evidence is clear that conflict between our work and family roles creates stress and has a negative impact on our wellbeing. It’s important that employers embrace this fact and put in place a policy of support for good work-life balance. It’s equally as important that we all recognise the need to manage our boundaries in an increasingly boundaryless world.

Psychologists talk in terms of our finite physical, mental and emotional resources. When these are depleted we experience burnout and need time to recover. We can become exhausted by putting too much time or attention into either our work or family role. We can also become exhausted by the sheer mental effort of trying to address both effectively. Everyone should have a strategy for finding and maintaining the balance that suits their personal needs.

2. Good work-life balance makes us more productive and engaged at work; and supports career progression.

A wealth of research evidence confirms that good work-life balance results in both increased productivity at work and better employee engagement. As the latter is directly connected to customer satisfaction it suggests happier employees are likely to result in happier customers. We should also keep in mind that our non-work activities often enhance our working lives. Play, for example, is a great way of stimulating creativity.

Equally as important is research evidence showing that mothers in particular are holding back careers due to work-life balance concerns. The working world needs more women in all sectors and at all levels. Yet women are reluctant to put themselves forward for promotion when all they can see is a work-life struggle that’s likely to get worse. Supporting work-life balance may not be the full answer to fixing gender pay gaps; but a considerable number of experts have recommended better access to flexible working as a key part of the solution.

3. Nobody on their deathbed regretted not spending more time at the office.

Work is undeniably an important part of life. It pays the bills and helps us define who we are. But it’s also increasingly coming to dominate other parts of our lives; and we are all more than just our work. Indeed for some people their work role is likely to be less significant than other roles they play – such as being a parent or contributing to their community. As we go through life we will have many jobs and some of our colleagues will become lifelong friends. But we also find support from our families and communities. They can provide a fall back when work is precarious (which is likely to be the case for many people in the current circumstances). And as I pointed out at the start of this year, wishing they had worked more is not among the top five regrets of the dying.

As we slowly make our way towards a ‘new normal’ we have an unprecedented opportunity to fashion it into a more balanced way of living and working. Let’s keep that focus this week.