Work-Life Balance: How to achieve it

Carmen E. Leiros Milan
Mar 30, 2023
5 min read

Struggling to keep balance between work, self-care and social life? Reading group chats and work emails when off work? Then this blog is for you!

In today's fast-paced and demanding world, striking a balance between work and social life has become increasingly important. While work provides us with the means to earn a livelihood and pursue our career goals, social life is essential for maintaining our physical and mental well-being, developing meaningful relationships, and pursuing our hobbies and interests. In this article, we will explore the importance of balancing work and social life and how it can benefit our personal and professional growth.

Firstly, balancing work and social life is essential for maintaining good mental health. Working long hours without taking time to unwind and socialize can lead to burnout, stress, and other mental health issues. Studies have shown that people who have a healthy work-life balance are more productive, have better job satisfaction, and experience lower levels of stress and anxiety. By taking the time to engage in social activities, we can recharge our batteries, reduce stress, and improve our overall well-being.

Balancing work and social life can help us develop meaningful relationships. Having a strong support system of friends and family is essential for our emotional well-being. By taking the time to socialize with loved ones, we can strengthen our bonds and create lasting memories. Moreover, socializing with colleagues and networking events can help us build professional relationships, which can benefit our career growth in the long term.

The UK Government thoughts

According to the UK Government on Health and Work unemployability is bad for your health, there must be a balanced between producing income all other aspects of life like socializing and self-care, as it is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, including:

limiting long-term illness
cardiovascular disease
poor mental health
suicide
health-harming behaviours

Producing income whether your are someone's employee or you are freelancer it is very important for your overall health and peace of mind. So, what is the government modern plan to help you achieve balanced living between being employed and still having a personal productive life?

The United Kingdom and other countries have introduced a four-day working week. Following the World Economic Forum who stated that the United Kingdom went into trail between June 2022 and December 2022. The experiment involved over 60 different UK companies with around 2,900 employees, the results are as followed.

"This is a major breakthrough moment for the movement towards a four day work week. “Across a wide variety of different sectors of the economy, these incredible results show that the four-day week with no loss of pay really works," says Joe Ryle, Director of the 4 Day Week Campaign.

Find out more on four-day week trial

Remote and Hybrid Work

Remote and hybrid work are two models of work arrangements that have gained popularity in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both remote and hybrid work have advantages and disadvantages, while remote work offers flexibility and can save time and money on commuting, it can also be isolating and may blur the lines between work and personal life. On the other hand, hybrid work offers the benefits of both office and remote work, but it can also be challenging to maintain communication and collaboration with team members who are working from different locations.

The UK Parliament report on "The impact of remote and hybrid working on workers and organisations" states that:

"Before the pandemic, remote and hybrid working had been increasing gradually. Between January and December 2019, around 1 in 10 (12%) of the of the UK workforce had worked at least one day from home in the previous week and around 1 in 20 (5%) reported working mainly from home.

This increased substantially during the pandemic, to a peak of around half of workers (49%) in Great Britain (GB) working at least one day from home in June 2020; 11% of the workforce worked at least one day from home and 38% worked from home exclusively.

As pandemic restrictions have been lifted, these numbers have gradually decreased again, but remain higher than pre-pandemic numbers. In September 2022, around 1 in 5 (22%) of the GB workforce had worked at least one day from home in the previous week and around 1 in 8 (13%) worked from home exclusively."

Overall, remote and hybrid work arrangements can provide more flexibility and work-life balance, but it's important to find a model that works for your needs and preferences while also maintaining clear communication and collaboration with your team members.

Important tips to achieve a balanced work-life

Find balance can be seemed as a challenged, but here are some tips to help you achieve it:

Set clear boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal time. This could mean not checking work emails after work hours or on your days off. Not responding to group chats or other work related messages and calls.
Prioritize your time: Make a schedule and prioritize your time. This will help you ensure that you're making time for both work and personal activities such as socializing and doing exercise.
Take breaks: Take regular breaks during the workday to stretch, get some fresh air, or take a quick walk. This will help you stay focused and energized.
Learn to say NO: Don't take on too much at work or in your personal life. Learn to say no to requests that don't align with your priorities or that you don't have time for.

Take care of yourself: Make sure you're taking care of your physical and mental health. This could mean listening to music, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, or practicing mindfulness.
Prioritize your personal life: Make time for the things that are important to you outside of work, whether it's spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or volunteering.
Communicate with your employer: If you're struggling to achieve a work-life balance, talk to your employer. They may be able to offer flexible work arrangements or other solutions to help you achieve a better balance.

Remember, achieving a work-life balance is not a one-time event but rather an ongoing process. It may require some trial and error to find what works best for you. By setting boundaries, prioritizing your time, and taking care of yourself, you can achieve a healthy work-life balance that allows you to thrive both personally and professionally.

In conclusion, balancing work and social life is crucial for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. By taking the time to socialize, pursue hobbies, and maintain relationships outside of work, we can improve our overall quality of life. It's essential to prioritize self-care and ensure that our work-life balance is maintained to achieve success both personally and professionally.