Living in the spirit of work-life balance

Work-life balance is about separating private and professional life and giving them the same priority. Proponents of this method are trying do not bring work home. So they finish all work obligations at the moment of crossing the company threshold, literal or metaphorical (when working remotely), and leave all unfinished business for another day. The same applies to private life, the elements of which should not be transferred to the professional sphere. Thus, we devote ourselves fully to our work and do not be distracted by private matters.

Implementing the principles of work-life integration

Integrazione di lavoro This is basically the opposite of the method mentioned above. This method consists of Blurring the boundaries between private and professional life and the non-separation of these zones. According to the assumptions of such integration, diligent employees can find compromising between these areas, rather than seeing them as separate entities. It will look different for each person, but it may involve, for example, performing household duties while attending a voice conference with colleagues or during the next lesson. development course. It may also involve bringing a child to work when schools are closed.

Work-life balance or work-life-integration? What to choose?

Each of us is different, has a different set of commitments, unique priorities and philosophy of life. It is therefore difficult to speak of an ideal, universal way of dealing with all responsibilities. However, it is possible to distinguish individual pros and cons both of the methods mentioned above. It is best for each employee to recognize for himself which one will be more adapted to his personal situation: the type of work and lifestyle.

Advantages and disadvantages of work-life-integration

The main advantage of work-life integration is definitely its flexibility. It is said that employees who have the ability to freely coordinate their schedules and commitments, are more likely to feel fulfilled on many levels. Thanks integrazione di lavoro They just have more control over all areas of your life.

However, there is also another side of the coin associated with this approach. Research proves that unskillful blurring of boundaries between work and private life can have negative effects such as: lower productivity and motivation and, consequently, less satisfaction in both areas.

Advantages and disadvantages of work-life balance

The work-life balance approach also has its advantages, but also disadvantages. An important part of this method are fixed working hoursthat allow you to plan well in advance. Work duties that have not been fulfilled are postponed to the next day. In theory, this allows us to completely relax from them in our free time. Thanks work-life balance Both areas of our lives have a chance coexist within clearly defined time frames, allowing us to fulfill ourselves equally in both of them.

Unfortunately, theory is not everything. Nowadays, when remote work As it becomes more and more common, maintaining such clear boundaries can prove very difficult. Moreover, it is The method is quite rigid, which may not work in practice due to various circumstances over which we have no control. Its implementation can be even burdensome, for example, in a situation where, in connection with a project being implemented in the company, additional working hours would prove to be very helpful. Similarly, in the case of the birth of a child or a move, an employee may need more time to devote to family life.

How to choose the right method for our team?

The main thing in making a choice between these two ways is taking into consideration the work style of each employee. It's about establishing what helps and, most often, prevents a person from performing their duties effectively.

Work-life balance is likely to be more beneficial for those who are easily knocked out of rhythm by distractions of all kinds, to which it is difficult to return afterwards. It will help to determine the detailed timelines concerning both zones of life in such a way that all obligations are fulfilled in a timely manner and that they are satisfactorily fulfilled. Thanks to this, we will avoid understatements or shortcomings, both at work and in private life. This method can be beneficial for people who value clear boundaries, clear terms, and accuracy and order.

Some, however, do not find themselves very well within a rigidly fixed time frame and have trouble concentrating on one task for a long time. They also often need constant mental stimulation and a variety of activities to maintain their productivity. At the same time, they are easily found in Simultaneous execution of several tasks little by little. In this case, it integrazione di lavoro may turn out to be an ideal solution. It will help you stay fully focused and drive motivation and creativity at work. Thanks to work-life integration, such employees have the opportunity to ensure necessary space for breaks to perform a variety of tasks and maintain your productivity at a high level.

How to implement the chosen method?

An indispensable element of the implementation of the chosen method in practice is above all Employer support. Allowing an employee to perform work in a form and time convenient for him is essential to achieve work-life integration. Just as clearly establishing working hours and a set of tasks and obligations will help employees to enter work-life balance. The latter model will also support all kinds of mindfulness training, helping to focus on the “here and now”, such as e.g. mindfulness course.

On the part of the employee, on the other hand, it is important to clearly define the boundaries - to communicate that contact outside his working hours is not advisable and that he will not be available in his free time devoted to personal matters. It is worth encouraging everyone to have such an open conversation about their needs in order to increase the efficiency of the entire organization.

First of all, it should be remembered that the chosen method is intended to serve both the given employee, as well as the whole company. It should not, however, Introduce conflicts, add responsibilities or frustrate. It is to facilitate our daily functioning by reducing stress (in addition, they will also help MultiLife services in the field of psychology), increased productivity and action for the benefit of each member of the Team.

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_{Bibliography:}

_{1. https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apps.12335 - Work and home boundary violations during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of segmentation preferences and unfinished tasks, Katja Kerman, Christian Korunka, Sara Tement, Appiliet Psychology 2021.}

_{2. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5244-improve-work-life-balance-today.html - How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance Today, Marisa Sanfilippo, Business News Daily.}

_{3. https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/sores-18/55915337 - Millennials Engagement: Work-Life Balance VS Work-Life Integration, Muhammad Rizky Afif, SoRES 2018.}