How Does Your Homework Affect Work-Life Balance?

Last week my kids went back to school. As much as they groaned, I felt myself grumbling even more knowing that our “relaxing” evenings were about to become a cyclone of homework and school projects. With two working parents, three kids in elementary school, and a prevailing over-achiever mentality, I often wonder how much we are benefiting from the homework that all five of us are doing.

There is much research arguing against homework. In his book The Homework Myth , Alfie Kohn states that it’s positive effects are overblown. Homework reduces necessary quality time with family and does not significantly improve learning or academic results. Kohn writes:

For younger students, in fact, there isn’t even a correlation between whether children do homework (or how much they do) and any meaningful measure of achievement. At the high school level, the correlation is weak and tends to disappear when more sophisticated statistical measures are applied.

Other studies agree:

  • In The Battle Over Homework , Duke University Professor Harris Cooper found little correlation between the amount of homework and achievement in elementary school and only a moderate correlation in middle school. Even in high school, “too much homework may diminish its effectiveness or even become counterproductive.”
  • Many countries with the highest scoring students on achievement tests (Japan, Denmark, etc) are assigned little homework, while the more homework-dependent countries (Greece, Thailand, etc) consistently have some of the worst average scores, according to a four-year study.
  • Even pro-homework advocate Tom Sherrington cited a popular mega-study concluding that homework has minimal benefits for kids under the age of ten.

These are pretty clear-cut findings on school homework, but do they only pertain to our kids? Is our work-related homework any more useful?

I don’t generally like the phrase work-life balance , but it is hard to deny the negative affects of an unbalanced life. Health problems, depression, and impaired sleep are commonly associated. These conditions hurt the employee and the organization, resulting in burnout, a long-term lack of productivity, turnover, and a generally actively disengaged workforce. Mind you, I’m writing this from home after a full day of work, so I may not be the best example of balance, but I am trying to get better.

Here are a few ways you and I can strike a better balance between home and work:

Carve out family time . A study by the University of Michigan found that family meals are the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems for children. It’s also a nice way to decompress after a busy day.

Forget about a 50/50 split . Reasonable expectations are key to a work-life balance. Some days are going to be work heavy, while other days won’t allow for the amount of work you’d like to complete. You may still get frustrated, but anticipating your reality can often make it less wearisome.

Stop blaming your phone . You can decide whether to read and respond to every text as they arrive.

Get organized . Work-life balance will not happen without a systematized schedule, a way to capture to-do items, or focus. Maintain priorities and stick to your daily plan (as much as you can).

Being home is not being lazy. I make it a priority to be home for dinner. I then help get everyone to bed and go back to work. Is it ideal? Maybe not, but I find it relaxing to get a few things off my to-do list before morning.

Get a hobby. As much I enjoy doing some work at night, I don’t do it every night. Find something non-work related that you enjoy. Exercise, reading, etc are great ways to get rid of stress. And TV does not count as a hobby (no matter how much I’d like it to).

Homework for both you and your kids is inevitable. We can complain about it or accept that work-life balance is not based on a set period of time where one turns on and the other off. A healthy mindset involves the ability to integrate family with work/school priorities. Find the balance that works for you so you can spend the rest of your free time checking your daughter’s algebra… as I’m about to do.

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The balancing act: what we've learned from one year of working from home

Setting boundaries between work and life has become essential.

Setting boundaries between work and life has become essential. Image:  Ekaterina Bolovtsova/Pexels

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Stay up to date:, future of work.

• Remote working because of the pandemic has fused work and home life like never before.

• Personal and professional relationships have benefited in the new environment.

• Work-life balance, meanwhile, has been seriously disrupted.

Everyone has been affected by the pandemic and as a society we're dealing with grief, fear and frustration all at once. What began as a sudden transition to a fully remote workforce struggling to find Ikea desks and wireless keyboards has now evolved into a complex symbiosis of work and family life.

In the past year, tech hubs like San Francisco have witnessed a significant exodus. Gourmet meals and yoga with puppies are no longer enough to retain knowledge workers in specific locations.

Have you read?

Is it time remote workers are given the ‘right to disconnect’ while at home, remote working is here to stay. but who will be doing it.

YouGov and digital collaboration platform Miro , which is used by 95% of Fortune 100 companies, surveyed 1,000 adults on this new environment and how it has impacted their wellness, engagement and relationships. The results paint a picture of what we can expect in a post-pandemic world.

Remote working seems to be have a beneficial effect on personal relationships

The newfound benefits of remote work

This newfound freedom and flexibility to be closer to the people that matter most to us has sparked revelations for many in the workforce. Primarily, how important our relationships are and the key role they play in our overall happiness and well-being. Once the world opens back up, we'll continue prioritizing them, some more concretely than others.

Nearly half (51%) of knowledge workers surveyed said the top reason they would relocate and work from home permanently is “to be closer to family and friends” or “to have a family.” It's become the key to maintaining our sanity amid the uncertainty.

Relationships have improved in this new environment – both personal and professional. At these challenging times, it's the social structures outside of work that can combat stress and fatigue from work. With the majority of the workday filled with virtual meetings, engaging with family and partners home, relationships with partners (40%), family and friends (30%) and children under 18 (44%) improved. Professionally, relationships with managers (28%), teammates (25%) and other colleagues (21%) advanced, making the transition to remote work smoother.

These numbers are especially striking considering that people have spent more time working during COVID than before – their relationship with their manager is crucial to a happy and healthy work life overall.

Finding work-life balance has been made more challenging by remote working

The downsides

With those revelations come another: burnout. With so many preferring a primarily working from home (WFH) life, striking a balance will be crucial moving forward. Nearly half (46%) of knowledge workers have experienced an increased (and presumably unwelcome) workload during this past year of WFH. With furloughs and the need to pivot business to stay afloat, teams are spread thin, forcing them to take on much more work than normal.

Remote workers have gained time back by not commuting to work. What do they do with all the time saved? More work. In a study by my firm and Oracle, we found that 35% of knowledge workers are working 40+ more hours each month, and 25% have burned out from overwork . Not only that, but nearly seven in 10 knowledge workers (68%) who said they work on the weekend and nearly half (45%) of remote employees reported regularly putting in more than eight hours a day .

That lack of commuting or a simple daily morning routine is crushing work-life balance. One-third of knowledge workers begin working within 20 minutes of getting up, and only one-fifth are awake for more than an hour before they start working. No breakfast, no workouts, no meditation – just straight into email and spreadsheets.

It's not quelling any anxieties about the job, either. Nearly half remote workers feel insecure in their roles and standings within their companies without in-person communication and interaction. Twenty per cent said worrying about their colleagues seeing you as unqualified or a fraud had increased. More than a quarter (29%) said they’ve questioned their accomplishments more.

Making WFH work

In the workplace, take advantage of virtual events or opportunities to network with people outside your team. If they aren't offering any, try to plan one yourself. Serendipity leads to innovation. Schedule a casual Zoom meeting where there is no agenda.

If your company plans on returning to the office following the pandemic, remember that you can still advocate for a hybrid model to spend more time at home with your family. Ensure more balanced workdays by prioritizing daily lunch breaks and routine walks. Citigroup will be adopting a hybrid model, allowing workers to spend two days remote, while expecting them to be in the office the other three. Office attendance promotes collaboration mentoring and helps unify teams, while remote work gives employees flexibility and independence. Adobe is also taking a hybrid approach to balance the benefits of all work arrangements like Citigroup in order to satisfy their employees and allow them to perform at their best.

And, most importantly: Set boundaries between work and life if they don’t already exist. Technology has made you accessible 24/7, but you need to know when to “plug in” and “unplug" To do this, you should intentionally block out time on your calendar for personal activities like exercise, meals and phone calls with your family. And, you should set expectations with your co-workers that you won’t be reachable after 17.00 or 18.00 during the week or anytime on the weekends unless it’s an emergency. By being both intentional about your time and upfront with your team, you can have more control over your work life.

Remote work may be here to stay. Let's make it work for us.

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Article • 12 min read

How to Find the Right Work-Life Balance

Creating a healthy, rewarding life.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

People have debated the concept of "life balance" for decades, and it means something different to everyone.

One person might think he's achieved balance when he can leave work early enough to eat dinner with his family. Someone else might view it as having a flexible schedule, so that she can study for a part-time graduate degree. Yet another person might feel fulfilled by spending her "free" time advancing her career.

In short, you achieve life balance when you have enough time to pursue both work and personal interests that you love. However, when you feel as if one side of your life is using up too much of your energy, you can become stressed, your productivity can fall, and your personal relationships can become strained.

In this article, we'll look at life balance, and how you can find one that works for you.

What Is Life Balance?

The concept of achieving a balance between personal and work lives can be traced back to the late 18th century, when both the U.S. and the U.K. enacted legislation to limit the number of hours that people could be made to work each week. Throughout the 19th century, both countries passed more laws to limit working hours and enforce mandatory leave for certain events, such as childbirth and illness.

Life balance gained more prominence in the 1970s, as occupational therapists began to write about the need to distinguish between work and play. The term "work-life balance" became increasingly popular in the 1980s as more women began to enter the workforce.

Many women lobbied for support from their organizations during this period, asking for flexible schedules and a shorter working week. Although the concept of work-life balance initially focused on women, it quickly became more inclusive and accounted for the needs of both sexes.

Today, work-life balance is an evolving concept but, put simply, it's about achieving the mix of business and personal life that's right for you. We're all unique, and the term "personal life" means something different to everyone: it can include spending time with your friends and family; resting; participating in hobbies; engaging in personal, spiritual or educational development; exercising; or care giving. It can even include your work!

Life balance is a perceived state: only you know when your life is or isn't in balance.

Life balance is a subjective concept. You may love spending most of your time at work, and that's fine; there's no need to feel guilty about being dedicated to your job. As long as you feel happy and balanced, there's no need to change!

Effects of Poor Work-Life Balance

Research shows that, when we don't feel in control of our time, illness and burnout can quickly follow. For example, this study shows that a failure to achieve life balance leads to higher stress and absenteeism, and lower productivity at work. Another found that poor balance is a major cause of job dissatisfaction.

It's well known that working long hours can increase stress and anxiety, which can have a number of serious effects on our health. These include:

  • Frequent headaches.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Persistent insomnia.
  • Clinical depression or anger-management issues.
  • A weakened immune system.

When you think you're spending too much of your time and energy on one area of your life at the expense of another, you can also feel guilt, regret and frustration. This can have a negative impact on your personal relationships and self-esteem.

How to Achieve a Good Work-Life Balance

It can be challenging to achieve a good work-life balance, especially when organizations downsize and people are expected to take on additional tasks, or when your responsibilities at home conflict with those at work.

The strategies below can help you achieve balance. Some of them may suit you better than others, so pick the ones you think will work best for you.

1. Conduct an Audit of Your Time Management

Start by keeping a daily Activity Log ; this will help you track how you use your time at work and at home. You could be surprised by how you spend your time, for example you may find that you're taking longer than you expected on certain tasks, dealing with minor issues, or in unproductive meetings. If you limit these activities, you may find more time in your day for other things.

The same is true in your personal life: you might watch far more TV than you think. By reducing your television time, you could free up your schedule to include activities that you find more rewarding.

Once you've completed your Activity Log, use this information to determine how valuable these activities are to you. Apply the Action Priority Matrix to your personal and work lives to take stock of what's important to you.

Start by using the matrix to list the activities in your personal life. Identify the commitments that are vitally important, and that you have time for, as well as the ones that aren't. Be specific here. How much does it matter to you that you're home by 5:30pm to be with your children? Do you still want to spend every Thursday volunteering at that charity? Look at your log and add the most important activities to the matrix.

Next, look at your professional commitments. What non-negotiable needs, activities and goals are there in your work life? For example, you might have a conference call every Monday evening that you can't miss, or a monthly presentation to the executive board that requires eight hours of preparation.

Once you've added this list of "must-haves" to the matrix, write down the activities that are less important, but still necessary. Your goal is to identify gaps between key tasks and those that you can potentially delegate , outsource or stop doing. This will help you prioritize the activities in your life. For example, you might attend a weekly staff meeting, which lasts almost two hours but adds little value to your work. You could cut this out by asking a colleague to take notes on your behalf.

2. Improve Efficiency at Work

The more efficient and productive you are at work, the easier it is for you to go home at a reasonable time.

First, try to limit distractions during the day. When you can focus on a task, you will be more productive over a shorter period of time than if you are frequently interrupted. Next, make sure that you're working on valuable tasks that help you make a real impact with your work.

Although it's important to maximize your productivity, keep in mind that continuous, long hours can lead to burnout. Take regular breaks throughout the day so that you work more effectively – these give your mind a rest and leave you feeling refreshed.

If you think that you might be at risk of exhaustion, take our self test . Our article on Avoiding Burnout has many tools and strategies that you can use to keep to a healthy work schedule.

3. Add Flexibility

Flexibility is an important part of maintaining a good work-life balance. One study shows that people who believe they have flexible jobs look more favorably on their work-life balance than those with the same workload but with no perceived flexibility. It also found that team members who think their jobs are flexible do longer hours before their workload has a negative effect on them.

Another study came to similar conclusions: you're more likely to stay and feel satisfaction in your job if you have access to flexible working arrangements.

Ask your boss to allow more flexibility in your schedule. Perhaps you could work from home one day a week, come in and leave earlier, or have some flexibility with your hours. Job sharing, when two people split the responsibilities of one role, is another popular option.

4. Feel More Rewarded

You may not be able to do much about your workload or schedule, but you can make changes and improve your job satisfaction . When you feel engaged in your job, the hours pass quickly and you leave work feeling happy and satisfied at the end of the day.

Start by using the PERMA Model to learn more about the five essential elements most people need to feel happy and engaged in life. Think carefully about these. Are you missing any and, if so, which ones? Next, think about the tasks that energize you. Use the MPS Process to incorporate more activities and projects that use your strengths and enhance your motivation.

It's also important that your work is meaningful. No matter what you do, your role exists for a reason. No one has a job that doesn't help someone, in some way. Our article on Working With Purpose will help you find meaning in your current role so that you reap greater rewards at work.

5. Find Time for Yourself

We all juggle many responsibilities and roles in our lives. At work, you might be a boss, a colleague and a mentor. At home, you might be a parent; a caregiver for an older family member; a sibling; a spouse or partner; and a friend. When we neglect one or more of these roles, we can quickly feel out of balance.

Use the Life Career Rainbow and the Wheel of Life to identify your current roles, and chart how much energy you devote to each one. Which are commanding more of your time? How can you shift the balance, so that you don't neglect the others?

Remember, life balance means having time for yourself as well. If you spend all day attending to others' wants and needs, you won't have the energy and strength to achieve your own dreams. Set aside time every day for exercise , meals, sleep, and quiet time for contemplation, brainstorming or just daydreaming. The people and the work that you love deserve your best, and you can only give it when you're staying healthy and looking after yourself.

Work-Life Balance Infographic

See the steps for achieving work-life balance represented as an infographic .

homework work life balance

Work-life balance refers to your belief that your personal and work lives are properly balanced. It means spending enough time achieving your goals and devoting time to the people and activities you love.

To bring more balance in your life, audit how you spend your time. Identify and eliminate low-value tasks whenever possible, and try to focus more effort on activities that you believe make a difference. Try to add flexibility to your schedule, and find purpose and fulfillment in your work.

Hill, E.J, Hawkins A.J, Ferris, M, Weitzman, M, ‘Finding an Extra Day a Week: The Positive Influence of Perceived Job Flexibility on Work and Family Life Balance,’ Family Relations , Volume 50, Issue 1 January 2001, pp.49-58. (Available here .) [Accessed 19 November 2014.]

Hobson, C.J, Delunas, L, Kesic, D, ‘Compelling Evidence of the Need for Corporate Work/Life Balance Initiatives: Results From a National Survey of Stressful Life-Events,’ Journal of Employment Counseling , Volume 38, Issue 1, March 2001, pp.38-44. (Available here .) [Accessed 19 November 2014.]

D'Annunzio‐Green, N, Maxwell, G, Watson, S, ‘Talent Management, Work‐Life Balance and Retention Strategies,’ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , Volume 20, Issue 7. (Available here .) [Accessed 19 November 2014.]

Hughes, J, Bozionelos, N, ‘Work‐Life Balance as Source of job Dissatisfaction and Withdrawal Attitudes: An Exploratory Study on the Views of Male Workers, Personnel Review , Volume 36, Issue 1, 2007, pp.145-154. (Available here .) [Accessed 19 November 2014.]

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Work-Life Balance Overview

This Article Provides an Overview of Work-Life Balance

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work life balance

The concept of delegation mentioned in the article was an eye-opener. Learning to trust and delegate tasks to my colleagues not only lightened my workload but also fostered a more positive work environment. Moreover, the importance of taking regular breaks and vacations cannot be stressed enough. I've experienced firsthand how rejuvenating these breaks can be, leaving me refreshed and more focused when I return to work. Overall, I highly recommend this article to anyone seeking to improve their work-life balance. It's a comprehensive guide that covers various aspects of achieving harmony between work and personal life. Thank you, MindTools, for providing such valuable insights! But if you want to gain more information about improve work life balance then click here https://leaddiligently.com/healthy-work-life-balance/

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Work-Life Balance Is a Cycle, Not an Achievement

  • Mayra Ruiz-Castro

homework work life balance

A five-step approach to identify and overcome unhealthy work habits.

Research has definitively shown that overwork isn’t good for employees or their companies — and yet, in practice, it can be hard to overcome unhealthy work habits and reach a more sustainable work-life balance. To explore what it takes for busy professionals to make a change for the better, the authors conducted a series of interviews with mid- and senior-level managers at two global firms. They found that while the majority of respondents assumed working long hours was inevitable, a significant minority of them were able to resist this pressure and achieve a healthier balance through a process of increasing awareness, conscious reprioritizing, and implementation of public and private changes. The authors go on to emphasize that to achieve lasting change, you must view this process not as a one-time activity, but as a cycle in which you constantly re-evaluate your evolving feelings and priorities, and adjust your work and life choices accordingly.

Despite the resounding evidence that working long hours can be harmful to both employees and employers, many professionals still struggle to overcome their assumptions — and their deeply-ingrained habits — around work hours. What does it take to free yourself from these unhealthy patterns and reach a more sustainable, rewarding work-life balance?

  • IL Ioana Lupu is an Associate Professor at ESSEC Business School France. She is interested in overwork, work-compulsion & performance measurement in knowledge-intensive settings, such as audit, consulting, and law firms. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter @lupu_io.
  • MR Mayra Ruiz-Castro is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Roehampton, UK. Her research focuses on equality at work and at home. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter at @MayraRuizCastr1.

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Office Productivity

12 minute read

14 Ways To Improve Work-Life Balance

Hugo Britt

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Not long ago, having a good work-life balance meant being able to leave the office on time. For some, it was about spending more time with their kids, while others valued the opportunity to meet up with friends or go to the gym during their lunch break. Companies increasingly offered the chance to work from home one or more days per week in an effort to attract new talent. 

Then the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns changed the nature of work-life balance. Even after, many thousands of office workers are working from home full-time, and are discovering that the lines between work life and home life are easily blurred. While the daily commute has disappeared, it has been replaced by other challenges, such as the tendency for work hours to bleed into the evening.  

This article will look at 14 ways to improve work-life balance, no matter whether you work in an office or from home. 

Want more productivity tips?

Take your productivity to the next level with our comprehensive (and free) ebook!

What is work-life balance, and why is it so important?

Over the years, the understanding of what it means to have a good work-life balance has evolved dramatically as new generations (with new expectations) enter the workforce. The benefits of accommodating flexible working are more widely accepted as organizations increasingly prioritize the well-being and happiness of their employees. 

Why? Because researchers have revealed that work-life balance is just as beneficial for businesses as it is for their staff.

According to the Harvard Business Review, employee burnout costs the U.S. between $125 billion and $190 billion every year in healthcare. Meanwhile, a five-year study found that employees who work more than 55 hours per week are 1.66 times more likely to develop depression in later life.

work life balance burnout

Why do employees struggle to achieve a work-life balance?

In 2019, a survey conducted by e-commerce company Groupon found that 60% of Americans struggle to maintain a work-life balance, with 40% claiming they worked too many hours. 

Reasons employees struggle to get the balance right include: 

  • A perception that being seen to work hard will help win a promotion or pay rise . 
  • An unwillingness to switch off until everything on their to-do list is complete. 
  • Workloads that are unachievable without putting in extra hours.
  • Significant changes at home, such as having children, caring for a sick relative, or moving house.

How to tell when someone is struggling

Typically, an employee who is struggling to achieve a healthy work-life balance is likely to be tired, stressed, and distant. Their personal and professional life will suffer as they scramble to stay afloat. They’re more likely to make mistakes at work or fall behind, and their increased stress levels could lead to a deterioration in mental health or other physical conditions. They are also more likely to miss out on important events in their personal life as they attempt to manage an out-of-control workload.

With the majority of office employees working remotely, a failure to balance work with personal life looks a little different. Employees might spend more time than usual sitting at their desks, fail to take regular breaks, or differentiate work-time from personal-time, often checking emails throughout the evenings and at weekends. 

These 14 work-life balance tips will help tip the scales in the right direction to redress a healthy work-life balance. 

How to balance work and life 

1. identify productivity peaks.

So long as the work gets done, it shouldn’t matter when in the day it happens. 

While some people are at their most productive and creative in the early morning, others favor a slower start and can best apply themselves in the afternoon. Employees should play to their strengths and structure their workloads around their most productive periods to reduce procrastination and the frustration brought on by a lack of productivity.

2. Take scheduled breaks throughout the day

Whether you work from home or in an office environment, it’s useful to structure the working day to include several scheduled breaks. Taking breaks reduces the chances of being distracted by colleagues, family, or tasks such as housework during allotted work time.

work life balance take breaks

3. Keep to strict working hours 

Whether it’s 9am-5pm or 7am-3pm, make a decision and stick to it. Once employees get into the habit of allowing their working day to impact their personal or family time in the evenings, it’s difficult to claw back a routine. 

If you make a habit of answering emails at 10pm, your boss and colleagues will continue to expect you to do so. Instead, make sure your co-workers understand that you finish work at the same time every day and will not be available again until the following morning. 

4. Have a long-term plan

Manage “deadline stress” by creating a long-term plan which encompasses completion dates for all upcoming projects and tasks. 

Having a long-term plan will help you spread out your workload realistically and identify at a glance which project you should be working on right now. 

5. Pursue passions

Employees with excellent work-life balance know the importance of finding time to do the things they love; whether it’s exercising, reading, painting, yoga, or spending time with their families. 

work life balance hobbies

6. Book a vacation

A 2018 study found that 52% of U.S. employees have unused vacation days left at the end of each year. Opting not to take a break means missing out on physical and psychological health benefits , including lowered stress levels, higher motivation upon returning to work, and decreased burnout. 

Even a “staycation” provides a valuable opportunity to unwind and recharge, switch off from work and reconnect with family. 

7. Prioritize the important things in life

Juggling a career and a personal life will inevitably involve some sacrifices. It isn’t possible to accommodate every family occasion, school event, or social activity alongside the work calendar. But just as there are sometimes vitally essential meetings to attend at the office, some personal commitments should also be deemed unmissable. 

work life balance plan

8. Don’t spend breaks doing tasks 

It can be tempting to spend work breaks running personal errands, especially when working from home . A 30-minute break can quickly turn into a whirlwind session of cleaning the house, putting away laundry, washing up, or paying bills. 

Instead, take the opportunity to indulge in some “me time” between work sessions to prioritize your well-being.

9. Schedule social activities 

When work is especially demanding, it’s tempting to cancel social plans. However, no matter what’s going on at work, it’s worth keeping at least one social event per week in the calendar. 

Finding a human connection is especially crucial during when you aren't going in office. This might come in the form of a family quiz or going for lunch with friends.

10. Just say no

Don’t feel pressured to take on every new request from a colleague or manager. Saying “yes” to everything is a sure-fire way to destroy your work-life balance. 

Instead, make time to work through the available options with the person who made the request. For example, it might be possible to take on a new, urgent task if something on your existing to-do list can be delegated elsewhere. 

11. Ask for help 

Never suffer in silence or allow pressures at work to escalate to unmanageable levels. Colleagues, managers, friends, and family are there to help and share the load when things get too much. But they can’t help if they aren’t aware of what’s going on. 

Employees in need of professional help should take advantage of mental health support (such as counseling) offered to them by their employers.

12. Take advantage of flexible working 

Progressive organizations offer a range of flexible working options to accommodate their employees’ preferences. This might include a shortened work-week, flexi-time, the opportunity to work from home, or job-sharing. Find out what options are available and how to take advantage of them. 

13. Separate work and play

Keeping work and relaxation separate is especially crucial for employees working from home. Ideally, try to set up your workstation in a place where it won’t intrude on your downtime. 

If possible, consider the use of a separate computer and phone for work that can be switched off at the end of the day. 

14. Prioritize mental health and well-being 

Now more than ever, it’s crucial to prioritize the well-being of the workforce. There’s a lot of noise on social media encouraging people to maximize their time in isolation by learning new skills or exercising more. But at a time when many people are experiencing heightened anxiety and insecurities about the future, the top priority must be to look after mental health. 

How can managers help?

For managers looking to support their employees in achieving a healthy work-life balance, consider doing the following: 

  • Treat each employee as an individual with different life priorities and a different perspective on what constitutes a good work-life balance. Within reason, try to accommodate different expectations and requirements through the provision of flexible working options. 
  • Lead by example. Don’t send emails in the middle of the night or schedule a 7pm meeting on a Friday evening. 
  • Inform employees of the services and options available that could help them to achieve a better work-life balance. 
  • Continually re-visit workplace policies, such as parental leave, to best accommodate the entire workforce. 

Over to you

Remember, work-life balance doesn’t come down to a single factor. It’s not merely about the number of hours worked or the weeks of vacation taken. All employees require unique support to thrive in the workplace and maintain a happy, healthy, and fulfilling personal life. Make sure you take some or all of the steps above to ensure you achieve your optimal work-life balance, even in trying times. And let us know in the comments what works best for you!

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24 Work-Life Balance Ideas & Tips for Offices in 2024

Here is a guide to work-life balance ideas and tips .

Work-life balance ideas are ways to increase happiness at home and work. Employees who do not feel a balance between their work and home life are less productive and more likely to leave jobs. These tips will help team members feel balanced and appreciated at work. Understanding this concept is necessary because being productive at work depends upon how satisfied employees are in the office and at home.

This subject includes remote work-life balance tips and work-life balance quotes . The concept is a contributor to job satisfaction and positive company culture .

This article covers:

  • work-life balance tips for employees
  • work-life balance tips for managers
  • work-life balance ideas for companies
  • creative work-life balance ideas

Let’s get started.

Work-life balance tips for employees

1. offer flexibility.

One of the best work-life balance tips for employees is to offer a flexible work schedule. In many cases, a hybrid schedule where team members are in the office some days while at home others is doable and beneficial. Employees appreciate a work environment where they feel trusted to get work done. When given the flexibility to work from home or in the office, team members can be productive on their  schedules.

2. Encourage Breaks

A fantastic way to increase productivity and enhance work-life balance is to ensure employees take regular breaks. These breaks should take the form of small rests throughout the workday. Taking a daily break can be as simple as going for a 15-minute walk after lunch. Or, the respite can come in the form of working from another area of the office, perhaps a break room or conference room.

Check out this list of break room ideas .

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3. Encourage Altruism

Volunteering is one of the best work-life balance tips that benefit both employees and the community. Many modern job-seekers rate volunteering and social responsibility as important factors when considering potential companies. You can encourage team members to find personal causes or choose a communal cause for the entire office. Either way, devote workdays throughout the year to serving your community. If employees have dedicated work time to volunteer, then they will not have to give up their weekend time to make a difference. Furthermore, this initiative will show team members that altruism is a priority to the company.

4. Allow Time Off

Many times, employees do not use all their vacation or sick days. You can create an environment where employees are comfortable taking their time off. This step can drastically increase work-life balance. When team members know a superior will not punish them for taking an afternoon off to go to the doctor or visit their sick mom, they will be more dedicated to the company and likely to work harder when in the office.

Team members earn these days, and PTO is often part of the pay package. The benefit of encouraging employees to use personal days is that the company can anticipate and prepare for a staff shortage, rather than employees calling off randomly due to burnout. With this approach, employers can spread leave out among employees so that only a few team members are out at a time. If team members know they are free to take their time off throughout the year, then there may be fewer requests for the same time around holidays or events. Giving employees the freedom to leave may also decrease resentment, as well.

5. Encourage Hobbies

Hobbies are unique and meaningful activities that can serve as an outlet for creativity and stress reduction. By encouraging employees to find and maintain a hobby, you can help increase worker satisfaction and reduce stress.

To help team members find hobbies, ask experts or hobbyists to give brief presentations at team meetings. For example, invite a pastry chef to host a cake decorating class or a woodworker to teach a tutorial on wood carving. Then, encourage team members to take time each week to focus on hobbies. You can even have a Slack channel for coworkers to share progress.

Work-life balance tips for managers

1. lead by example.

Leading by example is the first and most crucial work-life balance tip for managers. Generally, managers set the tone for the office. From work hours to attitude, managers inspire employees to set boundaries. If managers stay late most nights or email after-hours, then team members will follow suit. If managers strike a successful work-life balance, then employees will mimic these behaviors.

2. Time Off

One way to continually improve companywide work-life balance is to reconsider your current company vacation policy. Perhaps team members could have more days off in a calendar year, or one Friday a month could be free. Often, employees hoard personal time. Team members are sometimes scared to take time off or do not feel like they have the time. Not allowing vacation days to carry over from one year to the next will encourage employees to take necessary time off and prevent burnout.

3. Ask the Employees

As a manager, one of the best ways to encourage work-life balance is to talk with your employees. Many times, managers fail into habits and fail to consider other options. However, employees are an untapped resource for ideas to streamline work. Therefore, it is important to create a safe environment where team members feel comfortable giving managers honest feedback. By remaining receptive to criticism and open to change, you can streamline work and ensure you give everyone the tools to be the most efficient workers possible.

Here is a list of employee engagement survey question examples .

4. Check for Differences

Each team member has different work styles and preferences. For example, some employees prefer starting work later in the day and working into the evening. Other teammates do not mind long hours a few days of the week for free Fridays. Perhaps some team members want to go part-time. As a manager, getting to know your employees and understanding differences can help create the most productive work environment. The best way for companies to keep high-caliber employees is to ensure a good work-life balance. Open and honest conversations and acknowledging differences in needs is an essential first step to ensuring good team members want to stay.

5. Organize the Day

One of the best things you can do for yourself and your employees is to organize the day efficiently. For example, encourage all team members to focus on independent work in the morning. During this time, employees can be at their desks, focusing on tasks that need undivided attention. Then, in the afternoon, block times for meetings. By allowing different times for individual and cooperative work, teammates can focus on accomplishing tasks without disruptions.

6. Review Workloads

It is essential to review the workloads of individual team members or departments. Tasks can build up over time, and bottlenecks and burdens emerge. Sometimes,  workloads increased over time or despite employee protests. By reconsidering the division of work, you can help reduce stress and increase productivity. For example, if you assigned one task to a specific department but expanded parameters, then you can re-delegate duties to a different group.

Work-life balance ideas for companies

1. set boundaries.

One of the most helpful work-life balance ideas for companies is to set boundaries with clients. Every business person has heard the saying, the client is always right. While companies should do all they can to meet client needs, setting limits is critical. Employees need to feel comfortable saying no to particular tasks or not responding outside of business hours. A simple conversation at the beginning of the relationship or a reminder during busy times will help clients manage expectations.

2. Dedicated Hours

Although it might seem counterintuitive, longer hours do not necessarily equal more productivity. In fact, studies have shown the opposite result. As a company, set dedicated work hours each day. By encouraging employees to clock out or sign off at a specific time, you set deadlines for work. Often, if team members feel they can work on things off and on throughout the evening, then they are less productive during the day. On the other hand, having a hard stopping point to the workday encourages employees to finish their work and enjoy their evenings.

3. Consider Families

Dual-working families are here to stay. Many families rely on two incomes. Being aware of this fact and having policies to support working parents will go a long way for productivity and satisfaction. Depending on your company policies, consider offering split shifts, work-from-home options, childcare stipends, and encouraging parents to leave on time. Parents will appreciate these policies and likely will work harder during the day.

4. Daily Check-In

Whether your company operates in person, hybrid, or remote, a daily check-in for all employees is beneficial. This check-in allows team members to understand current happenings in other departments. These touch-bases also encourage interaction, can increase productivity, and develop relationships. This meeting can be as short as ten minutes or longer if time allows. After the meeting, employees can resume work as usual.

Check out this set of employee check-in questions .

5. Set Clear Expectations

One of the best work-life balance ideas for companies is to set clear and sustainable expectations. This practice can mean different things depending on how the company functions. You can consider ideas like daily, weekly, or monthly checklists or stand-up meetings. Or use productivity apps. Employees who understand the full scope of expectations can easily focus on the most pressing tasks. However, be careful to avoid multi-tasking or over-scheduling.

6. Do Not Get Overzealous

Wanting to find the most efficient ways to operate is noble. However, occasionally in the pursuit of optimization, companies do not devote the appropriate amount of time and resources to new processes. It is necessary to give new methods proper time to settle and for employees to learn the steps so that you can measure impact effectively. Instead, some companies constantly switch systems and confuse or exhaust employees. Be sure to work with employees and managers to  change the processes that are not productive, and leave promising processes intact. If it is not broken, do not fix it.

Creative work-life balance ideas

1. measure impact, not hours.

In today’s modern world, organizations should measure productivity in impact, not in hours spent. Historically, employees worked a set schedule, often physically clocking in and out. Today, this rigid schedule is causing burnout in many industries. Measuring the success of a team member based on the quality of work rather than hours logged will allow flexibility and decrease stress. By not obsessing on hours, employees will put in the extra time when needed knowing there are times to work fewer hours.

2. Half-Days

Planning office half-days can increase satisfaction. Encouraging employees to get out of their cubicles or office for part of a day is beneficial. You can schedule a certain number of half days a month where team members work in the office until lunch and then finish afternoon tasks elsewhere. Be sure to set firm boundaries on tasks team members need to complete before signing out for the day.

3. Trust Employees

Trusting employees may seem like an obvious idea. Giving team members space and time to finish tasks without interference can increase work-life balance. Be sure to set clear expectations and ensure teammates meet required milestones. As long as employees complete assignments on time, give workers the space and discretion to perform the job as they see fit.

4. Exercise

It is no secret that physical exercise causes the body to release happiness-causing endorphins. While many folks struggle to find time to work out during the day, there are easy ways to incorporate activity into the workday. For example, schedule short meetings outside while walking instead of at a coffee shop or plan a yoga session instead of a lunch meeting. As a company, consider offering standing desks. Or grant employees access to an on-campus or nearby gym. Encouraging team members to focus on physical health will increase work-life balance. You can also use this tactic with clients. For example, consider a game of golf or pickleball for a meeting instead of normal office space.

Check out team workouts , team yoga , and employee wellness ideas for more inspiration.

5. Offer Perks

If your company has the ability, then consider offering special perks to employees. For instance, free or subsidized gym memberships, company cars, fuel discounts, in-office massages, or dry cleaning discounts. These experiences and services can show employees you care about their well-being, and improve team members’ quality of life. These gestures focus on increasing their work-life balance and satisfaction.

Here are examples of work perks .

6. Include Families

Including families in the work environment can help employees feel seen and appreciated. This approach also shows team members that the company values families and focuses on the importance of family time. Consider hosting family events, like picnics, movie nights, or “bring your kid to work” days. Including families in work events or during work days allows team members to bridge their professional and personal worlds in a meaningful way.

7. Consider Work Environment

In today’s world, remote and hybrid work models are common. If your company is entirely or mostly in the office, then consider the possibility of going at least partially remote. Many employees report higher levels of satisfaction in remote environments, and many companies report increased productivity. Encouraging a hybrid model can help increase contentment and reduce employee stress .

Check out this sample work from home policy .

Maintaining work-life balance is essential to preventing burnout and reducing stress in employees. Sometimes, team members feel professional output is more important than personal well-being. Such employees are at risk for excessive stress and resentment. Encouraging employees to focus on mental and physical health while setting clear boundaries for work helps workers feel more satisfied and improves the long-term health of the organization and its workforce.

Next, check out this list of books on time management and this list of Pomodoro timers .

We also have a list of virtual stress relief ideas for teams .

FAQ: Work-life balance

Here are answers to common questions about work-life balance.

What is work-life balance?

Work-life balance is the act of reducing work-related stress while increasing satisfaction in life. The goal of this practice is to establish a sustainable work life to maintain general well-being.

How do you achieve work-life balance?

To achieve work life balance, focus on flexible work hours and increasing mental and physical health. For example, yoga sessions, walks during the day, hard end times for the workday, and flexible work locations. These ideas encourage employees to work harder during the day while also focusing on their personal well-being.

What are ways companies can encourage a healthy work-life balance?

Companies can encourage a healthy work-life balance by setting clear expectations for employees and offering perks and health benefits. Also, by being considerate of parents and families, and setting boundaries with clients. These simple tasks will help employees focus on work during the workday and attend to personal needs during off-time.

Author avatar

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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Geoff Johnson: Piling homework on kids is a mistake that undermines work/life balance

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Many educators, me included, question the value, educationally and otherwise, of ­homework.

But let’s back up a moment and consider the importance of the work/life balance and time to play that we adults consider to be essential to our own well-being.

Mental-health advocates applaud ­maintaining a work/life balance, while ­recognizing that preserving that balance is easier said than done.

As our careers develop and our ­responsibilities increase somewhere between childhood and adulthood, “leaving it at the office” becomes increasingly difficult and we adults stop playing and start working into the evening.

We forget that play relieves stress and can trigger the release of endorphins, which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Continuing the day’s work at home or at the workplace defeats those benefits.

In fact, taking work home may be a form of workaholic neurosis that reverses any personal physical and mental-health benefits that should be the part of life after work.

Trust me, as a recovering workaholic who always had difficulty shaking the day off and separating the day’s challenges from my “real life,” I speak from experience.

To that end, I have always advised young teachers to make sure they are as fully ­prepared as possible for the next day before heading out the door when the final school bell rings.

That same need to separate work from other aspects of life in the interests of health should also apply to kids who spend five hours of 185 days a year sitting in ­classrooms.

There is an indisputable and growing amount of research indicating that for kids, spending more than the prescribed 5-6 hours a day sitting, then adding more hours of seatwork after school, could eventually be the source of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and even cardiac problems.

Along with many of my colleagues, I’m no fan of homework — not for adults, not for elementary-school children and certainly not for grades 8-12, when a student might meet four or even five subject teachers each day.

In a high-school environment, students can leave each classroom with homework tasks assigned by teachers who are unaware that their colleagues have also assigned after-class schoolwork.

Kids then head home for what amounts to another full day of school.

Even before I realized years ago that my students were not deriving much, if ­anything, of educational value from ­homework, I could never grade homework assignments equitably, because each ­student’s homework was being attempted in home environments that could be vastly ­different.

As we discovered during the pandemic shutdowns, and the subsequent reliance on online lessons, education at home is not ­conducted on an even playing field.

Some parents simply did not have space available at home to set up quiet spaces where students could focus on their work uninterrupted by the distractions common to every household.

Even if that was possible, homework that was intended to facilitate practice, such as working on solutions to math ­problems or reviewing a poem or prose piece, could result in a student simply practising ­mistakes over and over again.

In other words, class work being extended into a non-learning environment with no support from the teacher who assigned the work was defeating the gains accomplished in class that day.

Then class time needs to be devoted to correcting individual homework mistakes before progress can be made on that day’s lesson.

If work/life balance is important for adults, it’s just as important for kids from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Play, it has been said, is an essential part of a child’s work — and I’m not talking about hours in front of a screen.

According to child psychologists, active play improves brain function, stimulates the mind and boosts creativity.

Young children often learn best when they are playing — a principle that applies to adults, as well. Play stimulates imagination, helping both children and adults adapt and solve problems.

At some point in our adult lives, we begin to understand why taking our work home with us is both counterproductive and unhealthy.

And that may be the strongest argument about why piling on homework for kids is a developmental and educational error.

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Geoff Johnson is a former superintendent of schools.

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10 tips for better work-life balance while working from home

By developing — and sticking to — a daily routine, we can bring a sense of order back to our lives. here are a few tips to get you started..

Cast your mind back to three years ago. Working from home wasn’t on the cards, and little did we know it would become our main method of working throughout an oncoming pandemic. Now, for most of us – we’ve mastered the art, and it’s become a very normal part of our working life.

The positive benefits that remote work brings are obvious. It provides flexibility like no other, promotes inclusion, and greatly benefits working parents . However, there’s no denying it’s made lines between work time and home a little more blurry.

Typically, we’re wired to think that we need two separate environments for home and work. Now that we’re faced with a blended environment, it’s important to set boundaries to make sure we’re working during working hours and relaxing when we’re not.

Before we dive into how to improve work-life balance, let’s go back to basics.

Read more: Why remote work is the future?

What is work-life balance?

Put simply, work-life balance means finding harmony and balance between your work and personal lives. A good work-life balance will look different for everyone and depends on a range of factors, such as the type of work you do and the level of responsibilities you have outside of work.

However, the reality is that we can lose track of a healthy work-life balance before we even begin to realise it. After all, it’s easier than ever before to simply pick up your phone and reply to that message from home or jump on that video call after working hours.

Managing work and life is a balancing act and we’re here to show you how… After all, do you live to work, or work to live?

Why is work-life balance important?

Let’s take a look at the dimensions of health and wellbeing. If work is taking up most of your time – day in and day out – chances are the other dimensions of your health are suffering.

With many employees working in a hybrid capacity at least some of the time, striking the balance between these two worlds has never been so important. However, it’s important to remember that when we think about work-life balance today, it’s against the backdrop of the volatile emotional environment of the last three years.

Your stress levels might be high, meaning that you might not be eating a balanced diet, getting quality sleep, exercising or making time for friends, family and hobbies. Chances are, your mental health is also suffering as a result.

We all know that spending too much time working can leave you feeling burnt out, uninspired and disengaged. This then trickles into your personal life, where you might start to feel unmotivated to maintain a social life. This can then lead to disengaging from hobbies because you’re simply too tired from the working day.

The reality is that when longer hours are added to the equation, the result is often manifested through remote work burnout, fatigue and a work-life balance that’s off-centre.

And the numbers prove just how important work-life balance is…

At the start of 2022, we surveyed over 1,000 workers from around Australia in our Wellness at Work Report . We asked questions about work-life balance, productivity, burnout and so much more.

While some findings were surprising, others were clear. We found that burnout and a sense of work-life balance are deeply tied to productivity and one’s capacity to do their best work – and between these elements, we see a vicious cycle occurring.

Employees who stated that they had poor work-life balance were 76% more likely to also have felt burnt out. Those who felt burnt out were 35% more likely to feel that their productivity was low, and employees with poor productivity were 280% more likely to feel a poor sense of work-life balance.

Striking the perfect work-life balance can help you maintain a strong and committed work ethic , as well as ensure you’re prioritising time spent with friends and family. After all, we all know just how easy it can be to get stuck in the habit of checking your emails on the weekend or checking Slack messages after you’ve clocked off for the day.

Without clearly defined boundaries, you’re on a one-way road to burnout and the dreaded remote working rut .

The remote first workplace playbook

How do you manage work-life balance while working from home?

1. it starts with planning.

Before you start work for the day, plan out what it’s going to look like. Include things such as meetings , goals , breaks and when you plan to clock off. Sticking to a plan is going to aid in your productivity and will keep you solely concentrated on your work. It will also help you mentally prepare for the day.

Plan when to clock off

One of the most important parts of planning is determining what time you are going to clock off for the day. Think of setting this time as a mini deadline where you need to have achieved everything that you had set out to achieve on that day. Doing this will also ensure that you’re completely switching off from work before you dedicate time to relax, spend with your family and unwind.

Plan when and where to have lunch

When you have your lunch break make sure that you do so in a separate space from where you are working. This too is a small gateway into overstepping work and home boundaries. It’s not encouraged to have lunch at your desk in the physical office space so you shouldn’t be doing it at home either.

Plan your day the night before

A simple way to plan ahead is to jot down a rough draft of your to-do list the evening before. Once you’re up and running in the morning, you can take stock of the day’s activities at a quick glance.

There are countless productivity systems out there to try. There are bullet journals to replace your traditional day planner and methods like the Pomodoro technique that can help you better manage your time. What’s essential is researching and finding one that works for you and your needs.

Hands working on a notebook

2. Establish a routine that works for you

Setting a routine for the days that you are working allows you to get in the mindset that you’re working today, helping to optimise your productivity throughout the day. For the days that you’re working:

  • Get in the routine of waking up at the same time each morning.
  • Have lunch at the same time.
  • Set a time that you want to clock off work for the day (aim for between 5:30 and 6pm).

Achieving a work-life balance is tough for many people. Think of integrating the two instead and drop the idea that you have to balance them. This might mean going for a morning walk while simultaneously tuning into your daily team briefing . If this is feasible and you’re not required to be on your laptop, then why not? Two birds, one stone.

By doing this you are helping yourself set boundaries by telling your brain and your body that this morning or daily routine is what happens on a work day and this other routine indicates that today is not a work day.

3. A good night’s rest is best

We all know that sleep is our body’s way of restoring itself after a hard day of work, but how much sleep does the adult body really need? You might remember being told as a teenager that “growing teens need at least 8 hours of sleep a night”. Well, it turns out not much changes for us as adults.

On average, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 need around 7-9 hours of sleep a night, and just as importantly, we should maintain a regular sleep cycle. Having a regular bedtime each day helps keep our circadian rhythm in check. Putting your phone away 30 minutes before bed is also a great way to rest your eyes and let your brain relax before sleep.

Working from home can be stressful. As human beings, we naturally crave certainty, and we’re more prone to feeling stressed and anxious without it. By developing — and sticking to — a daily routine, we can claim a bit of that certainty back and help bring a sense of order back to our lives.

woman sleeping at work

4. Dress the part

Just like having a set routine for your work days and your days off, you should do the same for your clothes. Have a dedicated ‘uniform’ for work that differs from what you will wear on your days off. This doesn’t have to be a suit or a full face of makeup. It could be yoga pants and a plain cotton top. If you roll out of bed and jump straight onto the computer in your pyjamas, chances are you’ll find it difficult to be alert and switched on from the get-go.

Even though you aren’t going into the office you still want to be presentable and be dressed in a way that makes your mind think ‘these are the clothes I wear for work, so I’m ready to work.’

5. Turn off noisy notifications

If you use communication tools like Slack or have any other kind of group chats for work, turn the notifications for these off when you finish for the day or the week. You may even find that turning these off when you take a lunch break is a good way to give your brain a proper break to ensure you’re refreshed.

It’s especially important to turn your work phone off (if you have one) when you aren’t at work. You can easily get in the habit of making it your primary device for contacting people at work and outside of work. The same goes for your personal devices. Don’t have these in the same room as you when you are working remotely if you aren’t contacted via that device for work purposes.

You want to dedicate 100% of your attention to your work and having personal devices in a room separate from where you are working will remove that potential distraction.

6. Emails… off

Turning off your work phone and notifications off when you aren’t working? The same goes for emails. Work-related emails are only to be read and responded to on work days, not on your days off or weekends. Doing this will take you away from being able to relax and spend time with your friends and family on your days off.

7. Be clear with your communication

Clearly outline with both your household and your colleagues the appropriate communication times. Notify your colleagues when you take your lunch break, letting them know when you’re going to be unavailable.

If you’re using Slack or another instant messaging tool, update your status. When communicating to your household, explain the times that you are 100% dedicated to them and the times when you need to be 100% dedicated to working. By doing this you are acknowledging that they are important and you want to give all of your attention to them when the time comes. The same goes for work; your household needs to understand and respect when you need to stay focused and committed to work.

A non-verbal reminder of this for your household could be to close the door to the room that you are working in so that they know that you are busy and don’t want to be disturbed. Once you’re no longer working you should leave that room you have dedicated to work.

8. A workspace that inspires

Having a dedicated space to work when working remotely is crucial. However, for those living in shared living spaces or smaller apartments, this can be hard. It’s incredibly important that you have a different workspace compared to where you relax and sleep.

If you don’t have an empty room that you can dedicate to a home office then find a space where a small desk can fit, ideally somewhere that gets plenty of natural light. Worst case scenario, if you have a dining table use that as your space.

You should avoid using the couch or your bed as your workspace. This will only blur the lines between work and personal time, making it harder to enjoy these spaces for relaxation because your mind will go into work mode when it should be in relax mode.

Remote work desk at home

9. The importance of boundaries

Working remotely is great because it gives you such a great balance between work and home which allows you to be with your family more. But if you aren’t setting boundaries between work and home then you are actually isolating yourself more and spending more time at work than you would if you had to go into the office.

By not setting boundaries between your work life and your home life, you’re setting yourself up to fail in both aspects of your life. You need to do what is right by your employer and what is right by your family.

10. Don’t forgo your physical health

It’s really easy to get caught up in work, and with remote working, the blurred lines between work and relaxation can cause more strain on your brain. It’s essential to take time to eat well and away from your keyboard.

Make sure you use your lunch break as a time to take care of yourself and not use it to catch up on work. Go for a walk around your block each day or a run (whatever works for you). Finding 30 minutes across your day to do some moderate exercise is vital for your overall wellbeing . Between work, eating right and exercising, you want to spend time relaxing, unwinding and entertaining yourself. Whether that’s reading a book or playing games with your household, just remember to do something that brings you joy.

Step out for a session at the gym or perform some mindfulness or meditation exercises for a quick escape from work.

Remote work brings the work-life balance benefits

By making some changes to your current remote work routine, you’ll be on your way to achieving a healthy work-life balance in little to no time – and that brings a domino effect of benefits.

You’ll be happier and more content with your physical, occupational, recreational and mental health.

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Why Work-Life Balance Is So Important—and How to Nail It

When the workday is over, it should really be over

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

homework work life balance

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

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Mixetto / Getty Images

  • What Do We Mean When We Say "Work-Life Balance"?

How Can I Tell If I Have a Healthy Work-Life Balance?

Can i request a healthier work-life balance (if so, how), how to improve your work-life balance.

Does it ever feel like your job is taking over your life? Or do you seem to have so many personal obligations that you can’t give 100% at work? We know we need work-life balance, but finding harmony between your professional and personal life isn't always as easy as it sounds. 

Work plays a major role in our lives. It takes up much of our waking hours during the traditional workweek. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that we are also taking care of the areas of our lives that keep us healthy and happy. 

Professional fulfillment can be a part of that, for sure. But well-being also involves all of the things outside of work that makes your life worthwhile, including your family, hobbies, health, and relationships (not to mention sleep, exercise, balanced meals, and relaxation).

At a Glance

Work-life balance generally refers to a balance between your personal and work life. The goal is to strive to keep that balance so that we are managing stress and burnout by fulfilling other areas of our lives that aren't swallowed up by work. Remember: That "balance" may shift at times and is never really a 50/50 split. We can accept that there may not ever be a balance, but we can strive to feel more grounded and balanced by making a personalized plan, exploring ways to improve that balance with our manager, taking breaks, and creating set boundaries between our personal vs. professional duties. If we're in a position to change jobs and our conversations with our manager are unsuccessful, we could also explore other opportunities that offer more flexibility.

What Do We Mean When We Say "Work-Life Balance"?

Work-life balance is usually defined as an equilibrium between your professional and personal life. When you keep things balanced, no single element of your life dominates and overwhelms the others.

"Work-life balance is the concept that you effectively manage your professional life and responsibilities so that you are productive and successful at work while ensuring you have plenty of dedicated time to live a fulfilling, grounded, personal life," says Abbey Sangmeister, MS.Ed, LPC, ACS .

That’s a general definition of the concept, but "work-life" balance can also mean different things to different people. Researchers suggest that this is because this balance is all about individual perception. It's something you feel when your work and non-work activities are in harmony and are compatible with your current goals and priorities.

The things that make your own work-life situation feel manageable may differ depending on your needs and your situation.

For working parents, it often means finding a way to juggle the responsibilities of a career while still finding time for a fulfilling family life. With rising numbers of older workers, work-life balance may focus more on staying active in the workforce while finding ways to manage health issues or disabilities.  

Major shifts in how we work have also helped change the definition of work-life balance for many people. For many people, work-life balance meant clocking out at 5 p.m. and not thinking about work until you showed up at the office at 9 a.m. the next day. 

Being tethered to an office is a thing of the past for many folks. It makes sense that, for many of us, the option for flexible or remote work is an essential part of work-life balance. This means that work-life balance is much more personal and nuanced these days–but it also makes finding a balance harder than ever before.  

Many times people think balance is a 50/50 split but that is not always the case. For each person, the balance may look different and will shift during different seasons of their life. The important part of having balance is that the person does not feel that one area of life is draining and depleting the other.

What Work-Life Balance Is Not

Work-life balance isn’t about slacking off, skipping work, or putting in less effort . Obviously, we all have our good and bad days, but there are ways to manage the days we’re feeling a little "off" that don’t involve hurting yourself professionally. 

Procrastinating or shirking your responsibilities aren’t effective ways to cope. You might feel a little better for a bit, but it ultimately creates more problems in the future. Work piles up, deadlines fly by, and your employer might start to notice that you’re not putting in your best effort.

The goal is to find a harmonious balance that works for you, between the demands on your time and energy, without neglecting important areas of your life.

You don’t want to ignore your personal life in favor of your job, but you also shouldn’t deal with stress by neglecting your workplace duties.

So how exactly can you tell if you have a healthy work-life balance? It can look a little different for everyone (since we all have different work, family, and relationship situations). 

"Lack of regular overwhelm and frustration are good signs that one does have good work-life balance. People who struggle with the Sunday scaries and dread or have a case of [the] Mondays more times than not are most likely struggling with an imbalance," Sangmeister suggests.

The following are a few signs that you’re striking a good balance between your job and other areas of your life:

  • You don't feel like the demands of your work roles and personal obligations are constantly in conflict
  • You're able to meet your deadlines at work without having to work overtime
  • You're getting plenty of sleep at night and eating a healthy, balanced diet
  • You don't spend the end of your weekend consumed by the " Sunday Scaries "
  • You have plenty of time to relax and enjoy your hobbies
  • You feel like you're spending enough time with family and friends
  • You don't worry about your job when you're not at work
  • You feel like you're being productive at work and making progress toward your professional goals, but you don't feel like your whole identity hinges on your job
  • You're taking your vacation days (and using your sick days when you need them)
  • You're taking advantage of any work-life benefits your employer offers, like gym memberships, flexible scheduling, and childcare vouchers

Remember that work-life balance isn't something you can just check off your to-do list. It’s only natural that the demands of your job and outside life shift and change over time. That means that what you need to keep the balance will change over time.

"With a good work-life balance, a person is less likely to be rigid with their schedule," Sangmeister says. "Instead, they are able to be flexible and can adapt to include demands that may come up professionally or personally without disrupting the feeling of balance."

To figure out if you have a good work-life balance, think about what's most important to you. What helps you to feel your best? Are you taking care of yourself personally and professionally? Are you managing your stress and watching for signs of burnout?

If you're struggling to find a balance between work and the rest of your life, it might be time to have a conversation with your supervisor. This includes work-life benefits like hybrid, flexible, or remote work. Flextime, alternative work schedules, child care options, and access to mental health services are important work-life benefits employers offer to attract employees. 

There are things that your employer can do to help foster a better work-life balance. It's something that benefits them as well. Research has shown that workers with better work-life balance are more satisfied with their jobs , perform better at work, and are more committed to their organizations.

A conversation with your employer might help you find ways to work together to make things more manageable. This might involve reprioritizing your tasks, delegating some work to others, hiring additional help, or allowing you to work remotely when needed.

Unfortunately, these aren't always options, depending on the nature of your profession or your role in the workplace. In many cases, making a change hinges on how you approach your job. It might mean changing your priorities, delegating tasks at home, or letting your colleagues know you can no longer respond to work-related problems during your downtime.

It's also important to be aware of your legal rights. If you need certain accommodations because you are pregnant or have a disability, these needs may be protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This includes protections if you are dealing with depression , anxiety , or another mental health condition. (You will need to have your condition diagnosed by your doctor, and you may need to provide documentation for your employer when you request an accommodation.)

How to Ask Your Boss for Better Work-Life Balance

Schedule a time to talk to your employer and tell them what you plan to discuss. During your meeting, explain your problem, and share your ideas for how you think you can work together to resolve the issue. 

If you've been overwhelmed by your workload and putting in too many hours, you might suggest redistributing some of your tasks to other team members to help lighten the load. 

Remember to stay professional and show respect for your employer's needs. Reiterate your commitment, and explain that you think finding a better balance will help you feel more productive and satisfied with your job.

So what’s next if you feel like your work-life balance is in shambles? It's time to take a step back, figure out what is wrong, and make a plan to fix it. Your health literally depends on it.

Many studies have demonstrated that people who have more conflict between their work and non-work life are more likely to experience health problems, mental health conditions, and poor overall health outcomes.

Make a Plan

Bringing more balance to your life starts with figuring out what’s causing the problem in the first place. Are your work hours too long? Or are work obligations encroaching on your off-time? Do you feel like you have no control over your schedule? Or are you taking on too many demands and need some relief?

Creating a personalized plan for how you are going to tackle your work-life balance can help you figure out what's wrong and which strategies will be most effective .

Create Divisions Between Your Work and Non-Work Life

Flexible and remote work can be a great way to promote balance in your life, but it often blurs the lines between your personal and professional life. You may find yourself working longer than normal hours, catching up on work when you should be relaxing, or staying up late to answer those last few emails you forgot to send earlier. 

The problem is that, over time, there is a distinct lack of balance. Because you never feel like you have any mental space from your job, it starts to feel like you’re always working. Your home life becomes your work life.

If you are fully or partially remote, there are things you can do to help promote better work-life balance:

  • Create a schedule : Figure out which hours you can work during the day and stick with it. Creating a regular schedule can help you feel more productive. “ Start your mornings off with routines and rituals that are grounded. If you start your day sprinting the moment your alarm goes off, that energy carries through the day and leads to burnout,” Sangmeister says.
  • Get ready for work : While you don't need to wear a suit and tie to work from your home office (unless you want to), consider wearing something other than your favorite 'lounging around the house' outfit. Dressing professionally when you are working can help create a mental division between your job and your home life.
  • Let other people know when you're offline : Use different communication tools to let others know when you are offline. For example, put your work hours on your Google Calendar, set your Slack availability to prevent notifications during your off-time, and set up out-of-office emails when you are on vacation.
  • Plan activities during your non-work hours : Give yourself things to look forward to once you are off work. It might involve getting together with friends, but it can be as simple as preparing a nice meal and settling in to stream an episode of a series you’re watching.

Take Breaks

Taking breaks is also essential. This includes mini-breaks during the work day and periodic days off or vacations.

"Taking an intentional day off periodically is a great way to improve work-life balance,” Sangmeister explains. "On these intentional days off, don’t just tackle a to-do list and chores; instead, work on personal development and mindfulness."

She also recommends mini-vacations and tech-free weekends . Even scheduling a little tech-free time each day can be helpful.

Don't Work When You're Not at Work

It might sound obvious (and simple), but it can be harder to stick with than you might expect. When your workday is over, it needs to be over. That means no checking work emails, looking at notifications, or logging in to finish "one last thing." 

Even if all you're doing is reading your messages that you plan to work on tomorrow, you're letting your work interfere with your personal time. It creates pressure and stress that distracts you from feeling fully relaxed or completely present during non-work hours. 

Set boundaries around the hours you work and create no work zones. That means even when you have “free time,” you aren’t going to open your phone or laptop to do work at certain times or in certain places.

Know What Burnout Looks Like

When your work-life balance is seriously screwed up (i.e., you're spending every waking moment working, thinking about work, stressing about work, or dreading work), there's a good chance you're headed for burnout .

Being burned out is more than just being tired and unmotivated—it means you've reached a state where you feel so exhausted and empty that you can hardly cope with daily life, let alone care about work.

Signs of burnout can be physical, such as headaches, high blood pressure, stomach aches, and frequent illness. But they are also mental and include problems sleeping, depressed moods, loss of interest, fatigue, problems concentrating, and apathy .

If you’ve reached this point, it means you need to make serious changes to your work environment. That might mean taking time off or switching to a different position. Sometimes, it might even mean thinking about changing jobs altogether.

Consider Changing Jobs

So you’ve had a conversation (or more than one) with your boss, but they are refusing to offer any flexibility to make any changes that will help you feel better about your relationship with your job–what now? 

If poor work-life balance is taking a toll on your well-being and isn't something you can solve on your own or by working with your employer, it might be time to consider taking a more serious step–changing your job altogether. 

Wait until you’ve had time to consider the problem and your options. Spend some time looking at other positions in your field (or even other fields if you’re ready to make a more significant change). Look at job review sites to see what other current and past employees are saying to learn more about what you might find in terms of work-life balance if you take a job with another company.

Finding a job you truly love can be a great way to feel more positively about the balance between your work and your outside life.

What This Means For You

Finding that perfect balance between your work and your life can seem like performing a tightrope act. If you're struggling, it might be worth talking to your boss about how they can help support your well-being (and foster greater job satisfaction and loyalty).  Remember: the goal is not to have a 50/50 balance—it's about finding a balance that feels good to you and, most importantly, works for you.

Taking steps to manage your time and boundaries is also essential. Make time for family, friends, hobbies, health, and self-care—the things that help you feel personally fulfilled outside of work. "Schedule, schedule, schedule," Sangmeister recommends. "Make these appointments just as important as any work meeting."

Gragnano A, Simbula S, Miglioretti M. Work-life balance: Weighing the importance of work-family and work-health balance . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2020;17(3):907. doi:10.3390/ijerph17030907

Wong KP, Lee FCH, Teh PL, Chan AHS. The interplay of socioecological determinants of work-life balance, subjective wellbeing and employee wellbeing . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(9):4525. doi:10.3390/ijerph18094525

Sirgy MJ, Lee D-J. Work-life balance: An integrative review . Appl Res Qual Life . 2018;13:229–254. doi: 10.1007/s11482-017-9509-8

Borowiec AA, Drygas W. Work-life balance and mental and physical health among Warsaw specialists, managers and entrepreneurs . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2022;20(1):492. doi:10.3390/ijerph20010492

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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How to create a good homework/life balance

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A love of learning may come naturally to your child but too much and it could be detrimental to their education. Like most of us, children find doing too much of one thing can rapidly become boring or frustrating. So, it is important to find the balance between them enjoying studying and simply enjoying being a kid, whether that means racing around the garden, watching some TV or playing a game purely for the fun of playing it.

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In a study conducted by the London University’s Institute of Education, researchers found that homework can cause problems in family life, with rows superseding any educational benefits. The research also found that children can begin to resent the amount of time set for homework in relation to free time.

Guidelines set by the Government recommend, “A good, well organised homework programme helps children and young people to develop the skills and attitudes they will need for successful, independent lifelong learning. Homework supports the development of independent learning skills, so enquiry and investigation are seen as part of the learning process.”

The study also found that the highest achieving schools had pupils who spent more time on learning activities at home. But they also suggest that homework should not get in the way of other clubs, such as sports and music.

The study recommends that every school has a clear homework policy available to parents that set out guidelines as to what is expected, what is manageable and what is educationally beneficial. Knowing what is expected should help you set time apart for homework, play and family time, ensuring that none encroaches on the other so that you can make and maintain a healthy study/life balance for your children.

What can you do to achieve the right balance?

  • Pinpoint exactly how much homework is being allocated from school and discuss how much home time should be allotted to it so it does not feel like a never ending task.  
  • Be on hand, but not hovering, if your child needs help so that they don’t spend too long in frustration at a task. However, don’t be tempted to get too involved.  
  • Combine homework with trips to museums, galleries and other places of interest. Children soak up facts and figures and this can benefit topical class work.  
  • Don’t have an extracurricular activity planned for every day. Let your child know there is free time where they can choose what they do.  
  • Ensure your child enjoys the classes and activities they take, if they aren’t learning anything or enjoying it, ask yourself if it is worth the time, money and effort.

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8 ways Gen Z will change the workforce

Soon there will be more Zoomers working full time than Baby Boomers. Roberta Katz explains how their values and expectations will shape the future of work.

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Image credit: Claire Scully

Gen Z is growing up: In 2024, the generation born between 1996 to 2010 is expected to overtake Baby Boomers in the full-time workforce, according to a recent analysis by Glassdoor .

They are bringing to the office a different set of values, behaviors, and expectations than prior generations, according to research by Roberta Katz , a former senior research scholar at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) . Katz collaborated with a team of researchers to conduct a large, multi-year study to find out what matters to Gen Z and why – findings that culminated in a book and website .

Stanford Report sat down with Katz to talk about this research and what to expect from Gen Z in the workplace.

1. Gen Z expects change

The world Gen Zers came of age in was fundamentally different from that of their parents and even millennials, people who were born in the early 1980s to 1996.

The world of Gen Z has been defined by technological changes happening at rapid speeds that also reshaped social experiences. Disruption and impermanence have always been part of the world Gen Z experienced – for them, it’s a norm, not an exception.

“There is an expectation of constant change,” said Katz.

Growing up amid uncertainty has given Gen Z a unique set of characteristics, including being flexible and resilient. It has opened them up to new ways of thinking about the future and doing things – and questioning the ways things are done, which leads to the next trait Gen Zers will bring with them to work.

2. Gen Z is pragmatic

Gen Z has a strong sense of self-agency.

Gen Z lives in a world that has always been one search engine result away. If they want to know more about something, they readily seek the answer out for themselves ( even if it’s not always the correct one ).

They question everything and everyone – from their peers, parents, or people at work. “They don’t necessarily see elders as experts,” Katz said. “They want to understand why something is done in a certain way. They’re very pragmatic.”

They are also not afraid to challenge why things are done the way they are.

“When an older person says to them, ‘This is how you should do it,’ they want to check that out for themselves. It doesn’t mean they’re always right; it’s a different way of understanding,” Katz explained.

3. Gen Z wants to make a difference

Gen Zers not only expect change – they demand it.

They are inheriting a set of complex problems – from climate change to inequality to racial injustice, to name but a few – and want to fix it. They want to work for a place that they believe is doing good in the world.

Some Gen Zers will hold their employers accountable on the causes and issues that matter to them.

Katz warns that for some employers, it can be challenging – if not untenable – to take a position on politically charged or sensitive topics. “It is impossible for most institutions that represent lots of people and lots of identities to satisfy everybody,” Katz said.

4. Gen Z values collaboration and teamwork

For some Gen Zers, the digital world helped shape their identity: Through social media and in online groups, they found subcultures to connect and interact with.

They grew up with wikis – websites collaboratively built and edited by its users – and fandoms – enthusiastic and energetic communities centered around a shared, common interest. For example, K-pop sensation BTS has its Army , Beyonce has her Beyhive, and Taylor Swift has her Swifties.

“They’re in a posse – even with their headphones on,” Katz said.

To get things done, they value collaboration.

“There is a hope that everybody who is contributing is in it for the good of the whole,” Katz describes. “They want to have a team spirit.”

5. Gen Z wants leaders who guide by consensus

Gen Z is also less hierarchical than previous generations.

“They don’t believe in hierarchy for hierarchy’s sake,” Katz said. “They do believe in hierarchy where it is useful.”

Instead, Gen Zers prefer leadership that is dependent on expertise that is task or time specific. That could mean they favor management where team members take turns leading the group (known as a “rotating leadership” model). Another style they may prefer is “collaborative leadership,” in which people from across the organization participate in decision-making and problem-solving.

Transparency is also important.

Gen Zers value consensus and they look for leaders who are in service of the group (also called “service leadership”).

6. Gen Z cares about mental health and work-life balance

Gen Z grew up in a period that saw the blurring of the 9-to-5 work schedule and the rise of flexible work models – a mode of working that led to older generations feeling a pressure to always be “on.”

“Work and home life are all so integrated that if you don’t pay attention, you could be working all the time,” said Katz. “I think Gen Z is sensitive to that.”

Having a work-life balance and maintaining mental and physical health is also important to Gen Z.

“They’re placing a value on the human experience and recognizing that life is more than work,” Katz said.

7. Gen Z thinks differently about loyalty

Because Gen Z grew up amid so much change, Gen Z has a different perspective on loyalty.

But as Katz pointed out, “they also grew up with workplaces not being very loyal to their employees.”

Gen Zers were raised in the shadows of the global financial crisis of 2008, an event that has had long-lasting impacts on employment and the nature of work. “It used to be that people went to work for big companies thinking they’d be there for their entire career and that the company would watch out for them: providing health insurance, and so on,” Katz said.

But after the 2008 recession, and even more recently following the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have cut back labor costs and implemented other cost-saving measures, like reducing perks and benefits. Meanwhile, mass layoffs have also been rampant.

“There’s a reason that employees don’t feel the same degree of loyalty, too,” Katz said.

Meanwhile, the gig economy has also been present throughout Gen Zers’ lives, as has the rise of contract work. They are entrepreneurial, which is part of their pragmatic tendencies.

8. Gen Z looks for trust and authenticity

Gen Z also values authenticity.

“Authenticity is about trust,” Katz said. “Words and actions need to match.”

Honesty and openness are important.

For Katz, it’s all about mutually respectful communication. “My bottom line always to employers is stay open to hearing about different ways to get things done, because Gen Z has one foot in the future.”

Katz is associate vice president for strategic planning, emerita, and is currently involved in a strategic role with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence . She also serves as vice chair of the board of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS).

Katz studied Gen Z as part of a multi-year CASBS research project with Sarah Ogilvie, a linguist at the University of Oxford and formerly at Stanford; Jane Shaw, a historian who is the principal of Harris Manchester College at Oxford and was previously dean for religious life at Stanford; and Linda Woodhead, a sociologist at King’s College London. The research was funded by the Knight Foundation.

From 2004 to 2017, Katz served under Stanford University Presidents John Hennessy and Marc Tessier-Lavigne as associate vice president for strategic planning, and in 2017 as interim chief of staff.

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The push for a better work/life balance

A new survey shows that 52% of people would be willing to take a 20% pay cut if it led to a better work/life balance.

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A popular economist says there's no separation between work and play anymore because everything Gen Z does is Googleable

  • An economist said Gen Z has no work-life separation because of social media. 
  • Yanis Varoufakis said everything Gen Z posts online can be used against them in job interviews.
  • Some experts recommend wiping your social media history after leaving college.

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A former finance minister of Greece said social media has removed any “separation between work and play” for Gen Z because everything they post online can be used against them by employers. 

62-year-old Yanis Varoufakis, who is a well-known economist and academic, described the bleak reality for Gen Z at work in an interview with Fortune .

“If you are an upper middle-class kid and you have aspirations for life, you know that every video you upload on TikTok, everything you write on Twitter, everything you put on Facebook is going to be thrown at you during a job interview,” Varoufakis said. 

He explained that Gen Z is not driven by “inner liberty” but rather by how they’re being perceived online. 

“There’s no nice, clean separation between work and play anymore,” he says. “And that cannot leave that generation untouched. It really poisons their way of relating to one another because even [that] is going to become part of their CV.”

He added that Gen Z is an “alienated” group because of how social media has shaped their lives. 

“They get much older, much faster as a result of living in a social media world in which they are compelled to try to find an identity which in the end is not self-driven.” 

Social media has created a “boundary-less universe,” between people’s professional and personal lives, Ben Voyer, ESCP Business School professor previously told Business Insider.

Voyer suggests deleting phases of social media from when you’re young and wiping the slate clean when approaching graduation so that employers don’t find anything unsavory when they Google you. 

He also advises workers to think carefully before posting about politics.

"If it's very important to who you are, to your identity, it's important that you express that," he told BI. "But for other other things, veering too much into politics is probably something that could backfire."

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Watch: How Gen Z will change the workplace, according to LinkedIn's CMO

homework work life balance

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COMMENTS

  1. How Does Your Homework Affect Work-Life Balance?

    Stop blaming your phone. You can decide whether to read and respond to every text as they arrive. Get organized. Work-life balance will not happen without a systematized schedule, a way to capture to-do items, or focus. Maintain priorities and stick to your daily plan (as much as you can). Being home is not being lazy.

  2. Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance: Differences between Homework

    A private life can reduce work-life balance under specific conditions, namely, if remote work takes place outside of contracted working hours and during the first phase of remote work. On average, remote work has no significant impact on work-life balance, which is conditioned by private interests.However, the termination of remote work causes ...

  3. Homeworking and work-life balance: does it add to quality of life?

    1.. IntroductionThe current debates on the balance between work and family life have been strengthened by policy initiatives adopted in the UK and across the EU (DTI, 2002).No longer is the focus on an individual's personal quest for a balanced life, but rather a societal effort to instill broad-based support for a workforce which makes time for family, and a workplace that facilitates this.

  4. Work-Life Balance: What It Is and 5 Ways to Improve Yours

    Start by setting small boundaries and expand from there. Learn more about how to set better boundaries at work. 5. Reflect, refine, repeat. Whatever actions you decide are needed to create a good work-life balance, though, you should be conscious of the fact that you will likely need to continue to refine it over time.

  5. Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance: Differences between Homework

    DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3660250 Corpus ID: 225588926; Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance: Differences between Homework and Work at the Workplace of the Company @article{Bellmann2020JobSA, title={Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance: Differences between Homework and Work at the Workplace of the Company}, author={Lutz Bellmann and Olaf H{\"u}bler}, journal={SSRN Electronic Journal}, year={2020 ...

  6. The balancing act: what we've learned from one year of working from

    That lack of commuting or a simple daily morning routine is crushing work-life balance. One-third of knowledge workers begin working within 20 minutes of getting up, and only one-fifth are awake for more than an hour before they start working. No breakfast, no workouts, no meditation - just straight into email and spreadsheets.

  7. How to Create A Real Work Life Balance

    Strategies like adding work hours to your email signature and setting clear out-of-office replies when you're away can help to draw boundaries around your availability. "It's a lot like ...

  8. How to Find the Right Work-Life Balance

    Effects of Poor Work-Life Balance. Research shows that, when we don't feel in control of our time, illness and burnout can quickly follow. For example, this study shows that a failure to achieve life balance leads to higher stress and absenteeism, and lower productivity at work. Another found that poor balance is a major cause of job dissatisfaction.. It's well known that working long hours ...

  9. 8 Tips for Work-Life Balance

    Prioritize self-care. Make a decision to set aside time for exercise. Choose and plan for nutritious meals and quality time with friends and family. Make those things non-negotiable in your ...

  10. Work-Life Balance Is a Cycle, Not an Achievement

    Work-Life Balance Is a Cycle, Not an Achievement. by. Ioana Lupu. and. Mayra Ruiz-Castro. January 29, 2021. rubberball/Getty Images. Summary. Research has definitively shown that overwork isn't ...

  11. 14 Ways To Improve Work-Life Balance

    5. Pursue passions. Employees with excellent work-life balance know the importance of finding time to do the things they love; whether it's exercising, reading, painting, yoga, or spending time with their families. Try to find one thing to do each day that restores creativity, brings enjoyment, and refreshes the mind. 6.

  12. Full article: Remote work and work-life balance: Lessons learned from

    Firms have been providing remote work options as a competitive edge to attract and maintain talent for many years (Eversole, Venneberg, and Crowder Citation 2012; Morgan Citation 2014) and to enhance their employees' work-life balance (Felstead and Henseke Citation 2017).Organizational leaders that endorse remote work acknowledge its role in strengthening the psychological contract between ...

  13. 24 Work-Life Balance Ideas & Tips for Offices in 2024

    2. Encourage Breaks. A fantastic way to increase productivity and enhance work-life balance is to ensure employees take regular breaks. These breaks should take the form of small rests throughout the workday. Taking a daily break can be as simple as going for a 15-minute walk after lunch.

  14. How To Really Measure Work-Life Balance

    4. Work with a coach and design a plan in order to reach your desired goal. 5. Commit to the plan. Take the initiative and be proactive. 6. Look for innovative solutions, always having your ...

  15. Geoff Johnson: Piling homework on kids is a mistake that undermines

    If work/life balance is important for adults, it's just as important for kids from kindergarten to Grade 12. Play, it has been said, is an essential part of a child's work — and I'm not ...

  16. What Does Work-Life Balance Even Mean?

    To some, work-life balance means the convenience of being able to manage a personal life during the work day, without the hassle of having to get permission or explain our activities to others ...

  17. 10 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance While WFH

    Get in the routine of waking up at the same time each morning. Have lunch at the same time. Set a time that you want to clock off work for the day (aim for between 5:30 and 6pm). Achieving a work-life balance is tough for many people. Think of integrating the two instead and drop the idea that you have to balance them.

  18. 15 Critical Ways To Manage Work And Home Life Boundaries

    5. Respect Time Off. Respecting time off would be my No. 1 advice to leaders, and I would urge them to lead this initiative by setting an example themselves. It won't make any sense if leaders ...

  19. Homing in on work-life balance

    Family-balance communication extends to children, too, Rios adds. She makes a point of chatting with her young daughter about her work and why she does it. "She knows I have a job and that I have to go there," Rios says. "And that's something I want to instill in her—that it's important to do work that you love, and to be dedicated to it." 5.

  20. How to Maintain Work-Life-School Balance

    Finding a good balance between work, life, and school will benefit you personally, professionally, and academically. For example, by devoting sufficient time to sleep and exercise, you will better focus in class and absorb more information from readings and lectures. In turn, adhering to this practice can reduce the amount of time you need to ...

  21. Why Work-Life Balance Is So Important—and How to Nail It

    At a Glance. Work-life balance generally refers to a balance between your personal and work life. The goal is to strive to keep that balance so that we are managing stress and burnout by fulfilling other areas of our lives that aren't swallowed up by work. Remember: That "balance" may shift at times and is never really a 50/50 split.

  22. How to create a good homework/life balance

    Combine homework with trips to museums, galleries and other places of interest. Children soak up facts and figures and this can benefit topical class work. Don't have an extracurricular activity planned for every day. Let your child know there is free time where they can choose what they do. Ensure your child enjoys the classes and activities ...

  23. How to Manage Your Student Work-Life Balance

    How to Manage Your Student Work-Life Balance. Mar 10,2023. Every college student knows the rule of the three S's: studies, sleep, and social. They say you can only pick two, forcing you to let the third dwindle and decay. It's a testament to the fact that a whopping 64% of students will drop out of their studies due to mental health issues.

  24. Compensation, Work-Life Balance Among Top Drivers of Associate

    What You Need to Know. Earning a high base salary and maintaining work-life balance were the most important factors for a group of more than 3,300 associates surveyed by the NALP Foundation last fall.

  25. The Conflict Surrounding Work-Life Balance in Public Accounting Firms

    A mainstay of these policies has been a focus on greater work-life balance, with firms continuing to tout alternative work arrangements (AWA) as one of the major incentives available to employees (J.C. Anderson, "Accounting Recruits' Perceptions of Alternative Work Arrangements and the Effects upon Formal and Informal Measures of ...

  26. 8 ways Gen Z will change the workforce

    Gen Z cares about mental health and work-life balance. Gen Z grew up in a period that saw the blurring of the 9-to-5 work schedule and the rise of flexible work models - a mode of working that ...

  27. The push for a better work/life balance

    Tags: study, michigan, the daily+ live, balance, life, work, news A new survey shows that 52% of people would be willing to take a 20% pay cut if it led to a better work/life balance. MORE VIDEOS

  28. Answered: Amid the multifaceted interplay between…

    Amid the multifaceted interplay between work-life balance and employee stress levels, how do individual coping mechanisms, organizational policies, societal norms, and evolving work structures collectively influence the nuanced relationship between perceived balance and the manifestation of stress across diverse professional environments and personal circumstances?

  29. Gen Z Can't Separate Work and Life Because of Social Media: Economist

    A former finance minister of Greece said social media has removed any "separation between work and play" for Gen Z because everything they post online can be used against them by employers.