The word “Work-Life Harmony” sometimes seems to be a myth that most of us fail to achieve in today’s bustling world. Though the concept of work-life balance has been a subject of discussion for quite some time now, the idea of achieving the balance seems elusive. The mission of attaining financial stability and an advanced career is exhilarating. And in due course of this quest, we most often lose sight of our personal well-being.
In this blog, we are going to discover how we can strike a harmonious chord between our career aspirations and our personal lives. It is high time to explore the new concept of work-life harmony. Let us step into this journey together!
Work-life balance Vs. work-life harmony
The words work-life balance and work-life harmony may appear synonymous but they are not. Work-life balance is an old concept now. It focuses more on a clear segregation between the personal and professional life. But in due course, it becomes difficult to maintain those perfect boundaries and eventually, it induces stress.
Here comes the beautiful concept of work-life harmony! This fresh perspective helps us to integrate our personal and professional lives instead of setting boundaries. It is a holistic approach that acknowledges that work life and personal life cannot always be separated. You can not shut off your worries about your physical health when you are at your office.
So, the concept of work-life harmony offers us a broader perspective to master the art of integrating our professional and personal lives without any competition.
The importance of work-life harmony
It is important to understand that work-life harmony is not just a luxury, it is a vital component of a fulfilling and sustainable life. This concept is very crucial as it promotes the importance of personal well-being along with balancing professional lives. It is important to prioritize our mental and physical health, maintain fulfilling relationships, and engage in activities that bring us joy apart from work. This eventually makes us better equipped to excel in our professional roles. It is also true that if we find purpose and satisfaction in our work, it positively impacts our personal lives. We will be able to avoid stress in our professional lives and perform better if we can lead a joyful and purposeful life.
How can we achieve work-life harmony?
There is no set path to achieve work-life harmony. For every individual, this journey is different. Still, there are a few things that we can follow to embark on the journey of having a balanced life. Let us dive into the strategies and insights that can help us to strike the right balance.
- Define values and priorities:
Identifying the things that truly matter in both our professional and personal lives, is the first step to set our priorities and core values. This helps us navigate in the right way and make correct decisions.
- Effective time management:
Time management is a crucial step in bringing balance into our lives. We should prioritize our work both in our personal and professional lives. Effective time management habits like the Pomodoro technique can allow us to have a 5-minute break between stretches of 25 minutes of work. This increases efficiency and also allows us to engage in physical activities to reduce stress.
- Set clear boundaries:
Setting boundaries and communicating this to the concerned people is one of the major steps that we can embrace. Designated work hours, time for self-care and most importantly a set time for enjoying tech-free hours must be included.
- Delegate and seek support:
If you are stressed, no matter whether at your workplace or at home, feel free to reach out to colleagues or loved ones for help. Responsibilities are meant to be shared and there is no shame in asking for help.
- Celebrate achievements:
We often overlook our achievements. Achievements, no matter whether they are big or small, are meant to be celebrated. This ignites our motivations and pushes us to value ourselves.
Regain control and start living a joyful life:
We often worship our work and do not think about our physical and mental health. Long hours of work will bring no wonder. We need to bring harmony in our lives in terms of personal and professional life. This will not only improve our mental health but will also help us with our physical health. It is time to take control of your life- set achievable goals, take breaks, stay healthy and be happy. As Elbert Hubbard once said, “If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want.“