Work-life: How to balance work and life

Despite much talk about our increasingly stressed society and long hours' culture, it seems the HR profession has yet to fully address the issue.

The Chartered Management Institute's annual holiday survey of more than 3,000 managers reveals that only 53 per cent found time to take their full holiday entitlement, citing work overload as the main cause. And one in four respondents to a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development survey reported that long hours had made them stressed or even depressed.

Working under pressure may be habitual for many of us, but the repercussions of being pushed too hard are plain. So, if work has eclipsed the rest of your life, it's time to shift the balance in favour of family, personal health and fitness.

Where do I start?

Take a good look at where your life is heading and ask whether you want to continue working the way you are. Do you spend enough time with friends and family? Do you give yourself adequate time to recharge your batteries? Do you get a good night's sleep?

Draw up a 'budget' for an ideal week, allocating time for all the necessary elements: work, leisure and family, partner, maintenance (house, garden, car) and study.

Accept that you are not indispensable and make whatever adjustments are necessary to match this timetable.

Get organised

Committing to a little planning and preparation will help you better manage your time and keep on top of your job. Set aside 20 minutes at the start of each week to review your diary and bring it up to date - incorporate weekly targets, key priorities, deadlines and appointments. Draw up daily task sheets listing everything you must achieve and structure each day into blocks of activity: grouping phone calls, dealing with queries, reading or responding to e-mails. Take five minutes at the end of each day to run through the next day's schedule.

Learn how to delegate

Recognising where delegation is possible is a critical part of increasing your work efficiency and achieving a healthy work-life style. Delegating tasks that you can do well means you can offer guidance while attending to other more important duties. Another benefit is that as well as helping with their professional development, it will make it easier for team members to take on some of your responsibilities when you're not there.

Work flexibly

Flexible and home-working arrangements are becoming increasingly prevalent as organisations recognise that anything that raises employee morale is also good for business.

Choices can vary from flexi-time (working a set number of hours each week but choosing when to do them) to job sharing, term-time working or voluntary reduced hours (v-time). Investigate what options are open to you.

Even if you are unable to control your working day, look into the possibility of working from home on a regular basis, which will at least give temporary respite from a stressful commute.

Ask for a career break

Many smart-thinking organisations offer career break schemes and/or sabbaticals as a way of letting staff take up to a year off work to pursue other interests without losing them altogether. If you want to get involved with your community, work for a charity, go travelling or study, this could be a way of incorporating it. But be clear from the outset about the terms you'll return under.

Live healthily

An essential component of a healthy work-life balance is to look after your personal health, keep in good frame of mind and be able to switch off. Develop and maintain interests that are not related to work.

"These need to be sufficiently compelling to distract you from the daily grind," says Jenny Lanyon, senior operations manager at health and well-being consultancy, PPC. "Losing oneself in the 'zen' of an activity is very de-stressing."

Foster good relationships with family and friends. Adopt a regular exercise regime, eat wholesome food and adhere to regular sleep patterns. Relaxation techniques such as tai chi, yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises are also restorative.

Where can I get more info?

Books

Balancing Work & Life, Robert Holden and Ben Renshaw, Dorling Kindersley, 4.99, ISBN 07513 33654

Related articles

How to...delegate
www.personneltoday.com/21431.article

How to...relax at work
www.personneltoday.com/22958.article

If you only do five things...

1Take regular breaks and use your full holiday entitlement

2 Understand the distinction between urgent and important

3 Delegate whenever possible

4 Learn how to say 'no'

5 Get a good night's sleep

Expert's view: Jenny Lanyon on balancing work and life

Jenny Lanyon is senior operations manager at PPC, a health and well-being consultancy. She is an experienced counsellor, clinical manager and supervisor.

What is the key to improving work-life balance?

Try to maintain clear boundaries between work and other aspects of your life. Set a time at which you will leave work every day. If you need to work late, plan for it, and ensure that you set boundaries - for instance: 'I will leave work no later than 7pm tonight'.

If you find this difficult, set the alarm on your mobile phone to remind you to leave at the appointed time, or set up a reminder on your computer.

In general, would you say that HR professionals are successful at maintaining a good work-life balance?

In my experience, HR professionals are reasonably good at this.

HR's role involves the close observation of people and their lives and, as a result, the profession is aware of the ways in which a downward spiral of difficulties can occur.

However, for anyone whose job involves working with people and their difficulties, there is always a risk of work over-spilling into personal life. I am aware of some HR professionals who leave their business mobile phones switched on all the time. This can endanger work-life balance. It is preferable to agree a rota system with colleagues to ensure that everyone is guaranteed some down time.

What is the latest thinking on the subject?

Mental attitude is as significant as external factors (see www.stress.org.uk). Worrying about every little problem generates a 'fight or flight' response within the body, which in turn makes it more difficult to deal with everyday life.

People vary enormously in their ability to deal with stress, even when they are facing broadly similar challenges. Strategising and planning for life's known challenges can reduce their stressful impact. Using thought-stopping and positive thinking techniques can also be very helpful (see professor Stephen Palmer's article at www.managingstress.com/articles/cpr2.pdf).