Work-Life Balance

MoneyWatch for January 2008
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Finding a healthy balance between work and life was at one time simpler for the majority of people. That was when the normal work week was Monday through Friday, eight or nine hours a day. This balance has become more of a challenge as the work place has evolved. With the increase of jobs, technology, and global communications, it is now literally possible to work any time of the day and from anywhere. Employees can feel pressure to work longer hours in order to get a promotion or to make overtime wages. You may reap the benefits of this choice, but there too are consequences. Consider the following:

You may be actually adding work for yourself. Extreme fatigue can cause you to make mistakes that will need to be corrected later. This is not good for your reputation or the organization as a whole.
You might miss out on important events with your family, which can harm relationships with your loved ones.
Good friends are an important part of our support system and working long hours can prevent you from making time for these friendships.
Your boss may begin to expect you to work overtime, which can cause an increase in workload and responsibility. This can be great for your career, but it can also begin a cycle where you have to work longer hours to get everything done.

Working overtime is important in many circumstances to climb the corporate ladder or even to adjust to a new job. Many small business owners feel as though their life is their work, and it can be even more difficult for them to find this healthy balance. The key is to do everything in moderation. The following are some tips to get you started from MayoClinic.com:

Plan each day to make you feel more in control. Make lists and put all the important tasks at the top. See if there is work you can eliminate or delegate to someone else.
Learn how to say no to unnecessary tasks. Click on the following link to find out how: MayoClinic.com: Learn how to say no
Do a quality job the first time. This can take more time initially, but it will pay off when there are few or no mistakes to redo.
Working harder doesn’t always mean working longer. Make sure you are utilizing your time at work to increase productivity.
Get plenty of sleep and exercise. Easier said than done, but this can drastically improve your focus and productivity.
Don’t make every lunch a business lunch. Meet up with friends or take some time for yourself.
Take a break when you need one and protect your days off.

Click on the links below for more information.

State and Local Resources
Ohio Business Development Coalition: Work/Life Balance
Crain’s Cleveland Business: Staying on Track
The Ohio State University Extension: Opening Doors on Work/Life Issues

National Resources
NPR: What’s Happening to Home?
SCORE: Growing Your Business While Maintaining Balance
Entrepreneur.com: Keeping Your Marriage Intact
Business Week: Fathers Want Work-Family Balance, Too
Woman and Biz Magazine: Work-Family Balance
Inc.com: Finding Balance
All Business: Is Work/Life Balance Possible for Small Business Owners?

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Research assistance for MoneyWatch is from Cleveland State University Nance College of Business Administration. Information on the Nance MBD program is available here.