If you’ve been working for a while, you must have come across terms such as ‘work-life balance' and ‘work-life integration’. It takes little to no effort to understand what these expressions mean. One would say “The words are pretty much self-explanatory.” But, are they?
We often assume work-life integration and work-life balance are synonyms however there is a thin line between them. Of course, both of these expressions talk about the relationship individuals share between their personal and professional lives but when we dive deeper into understanding them, we realize they emphasize different approaches and attitudes towards managing these aspects of life.
Linguistically, balance refers to a state when things are equal in weight and proportion and integration means blending in.
Let us have a look at what work-life balance and work-life integration might look like for an individual.
Ray is a firm believer in striking a balance between work and personal life.
During their office hours, they completely focus on work without any distractions.
They make sure to leave the office by 6 PM every day.
They don’t take work home and prioritize spending time with family over weekends by switching off their work phone and staying away from their office laptop.
Ray has a colleague Fray who embraces the concept of work-life integration.
They do not entirely cut themselves off from other aspects of their life while working on one. Their approach is more fluid.
They adjust their working hours to accommodate personal commitments such as attending a child's school event or a doctor's appointment and make up the time later in the day or week.
They combine work-related trips with some rejuvenating activities to take care of their mental health.
A family vacation is planned at locations where they can also attend professional conferences.
Take a moment here to ponder upon whose approach you felt more inclined towards. If you felt Fray has taken the trophy then keep reading to discover how you can achieve the same in your life and what are ways it can help you.
Define weekly, monthly, and yearly personal and professional goals. It will help you to gain clarity on which aspect of your life needs to be prioritized depending on the goal. It will also reduce your stress and help you focus on what truly matters.
Set clear boundaries but be open to flexible scheduling. Tailor your work hours to fit your life.
When your workload increases, communicate with your family that you need to prioritize work so that later, you can give them your undivided attention.
Do not cut back on ‘me-time’. It prevents burnout, improves mental health, and flourishes relationships.
Utilize remote working benefits, if available.
Blend personal interests into the job to enhance creativity and give yourself a sense of fulfillment.
If however, you felt more comfortable with Ray’s idea of managing work and life, it is completely alright. Besides understanding the difference between these two concepts one also needs to understand that these are not each other's rivals but something that can co-exist in the workplace. The goal should be to lead a life that is fulfilling and keeps your well-being at the forefront.