Beyond the grind: How prioritizing well-being boosts both life and career

Work-life balance is not just about dividing hours between the office and personal life, it is about creating harmony between professional responsibilities and personal well-being.

In today’s fast-paced world, where hustle culture is often glorified, achieving this balance is crucial for mental, emotional, and physical health.

As Dolly Parton once said, "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life,” An imbalance between work and personal life can lead to several negative effects, including chronic stress, burnout, strained relationships, and even health issues. Overworking can reduce productivity and creativity, making it harder to enjoy both professional and personal accomplishments.

Many employees worry about losing their jobs and having to constantly prove themselves or go above and beyond what is required of them in order to keep up a good reputation at work, even at the expense of their personal lives.

Another obstacle to work-life balance is not knowing what to do when you're not working. When life outside of work is boring and uninteresting, it might be hard to take time off.

Studies have shown that employees with a good work-life balance tend to be more satisfied, engaged, and productive in their roles. On the other hand, an overworked individual may struggle with fatigue, reduced motivation, and overall dissatisfaction.

“Maintaining my work life balance has been a big challenge for me, my life revolves around work, Monday to Friday I am working, and during the weekends I just want to sleep, relax and probably clean and in turn my social life is a bit struggle. Talk about adulating,” Kagweria stated.

Being a well-rounded person who succeeds both at home and at work requires striking a healthy work-life balance. However, that requires effort, and each person's ideal balance is unique. It can entail finding a completely new employment that suits your needs, setting up a flexible schedule with your company, or taking a break. Think on what you need to improve your work-life balance, then do something about it. 

Simon, staff coordinator at the Vizx International Staffing Solution, “My state of work is more hybrid, I necessarily don't have to go to, the office, every single day and balancing my work and social life was a challenge but I can say I am hacking it, intentionality has been key in the progress and continuity of my relationship and friendships,”

“So having to check up on people, staying off social media and interacting with people, like in person conversations, going for dates and planning hang- outs, having a specific time where I have allocated for my family and friends doing that over time has really kept me going, with the relationships that I have,” he added

Emmanuel Kioko, a psychologist, says that self-care plays a crucial role in our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. Since self -care is majorly about balance we will be able to thrive at work and other spaces because of striking a balance, this, in turn, will help maintain a work life balance because we will be able to identify an area that is struggling and in turn work on it.

He adds that exercising can be one of the best coping mechanisms, having a great social support system is important as well, connect with friends and/or family, seeking professional help in form of therapy may also come in handy.

“It is important to draw a clear distinction between work roles and other responsibilities, having boundaries with colleagues, having an out of office auto response to avoid getting work notifications on your devices,’’ he noted

“Finding a sustainable balance requires conscious effort and practical steps, such as planning your task, using time management apps, calendars, and to-do lists, that will help in managing the responsibilities. Regular breaks throughout the workday improve focus and efficiency. Additionally, taking time to unplug from digital devices allows the mind to reset, reducing stress and preventing burnout.”

The conventional notion of work-life balance is changing as remote work and flexible job arrangements become more popular. More businesses are implementing rules that assist their staff in striking a sustainable balance as they realize how important mental and emotional health is.

In the end, work-life balance is about making deliberate decisions that permit both professional and personal fulfilment rather than striving for perfection. It's about realizing that the quality of life outside of work is just as important as professional accomplishments in determining success. We don't live to work; we work to live. Therefore, stand back, reevaluate your schedule, and make sure you're actually living rather than just working.