Work-life balance is achievable, if you understand its nature and nuances.
Source: Kaboompics/Pexels
Although the term work-life balance makes it seem like a dichotomous problem that can be solved by simply figuring out how much time you should distribute between work and life, actually achieving a sense of balance is anything but simple. This is because work-life balance is a multi-faceted phenomenon, one that involves multiple, intertwined, and changing variables that play individually unique roles in how easy or hard it is to achieve.
In a recent analysis of work-life balance studies between 2010 and 2022, researchers identified four predictive antecedents related to work-life balance (Karos & Barokah, 2023), which shed interesting light on its complexities and why it often seems so elusive.
Antecedents of Work-Life Balance
Demographic variables. This includes age, gender, work experience, marital status, income, family type, and number of dependents (Karos & Barokah, 2023). Changes in these variables over time can significantly influence feelings about work-life balance. Although gender doesn't typically change over time, there are many nuanced variables related to gender that can substantially affect feelings of work-life balance, including primary breadwinner status, primary caregiver status, who primarily assumes domestic responsibilities, parenthood, single parenting, wage inequality, gender role influences, and cultural norms (Pace & Sciotto, 2021).
Individual variables. These are person-specific variables, and include factors such as personality type, security/insecurity, resilience, self-efficacy, psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, stress levels, job satisfaction, and job engagement (Karos & Barokah, 2023). As an example, individuals who are more engaged, agreeable, positive, and secure are more likely to report satisfaction than those who are closed-off, anxious, insecure, or defensive (Holliday Wayne, et al., 2004).
Organizational variables. These are job-related factors, including workplace flexibility, work hours, workload, work arrangements (e.g., in-office, remote, flexible hours, compressed work week), organizational support and resources, as well as perceived colleague support, supervisor support, and co-worker support. The more work-related flexibility and perceived support, the more feelings of work-life satisfaction (Karos & Barokah, 2023).
Environmental variables. These relate to the environment surrounding the employee, including specific job characteristics (e.g., skill variety, job autonomy, task significance, amount and type of feedback), career opportunities, and technological advancements (Karos & Barokah, 2023). Technology, however, can be a double-edged sword. While it can increase productivity and improve satisfaction by making work more remotely accessible to employees, 24/7 accessibility can make it more difficult to separate work from life and lead to work overload (Muthu, et al., 2015).
While the multitude and complexity of factors related to work-life balance may make it seem unattainable, knowledge is power. Feeling balanced is attainable, but your expectations may need to change as work and life variables evolve over time. For example, viewing balance as a flexible and fluid construct that you can pay forward or pay back can make it feel less elusive.
It's also important to recognize that although balance implies that work and life are distinct entities that should be equally balanced, that's not realistic or manageable. Instead, try approaching the two as interconnected with permeable borders that you can learn to manage and move through as needed or desired. As a recent study revealed, one of the keys to successful balancing is recognizing that work and life are both positively and negatively intertwined, and success requires active and ongoing maneuvering between the two to create a life that brings you the least amount of stress and the most degree of satisfaction as possible (Győrffy et al., 2023).
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/high-octane-women/202503/the-complexity-and-challenges-of-work-life-balance
