Work to Live or Live to Work

Are you waking up into a tired and fatigued morning? Does the night seem resentful and disquieting? And the day in-between? Does it seem like a long arduous journey with no respite in sight? Well… it’s time we woke up to the outbreak of the latest virus of our times. Burnout.

We all face the issue of time management at one point or another. Juggling jobs, long commuting hours, raising one or more children, pressing deadlines, soaring targets, fastidious bosses, self-imposed standards, ongoing trainings and upgrading …Phew! Endless days seeping into nights and vacation and leisure time swallowed up with issues other than relaxation and personal fulfillment.

In fact, a recent study of more than 50,000 employees from a variety of manufacturing and service organizations in America found that two out of every five employees are dissatisfied with the balance between their work and their personal lives. The lack of balance “is due to long work hours, changing demographics, more time in the car, the deterioration of boundaries between work and home, and increased work pressure,” says the study’s author, Bruce Katcher, president of the Discovery Group, a management consulting firm.

The Balancing Act

How much work is invading your personal life, and how much of your personal life is affected by the stress of trying to balance all the many responsibilities in your life?

"In today's high pressure world, burnout is often referred to as 'the disease of our times', but few people are able to recognize it and even fewer understand its causes and the preventative measures that can be taken to avoid or lessen its impact," says clinical social worker Jackie Price. 

According to Price, burnout is actually a syndrome that is the end-result of stress.  It is characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion accompanied by an inability to continue to struggle toward the achievements of goals and expectations.  Signs of burnout include negative thinking, avoidance of conflict, guilt, anger, resentment and the feeling that work is a burden. 

Burnout Club — Rules and Regulations

¨ Be a "perfectionist" - never accept anything less than perfection.

¨ Work at least ten hours each day; work as many holidays as possible.

¨ Adhere to a diet of "fast foods" and candy bars.

¨ Adhere to inflexible professional standards.

¨ Assume the responsibility for solving the problems of all your friends, family and co-workers.

¨ Never delegate any responsibility.

¨ Never say "NO" - try to please all the people, all of the time.

¨ Never waste time relaxing.

¨ Never exercise.

¨ Never take any time off for yourself; if you are ever forced to do so, feel as guilty as possible about it.

¨ You must remember that everyone comes first and your needs come last.

¨ Above all, get emotionally involved in everything you do.  Learn to empathize in all aspects of your life.

Work-life balance for Retention

Eight out of 10 people in India say that work-life balance considerations play a crucial role in their decision to stay with or leave their current employer. A recent survey found that more than 4 out of 10 employees are actively considering finding a new job with a different employer, and nearly 8 out of 10 of employees believe work-life balance to be a very important consideration - if not the key consideration - in deciding to leave for a new job.

With more MNCs establishing an Indian footprint, there’s a plethora of opportunities for the Indian youth. But, there’s always the burgeoning problem of disillusioned working professionals who are finding it difficult to strike the work-life balance.

Balance for the Indian Woman…

Specially in the case of Indian women, who constantly have to cater to the many angles of life existence like home, hearth, child-rearing, caring for elderly in-laws and other social bindings, maintaining the right work-life balance and dealing with work-related stress will continue to be a challenge.

Today, there are Indian women in top positions in sectors like finance and banking, marketing, automobile and engineering. The success story of women is not restricted to urban areas. Rural women contributing to brand names like Amul and Lijjat Papad speak volumes about the tenacity and commitment of Indian women. But, is there truly a conducive atmosphere for the working woman who wishes to keep her family values, bringing up children, tending to social obligations and her work life on the same plane?

‘We need to show a little more understanding for the fact that most women have to strike a balance between personal and professional lives. For that matter, even men have to,’ feels Nita Kapoor, Sr Vice-President, Mktg and Corporate Affairs, Godfrey Phillips India Ltd.

Striking a balance - What we suggest

Work-life balance is about adjusting work patterns to accommodate other responsibilities. And, survey shows that attaining equilibrium in life is necessary for both genders to tap the best of potential. In today’ stressful times, where boundaries blot into each other, leaving most of us foggy and uncertain, this is what we think…

¨ Accept the givens - distinguish between what you can change and what you can't;

¨ Establish a priority list of job tasks and learn to delegate. 

¨ Mix up stress and non-stress projects. 

¨ Set achievable limits. 

¨ Build a support system of co-workers and friends. 

¨ View yourself as having alternatives and choices. 

¨ Take things less personally. 

¨ Re-examine your values - clarify what is important in the roles you play. 

¨ Provide your own reinforcements.

¨ Praise yourself sometimes. 

¨ Stay calm. 

¨ Relax and slow things down.  Take TIME OUT. 

¨ I don't need to feel threatened.  I can relax and stay cool: 

¨ Don’t be hard on yourself.

¨ It is impossible to control other people and situations. 

¨ It is okay to be uncertain or insecure sometimes.

¨ Handle criticism with a pinch of salt.

¨ It is okay to make mistakes.  That’s why pencil ends have erasers.

¨ Be accommodative of other people’s shortcomings.

¨ Don’t sweat the small stuff

Getting a life…

One of the many challenges that we have in life is finding the right balance between our work and our personal lives. In a world dominated by “bottom line” thinking, it’s easy to get sucked into the whirlpool. Before we know it, we start believing that our self-worth is determined by our jobs, not our inner state of being. The Bhagavad Gita said about not being so attached to our work or ‘karma’, that it would become a part of our beings. Work must be done with peace of mind if we were to be fulfilled by it. And, most importantly, it should not run into areas of personal fulfillment.

It’s time we realized that there’s never a better time to be alive. Life never provides a second chance.

So, take a deep breath. Say relaxation, say respite, say wellness! Rise from the crushing debris of workload, deadlines, targets, and stress. Hum your favorite tune. Think your favorite thought. Walk barefoot. Play in the mud. Soak up the rain. Bask in the autumn sun. Enjoy the sunset.

Go on then, wake up to life!!!