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We have come to an era where almost everything is digitalized. Yes, digitalization allows us to work as we want, but it creates a blurred line between work and personal life. Hence. Carrying out a work-life balance in the digital era remains a challenge and a continuous journey.
Flexibility is the main bonus to this digitalization as we do not really have to work at the office like we used to do. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are more demanding to work from home. Ecommerce has also contributed to the increasing digitalization today. In fact, there was in-depth research on e-commerce back in 2021 that there have been more than 26 million e-commerce sites in the world and more are still being created today.
With all those facts about digitalization, the balance between work and personal life is still far away from being healthy.
What is Work-Life Balance?
In short, work-life balance is a condition with equal portions between one’s professionalism and private life. Below are some reasons that may lead to an imbalance between the two:
- Extra work responsibilities
- More working hours
- Extra responsibilities at home
- Having kids
A career expert Chris Chancey stated that a healthy work-life balance might have many positive impacts, such as lower stress levels, less risk of burnout, and higher levels of well-being. These benefits are not only enjoyed by many workers but also by employers. Such positive impacts can lead to other benefits, such as excellent work performance and cost savings.
The Importance of Work-Life Balance in the Digital Era
Advanced technology and digitalization have contributed to the professional world’s reinvention. It means there will be more flexibility in the future of professionalism. Thanks to remote or mobile work systems that facilitate this even better. Not to mention that other policies—such as the outsourcing recruitment system, freelance or part-time employment, and unpaid leave—also support it. However, all of it costs you your personal life.
Many business leaders should support a culture or a system that can encourage workers to have a work-life balance. Whether you work from home or the office, if you suffer from burnout, you won’t get anything but productivity reduction, which will ultimately bring your company to a loss. Even worse, in this digital era where millions of start-ups compete, lower productivity is the last thing you want to deal with.
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance?
In the past, people tended to have more balance between work and personal life than people nowadays. They worked within the normal hours every week and enjoyed time with their family on their days off. Nevertheless, we can make more money in the digital era way better than people used to do. That fortunate fact does not mean we “work hard and play hard,” though.
Therefore, just do not hesitate to unplug during your break time. Cutting off ties with the online world or working for a bit of a while can allow us to heal from our stress and will let us have even more brilliant ideas for work. If your job demands you to stand by online, you may always take some brief breaks more frequently. Something short but healing like a “power nap,” coffee/tea break, and/or simple meditation can work out well for you.
If you have achieved a healthy work-life balance, you will always be able to spend more time with your loved ones and develop into a much more qualified worker.