Gen Y Work Perspective: Why Is a Work-life Balance Needed?
The idea of a balance between work and life has become almost foreign in the 21st century. With technology’s ubiquity, constantly tackling work requests online and over the phone has become commonplace for a portion of the population even when they are vacationing. For others, their social and personal lives have a much more prominent role; they feel as though work is just not that important. In reality, finding a balance between the two is key.
Here are some things to consider:
Know The Field
The idea of a work-life balance is not going to be the same for every single individual, and gaining a sense of the field’s requirements can help you to develop realistic expectations. For example, if you are looking into becoming a web designer, you can start to get a sense of what a typical day is like for this type of worker. Doing so allows you to start to see how to get a good work life balance in this field. Realistic expectations play an important role in getting you started on a good career development plan.
Care About Both
Part of the problem is that some members of the Gen Y workforce do not care. They may stay so career-oriented that they forget about the importance of personal time and activities with friends. Others are so driven by their need to spend time with their relatives and friends that they forget how their career lets them pursue individual passions and generate an income. Remembering that both elements are important helps to motivate people. If you take this step, you will likely start to feel more encouraged to work toward both since you recognize that they matter.
Finances
Maintaining a balance between work and life is important for financial reasons. Although a small percentage of the population inherits a great deal of money and has tremendous financial support from their families, most individuals have to work in order to be able to procure a place to live, purchase food and pay for basic necessities. However, if people spend all of their time working, then they do not get to enjoy the things that are paying for, which is a waste of money.
Relationships With People
Building relationships is something that you have likely done throughout your life, and this process does not end simply because you are now an adult in the workforce. Maintaining strong relationships at work helps to propel you forth in your career, and it also shows your superiors that you are interested in and dedicated to the job. When you want to apply to a higher position in the company, you may find that you have a great deal of company support to do so. On the other hand, maintaining strong relationships with your relatives and friends is important because these people bring you joy; they have been there with you since before you acquired the job.
Personal Pursuits
You also want to make sure that you do not lose out on opportunities to pursue the activities that you love. Paying attention to your job, whether you pursue freelance work or work for a major company, helps you to put your interests to professional use. In your personal life, on the other hand, you can take classes or pursue activities that allow you to exercise your talents at a more casual level. You may keep these activities as casual hobbies or decide to become a master in the field. In fact, you can find a career that you love even more from your hobbies.
Emotional Health
Imagine if you ate the same meal over and over again for the rest of your life and never had the opportunity to bring in other foods; you would almost certainly begin to feel stagnant in your existence. When you place too much emphasis on one area of your life, the same effect can manifest. You can begin to feel as though you have only one goal in your life and that other factors are falling to the wayside. Staying well-rounded helps to keep you healthy and happy.
Maintaining a balance between work and life is a difficult pursuit, but you want to make sure that you dedicate time to this important task.
