Building a Framework to Achieve Work-Life Balance

2021 ◽  
pp. 215-229
Author(s):  
Amanda Richards ◽  
Don Richards
Keyword(s):  
Self Care ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Home Life ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Working Couples

Based on their trials and errors as a co-working couple over a two-year period, the authors developed and refined a series of actionable steps for others to adopt when attempting to balance their home life with their work life. They note what sparse academic literature is available for co-working couples, identify issues and problems, and offer various recommendations on developing balance through reflection, self-care, and effective communication. They conclude that the process of developing a personal framework for work-life balance is just as much a personal endeavor as it is a team endeavor and will require constant work and revisions in order to be truly effective in the long run.

British doctors’ work–life balance and home-life satisfaction: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2021-141338
Author(s):  
Swati Parida ◽  
Abdullah Aamir ◽  
Jahangir Alom ◽  
Tania A Rufai ◽  
Sohaib R Rufai
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Home Life

PurposeTo assess British doctors’ work–life balance, home-life satisfaction and associated barriers.Study designWe designed an online survey using Google Forms and distributed this via a closed social media group with 7031 members, exclusively run for British doctors. No identifiable data were collected and all respondents provided consent for their responses to be used anonymously. The questions covered demographic data followed by exploration of work–life balance and home-life satisfaction across a broad range of domains, including barriers thereto. Thematic analysis was performed for free-text responses.Results417 doctors completed the survey (response rate: 6%, typical for online surveys). Only 26% reported a satisfactory work–life balance; 70% of all respondents reported their work negatively affected their relationships and 87% reported their work negatively affected their hobbies. A significant proportion of respondents reported delaying major life events due to their working patterns: 52% delaying buying a home, 40% delaying marriage and 64% delaying having children. Female doctors were most likely to enter less-than-full-time working or leave their specialty. Thematic analysis revealed seven key themes from free-text responses: unsocial working, rota issues, training issues, less-than-full-time working, location, leave and childcare.ConclusionsThis study highlights the barriers to work–life balance and home-life satisfaction among British doctors, including strains on relationships and hobbies, leading to many doctors delaying certain milestones or opting to leave their training position altogether. It is imperative to address these issues to improve the well-being of British doctors and improve retention of the current workforce.

Are You in Balance!!

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Supriya Jha
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Personal Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Home Life

The expression "work-life balance" was first used in the late 1970s to describe the balance between an individual's work and personal life. In the United States, this phrase was first used in 1986. As the separation between work and home life has diminished, this concept has become more relevant than ever before.

Work-Life Balance Among Dual-Earner Couples in the Organized Sector

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Devika Maitra ◽  
Dr. Hemalata K
Keyword(s):  
Social Roles ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Dual Earner ◽  
The Social ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Working People ◽  
Working Couples

Women in the workforce, at one time, were the rare exception but today dual earner couples are the norm. Social roles and expectations are undergoing a change and hence understanding work-life balance is important in today’s day and age. The study focuses on working couples across various sectors, where both partners hold a full-time job in the organized sector. Understanding effects of work-life imbalance of wife on husband’s life is also equally important in the social scenario today. Organizations also need to cater to these needs of work-life balance of their employees. The snowball technique was used to collect the sample, for ease of reaching dual earner couples. The study focused on married working people with working spouses, with a targeted sample of 30 couples. The questionnaire was administered through email to these couples and a total of 23 complete responses were received. It was found that no significant difference exists between the score of either domain of Work-Life Balance of spouses.

Assessing the Impact of Mobile Technologies on Work-Life Balance

2009 ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
Sharon Cox
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Home Life ◽  
Healthy Work ◽  
Social Organizational ◽  
The Impact

Mobile technologies such as laptops and mobile phones enable work to be conducted remotely, away from the normal working environment. Removing the geographical boundaries between work life and home life poses new challenges within the context of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This article proposes a multidimensional model for assessing the impact of mobile technologies on work-life balance considering social, organizational, legal, technological, and ethical issues to inform the development of human resource strategies.

scholarly journals Work-life balance in medical students: self-care in a culture of self-sacrifice

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aled Picton
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Medical Council ◽  
Life Balance

Abstract Background Work-life balance is a key contributor to doctors’ wellbeing and consequently is a central factor in their career decisions. General Medical Council guidance outlines the importance of work-life balance as part of compassionate self-care. Learning self-care should begin as an undergraduate, when academic and clinical workload can contribute to stress, anxiety and burnout. Methods Sequential mixed methods study of medical students in Years 3–5 at the University of Birmingham, UK. Students (n = 145) defined work-life balance in free-text answers and self-assessed their current work-life balance via questionnaires. Following this, a sub-sample of students (n = 44) participated in exploratory individual mini-interviews. Results Work-life balance emerged as a broad and multifactorial concept. Questionnaire respondents most frequently referenced enjoyment, meeting work requirements and time management in their definitions. Interview participants highlighted additional influencing factors such as peer groups, study skills, family and professional culture. Students expect a significant shift towards work after graduating and expressed concerns about the stresses of delivering patient care. 42% (n = 60) of students felt they had received support with their work-life balance during their training, mostly from family and friends. Most students had not received support or advice on their work-life balance from University or hospital staff. Conclusion Self-care and work-life balance are essential for medical students and doctors to cope with lifelong learning and deliver effective care. Medical school staff should be pro-active in supporting students to develop these skills, particularly during critical transition periods. Early interventions targeting study skills and time management may be beneficial. Further research should include students in Years 1–2 and compare different institutions.

Creating and Maintaining Balance

2022 ◽  
pp. 533-545
Author(s):  
Kimber O. Underdown ◽  
Crystal L. McCabe ◽  
Michael F. McCabe
Keyword(s):  
Self Care ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
The Future ◽  
Online Educators ◽  
Life Work

This chapter will discuss how to ensure that online educators are caring for themselves in order to avoid stress, burnout, and leaving the professions. Because many educators feel additional stressors when working online or from home, the following topics will be discussed to mitigate these stressors: life-work balance, self-care, and mindfulness. Each section will detail the research behind each strategy and will specific ways educators can implement these strategies with ease. The authors share key strategies to work-life balance, self-care, and mindfulness, as well as ways in which the reader can easily teach his or her own students these same skills to increase the likelihood that the future workforce is prepared for the stressors that will inevitably be a part of their lives.

scholarly journals The Influence of Work Life Balance and Job Satisfaction on Organizational Commitment of Healthcare Employees

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Mohammad Azeem ◽  
Nadeem Akhtar
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Healthcare Employees

The study examines the effects of perceived work-life balance and job satisfaction on organizational commitment among healthcare employees. It was predicted that perceived work-life balance fosters job satisfaction which leads to the organizational commitment among employees in the long run. The degree of work-life balance  is measured using the five statements from Chaney (2007) and eight statements from Gutak et. Al. (1991). Short version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was used to measure job satisfaction. Organizational commitment was measured by selecting 11 items from Blau et.al.’s (1993) work commitment index. 275 respondents completed the survey. Results showed that respondents have moderate level of perceived work-life balance, job satisfaction and commitment.  Significant relationship is found among work-life balance, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. A regression analysis revealed that 37% variance in organizational commitment and job satisfaction is attributed to work-life balance.

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