The past few years' turmoil has caused many recurring mentality shifts, but a surprisingly positive one is how people have spent time in their homes and with their immediate families or roommates. Here in Portland, family members who would have been out at work or in socializing settings poured their time into their family life and, in many cases, discovered that there were changes needed in their more hectic day-to-day.
No one would want the reason for so much closeness and home time to be COVID-19, but as more companies bring employees back to the office and family lives get busy outside the home again, many people are ready for a change. The changes can vary widely, but if you want your work/life balance to be stronger in the long term, achieving a work/life balance is easier than ever before. Here are some tips for balancing work and life.
Push Back on Damaging Work Culture
There may never be a better time to avoid going back to the status quo than right after a relaxing of COVID-19 related restrictions. For instance, if your company pays workers a reasonable wage for 40 hours a week but people routinely put in 60 hours alongside a commute, now might be the time to talk to your colleagues. Figure out where the culture of overwork has come from and see if a group of you are willing to bring new efficiency and effectiveness while working fewer late nights. Boundary setting with a group can be a lot easier than going it alone.
Get Management On Board With a Healthier, Happier Workforce
When performance reviews happen at work, talk to them about some baby steps toward a better work/life balance. Remind them that good work/life balance is associated with more productivity, lower turnover, and better physical and mental health. It translates into actual savings for the company since excessive sick days, recruiting new employees, and inefficient long hours result from poor work-life balance. By being concrete with what you want - to be out of the office at 5:30 pm every day, or to work from home long-term two days a week, or to be scheduled for no more than one weekend a month - but also showing them the advantage for the company, you can sometimes make gains.
Get Clear on In-home Labor Division and Get Everyone to Pitch In
Paid work isn't the only place where workers get burned out. If you and your romantic partner or roommates are all working outside the home, but one person is taking on most of the in-home work, that person is getting way less free time than everyone else. Take this opportunity as a time to push back on the standard division of labor and ask what others, including older children, can pick up to make everyone a little less stressed.
Consider Part-Time and Freelance or Self-Employment Options
While not everyone can make a part-time, freelance, or self-employed job work, these options can sometimes give you back the kind of time you want to be spending. Working part-time while, for instance, pursuing an artistic career or taking time to do budget travel can bring fulfillment and keep the checking account happy. On the other hand, if you find yourself with too much free time, a freelance job or two can be a way to stick it out at your current job and make more money and exercise other skills.
Use Flexible Coursework to Grow at Your Company and in the Job Market
Whether you're starting a career, switching careers in the middle of your working life, or shaping your career to be a little more work-life friendly, Portland Community College is an asset. The courses we offer are focused on helping you get credentials that will directly assist you in getting the job you want. PCC offers affordable classes at convenient times to fit around a busy work and life schedule.
Taking courses can help you explore a different field, but they also can help you retain your current employer's interest. For instance, take courses in leadership and conflict resolution when you want to take on a management role in your current work. At the same time, taking courses in new fields can allow you to start applying for jobs in an industry that has a better culture of work-life balance. You might be working 60-hour weeks now but take courses that help you move into an industry where it's strange to exceed your 40 hour week.
We have developed an incredible variety of online, hybrid, and in-person courses that lead to the credentials that individual industries recognize as superior signs of skill. Get to know our offerings today and shape your career around the life you want to lead!
