What do you do if your job satisfaction is low due to an unbalanced work-life approach?

Improving Work-Life Balance An article by Wei and Villwock (2021) provides the following suggestions to help improve work-life integration: • Effective time management • Setting realistic expectations • Getting proper nutrition and exercise • Expressing gratitude Source: Wei JL, Villwock JA. Balance versus integration: work-life considerations. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2021;54(4):823-837.

In my experience, I practice mindfulness everyday through medication, I often look at what's going on in my life being aware of my thoughts, experiences and emotions, I often practice gratitude every day. I focus on being grateful for everything that has happened that day.

Work-life balance is a most abused term these days. I am sure plenty of genuine cases but mostly its because folks are comparing their work/life with their peers / friends / alumni circle etc.

If job satisfaction is low due to work-life imbalance, first, assess what aspects of your job are most disruptive. Communicate openly with your manager about your concerns and suggest realistic adjustments that could improve balance, like flexible working hours or prioritizing tasks. Explore company resources for stress management or work-life integration. Consider setting firmer boundaries around work hours and dedicating time to activities that rejuvenate you outside work. If the situation doesn't improve, it may be time to evaluate other career opportunities that align better with your work-life balance goals.

Work-life balance is an individualized aspect and will likely look different for each worker. As this balance has been brought to the forefront of both workers’ and employers’ minds following the COVID pandemic, discussion, best practices, and support has likely become available to some degree in many businesses. Being mindful may include your awareness of not only how you define your work-life balance, but how your employer defines or considers it. The difference between these two definitions is what you will have to navigate in order to make significant decisions (including whether to stay with your employer, have meaningful conversations with your people leader, or begin to look for a more accommodating employer).

Struggling with work-life balance? Mindfulness is your ally. Start small with mindful breaks, set clear boundaries, and prioritize self-care. Watch as your balance improves, leading to enhanced job satisfaction!

Sometimes you have to push through things like this, but one should always evaluate the situation. Is it short-term or long-term? If it is short-term then one may be able to weather the storm and see things clear up, but if it lasts too long it could damage a person's career or their personal life. It is always better to identify issues earlier than waiting too long, letting them create damage to their personal or professional life if untended. Reaching out to a mentor for advice or even talking to supervision can additionally help alleviate the situation at hand, creating a positive path forward.

Begin by focusing on your breath. Take short breaks for mindful breathing, stay present in tasks, and embrace a non-judgmental mindset. Elevate your workday with simple, effective mindfulness practices!

One time at work I had 3 critical reports that I needed to complete same day. I felt overwhelmed and confused. To overcome this situation and still deliver on the assignment, I requested for help from my colleagues, and I distributed the work amongst the three of us. During the day I took breaks while reflecting on how to put across a good report. At the end of the day, I was still able to deliver. What I learnt is that you need to seek help to ensure you take in manageable tasks.

In my experience, I take my kids to bed every day, I ask them to share how their day was at school and I also share my experience at work that day. I remind them to be grateful for the day and we pray together. This way our connection grows deeper everyday.

Assessing your work-life balance and job satisfaction is vital for overall well-being. Utilizing tools like work-life balance quizzes offers a quick and efficient method to gauge your equilibrium between professional and personal life. These quizzes, readily available online, typically inquire about various aspects of your work and personal life, providing scores and feedback to pinpoint areas for enhancement. By leveraging such resources, individuals can identify areas of imbalance and take proactive steps towards achieving a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle

We’re all so different - and in different stages of life - there’s no such thing as the perfect recipe for getting the balance between work and personal life. In my 20’s at the start of my chosen career, I regularly put in 14+ hour days, because I was passionate about my job/career and because I had no one else to take care of. I quickly realised that I actually needed to take care of my own health, rather than take it for granted, if I wanted to continue to make a significant contribution in the workplace. An awareness of one’s own strengths and limitations is key to managing where to put one’s time, energy and focus. And, crucially, an awareness of one’s overall intention in career/job and home life.

"How to measure your work-life balance and job satisfaction?" Work-life balance is a myth. Nowhere in the Universe is there a work-life imbalance. Let's say you enjoy building spreadsheets to track areas of your life like sleep, spending habits, food consumption. You sell your spreadsheets. Your life is building spreadsheets for yourself. Making them available to others can produce an income for you. Where is the work? It's the same as if a squirrel were to sell the excess nuts he gathered, to other squirrels. You have created a separation, therefore you need balance, because your work is not something you do as your life. Destroy the myth. Go make your work your life.

It isn't always easy but it is important to have "real" conversations with yourself, supervisor and those people in your personal life. Be real with everyone and clearly communicate your desires and what balance means to you. I like to think of it as work-life focus. This means there will be times when the focus may need to shift to more "work" related but if you remember this is just the current focus, you can then switch to a more "home-life" focus at other times. Finding the right balance is key.

If it is affecting your mental health, family life, identity & also physical health... Quit. Let's stop the LinkedIn cult mentality that you have to sacrifice your soul for money & the company. If you die from a stroke, they will replace you the next day. It's just business.

In addition to what Adrian said, I would try and negotiate with the company a compromise. If the company is not willing to negotiate, as Was said quite! The company is all about profit at the expense of people. I know of a few folks that worked in a high profile commercial space company that quite because the work hours were insane and no negotiation of family/work life balance.

In my experience, while mindfulness techniques derived from monastic practices can enhance awareness and presence, they may not always be the most effective for individuals immersed in fast-paced, worldly environments. These practices often aim for a quiet, calm state of mind, which may not align with the dynamic and responsive nature required in entrepreneurial settings. I've found that non-monastic practices cultivate a more responsive capacity to time-sensitive opportunities, can be more beneficial. These practices foster the right mindset, emotion, energy, and action needed to thrive in worldly environments. Therefore, exploring and adopting such non-monastic practices could potentially improve job satisfaction and work-life balance.