In our modern world, setting boundaries around work hours can be very challenging because of our access to constant connection.
This can be both a good thing and a challenge. For entrepreneurs, being constantly connected can allow flexibility of work hours and location. As an employee, being always at the beck and call of email and clients, can come at a cost.
It’s wonderful that we can work from anywhere at any time.
It’s terrible that we can work from anywhere at any time.
Over the last few months the COVID-19 Pandemic has amplified our boundary setting challenges as more and more people have found themselves trying to work from home. It seems finding a balance can be almost impossible, but there are a few ways to manage your own time and expectations to help.
The key to work life balance for us is in setting sustainable expectations we can manage. Within a company, this means open communication channels, where workers can express concerns about overtime demands and management can lay out clear expectations. These expectations need to be shared with customers so that they know about wait times for responses, product and service delivery. When we know when we can expect a reply, we’re much less likely to get angry about a late one.
For entrepreneurs, balance needs to happen between the need for time away from work and the flexibility and constant contact options modern technology has allowed us. These needs will vary tremendously between people - there simply is no one way to succeed at life work balance. And anyone trying to sell you one, is a crook.
In France a few years ago, the issue of employees feeling overworked became a concern for the government. According to the Guardian, beginning January 1, 2017, French workers were given the “right to disconnect.” Under the law, companies with more than 50 employees would need to negotiate with their workforce to create boundaries around work hours and expectation.
Our lesson here isn’t about which guidelines you should put into place - it’s about making sure you create the right ones for you, your employees and your market. Here are some things to consider:
Do you or your employees find that the quality of your product and/or service is suffering because of a lack of work life balance If the emails you feel forced to send at 3am are lacking - you shouldn’t be sending them. Respect your customers and clients enough to share your best work.
Does your product or service demand a 24/7 mentality? While an emergency plumbing company may require responses on Saturday at 8am, we’re pretty sure your marketing clients can wait until Monday. Decide what the product demands are and then set them out clearly for customers.
Is it time to hire more people? If you’ve decided 24/7 is your thing, you can only stretch an employee pool so far before they break. This isn’t the time or place to save - hire more employees to lessen the load and improve the overall service you offer. You may think you’re growing profits, but you’re actually lowering the value of your business.
Cut yourself some slack. Work life balance doesn’t really exist in a digital world. There is no magic equation. Spend some time deciding what’s important to you and make time for that a focus. Take the time to remember why you started that company, or took that job in the first place.