How to Maintain Work-Life Integration in an Unintegrated World
No matter the season, people love to talk about work-life balance and whether it’s truly achievable in an age fixated on productivity, efficiency, and quick results. Some have even reframed the term as work-life integration, which involves a more realistic blend of personal and professional responsibilities.
The harsh reality is that we live in an incredibly fragmented world, and each piece demands our undivided attention. If we don’t pay careful attention to our wellness, we can easily stretch ourselves out, scrambling to tend to all our tasks and commitments.
So, how can we, as women navigating spaces not always catered to our needs, achieve sustainable balance without compromising our goals? Here, we explore five quick tips for healthy work-life integration.
Balance is more than just self-care.
Make no mistake. Balance absolutely requires self-care, but our external circumstances need to change, too. We can do all the work to steady ourselves and build resilience, but if our communities don’t experience the same growth, our efforts can only go so far.
For effective work-life integration to come into fruition, organizations and larger structures of power must pursue several necessary shifts:
Workplace safety
It should be a given, but women deserve to feel safe at their jobs. Unfortunately, numbers suggest that not everyone shares this luxury. Deloitte reports that:
- Women tend to seek new jobs because of a serious lack of work-life balance and flexibility.
- In comparison to last year, less women feel empowered by their employers to prioritize work-life balance.
- Only one in 10 employees feel secure enough to voice their feelings.
The same study reveals nearly half (43%) of women experienced some form of harassment or microaggressions in the workplace. Even less reported such behavior, largely because of their belief that the treatment wasn’t severe enough, and because they were afraid of negatively impacting their careers.
Whether facilitating more management training or prioritizing their underrepresented employees, companies need to take tangible action in fostering safe work environments where people believe their input matters.
Work flexibility
After COVID-19, many witnessed a drastic change in business culture, and mostly for the better. More than ever, employers offer various work options that accommodate people’s schedules, preferences, and abilities.
Hybrid or remote, work flexibility provides a myriad of benefits that improves our lives in and out of work. According to McKinsey, eight out of ten workers state having improved productivity and less burnout. Going back to the status quo—such as inflexibility and lack of freedom to choose—is no longer an option for companies that want to work toward future-proof success.
Inclusive team culture
Along with the rise of work flexibility, DEIA has rightfully become a topic of debate. But with recent events that now put diversity initiatives and teams on the chopping block, businesses must clearly express their support for all employees and put solutions in place to ensure they receive the recognition they deserve.
McKinsey reveals that despite progress, women are still severely underresourced and underrepresented. Women are less likely to get hired for entry-level roles and receive promotions, and are affected more so if they’re minorities.
DEIA must be visible from top-down. Unfortunately, not all of us are in the position to facilitate such a large transformation—but it’s important to do what we can with the time and tools we have. We can set an example for others through our own actions, and slowly, but surely make a difference in our immediate spheres of influence.
1. Trust yourself to know what you need.
We severely underestimate our gut feelings. When we’re disrespected or overwhelmed, it’s likely that our bodies already know. We must pause and allow ourselves to be fully present with our emotions, as it allows us to identify the solution.
Our CCWomen Head of Marketing, Emily Dunn, shares a practical self-advocacy tip:
“I'm a huge practitioner of saying no to things when I don't have the headspace to engage. This is especially true when we're onsite at events and have the networking happy hours. Part of me would love to network and engage with attendees and CCWomen members, but I know that there are long days ahead, and I need to save my social battery for that. It's tough to say no to things you think you 'should be doing,' but it's more important to me that I take care of my own mental wellbeing and trust that I know what I need.”
2. Lean on your community.
In times of turmoil and imbalance, community is everything. When we’re deep in the trenches and unable to fight our battles, our people are there to step in and lighten the weight of our burdens.
At the height of great political unrest this past week, I knew that I couldn’t find a way forward without my loved ones. When the other shoe finally dropped, we convened at my home and actively fostered a safe space for us to vent our unfiltered thoughts. Different people from my circle, from our wonderful CCWomen team to my long-distance friends, consistently checked in throughout the day. There was anger, fear, and disappointment—but in the presence of other likeminded women and allies, we also found glimpses of hope and solidarity.
When we know that we aren’t fighting our battles alone, even our most pressing issues don’t feel as daunting.
3. Make a care plan that fits your goals.
After making room for our emotions and processing with our inner circle, we must strategize. We don’t have to completely push our goals to the wayside to reestablish balance in our lives; we simply adapt. Ironically, work-life integration is still a fine balancing act. We don’t have to completely rearrange our lives to form better habits. Instead, we should evaluate our current systems of work and set small, yet attainable action items to gradually restructure our internal roadmap.
Consider your boundaries and expectations. Do you need to clarify your work hours? Is there an aspect of your organization culture you want to address? How can you communicate clearly so your team is on the same page? Commit to incremental adjustments.
4. Practice ongoing self-compassion.
As women, many of us tend to set big expectations and criticize ourselves the most when we’re unable to reach them. Self-compassion allows us to take a step back from self-destructive habits and practice gentleness—because, at the end of the day, we can’t do it all.
Sandy Ko Fonseca, Founder and Principal of CCWomen, says:
“I struggle with balance every single day. On one hand I want to be the best, do the most, and be perfect because I hold myself to a ridiculously high standard. The voice in my head keeps pushing me to do more and more and more because I can't and shouldn't accept nothing less. But when it begins to affect my physical well being I know that is where I need to stop and draw the line. I need to take a day to reset and clear my mind. I need to unclench my jaw, drop my shoulders, stand up and stretch, and walk away.”
5. Speak up for yourself and others.
The beauty of intersectionality is that all of us are connected by identity, background, and experience. If one of us is oppressed, all of us are oppressed. But if one of us wins, all of us win. Imagine the change we can be if we stood in the gap for one another. Work-life integration allows us to exercise our agency and voice—and it’s an actionable way for us to fight for equity in our workplaces.
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