Achieving Work-Life Balance
Sara Wilson, CPCC |
Nonprofit leaders I work with frequently say that finding work-life balance is a continual challenge. Leaders often know the benefits of creating more equilibrium for themselves and their organizations, but often work 50+ hours per week and find it hard to disconnect even when away from the office.
How do we create balance in this fast-paced, demanding, competitive world?
What are some of the actions you can take now to improve your workplace culture? What work-life boundaries have you collaboratively established with your staff, board members, and colleagues?
Are you your own worst enemy? Is responding to emails at all hours a real need or do you have your superhero/ine cape on and feel like you must be available 24/7?
Creating work-life balance is, well, work. To achieve balance, we must be vigilant. We must prioritize our spouses, partners, families, friends, and ourselves.
Issues of work-life balance arise, in part, when there is a lack of communication about expectations for workloads, time off, and emails after hours. The absence of agreed-upon expectations often occurs on all levels—between staff, between the executive director and staff, and between the executive director and board.
Check out our resource on work-life balance with concrete actions that will help you take to foster a more work-life friendly organizational culture, whether you are an all-volunteer organization or one with paid staff.
To take it to the next level, initiate staff- and board-wide conversations about potential stressors and solutions for change, and get started being more balanced.