Work life can drain energy from other areas of life, and other areas of life can drain energy from work. If both areas are in balance, we talk about a good work-life balance. But how will work-life balance hold up in Finland after the covid years have passed?
Occupational health psychologist Maria Lehto states that for many, switching to remote work has improved the balance between work life and personal life. It is easier to take a break from work and take care of things related to your own life situation during the day, when commuting is no longer necessary and working is more flexible. On the other hand, it is more difficult to draw a clear line between work and personal life.
– When the laptop and work papers are on the dining table or on the corner of the sofa and the commute is not distracting you from work life, it may have become difficult to disconnect from work. You need to consciously take time for this.
After closing your computer, it would be a good idea to consciously do something other than work for a while.
Remote work also has its downsides. The experience of community is often lacking when working remotely, and this affects many people's ability to cope at work.
Lehto reminds us that recovery during the workday is also an essential part of work-life balance.
– Chatting sessions in the coffee shop or in the hallway can also restore during the workday. Then not all recovery is left to free time.
A sense of control improves balance
There is a lot of talk about balancing work and other life, but not always in a practical way. Too often, discussions focus on the hours spent at work and whether work is already taking up too much of your family and free time.
Instead of just focusing on how you spend your time, it would be better to look at the whole. According to Lehto, one key thing is your own sense of control in working life.
There can be a lot of unfinished business at work and various projects going on, but if you feel that the situation is under control, a full calendar is not a problem.
– There can be a lot of unfinished business at work and various projects going on, but if you feel that the situation is under control, a full calendar is not a problem.
Balance is more easily shaken when you feel that you cannot access the work or that the work is not completed.
– If you feel that you are constantly on edge at work and feel restless and uneasy, these signs are worrying and you should take them seriously.
Breaks create balance
If the feeling of control is lost, the body easily goes into an overstimulated or understimulated state. Neither is something to be pursued in terms of work efficiency or well-being.
– In a state of overstimulation, thoughts race, the heart may race and the feeling is restless and uneasy, you can't really get anything done. In an understimulated state, things are easily forgotten and work gets stuck.
Lehto reminds us that when there are signs of over- or under-stimulation, it means we've already waited too long to take a break. But at this point, it would be a good idea to stop.
In the office, for example, moving from one conference room to another or going to the coffee machine interrupts the workday without us even remembering it. The downside is the number of extra interruptions.
When working remotely from home, it may be easier to concentrate, but it may backfire at the end of the workday. It may be harder to let go of work, and sleep may not come. And of course, chats, teams and other communication tools are beeping at home too.
– The difference between being in a good flow and being over-aroused can sometimes be very subtle. Over-stimulation eats up not only work, but also free time and everyday life.
Divided balance
According to Lehto, successful work-life balance is a phenomenon that should not be allowed to become the exclusive right of only a few.
Work-life balance has also become polarized in Finland. Some working people feel that they are able to manage the balance between work and other life better than before and find ways to disconnect from work.
– I see that work-life balance has also become polarized in Finland due to covid. Some working people feel that they are able to manage the balance between work and other life better than before and find ways to disconnect from work. Some working-age people are experiencing challenges with their own coping skills and loneliness has become more pronounced during the corona period.
The importance of mental well-being has been noticed
It is gratifying that in Finnish working life, issues are being discussed and leadership and supervisor work focus on leading people and the importance of mental well-being.
– We have learned to see that taking good care of people also leads to better work results, Lehto states.
If you want to manage the balance between work and other life in order, the first step is to stop.
– Stopping and figuring out which things are burdening you and what you could do about them is not always easy. But before you stop, it is really difficult to change anything. In addition, I would warmly recommend utilizing occupational health care with a low threshold! Sometimes, when you feel overwhelmed, just talking to someone outside is enough. The situation can then be reorganized for you, too, says Maria Lehto.