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What are the easy to follow 7 Work-Life Integration Strategies for working Indian women? Read here to find them out!
What are the easy-to-follow 7 Work-Life Integration Strategies for working Indian women? Come find out!
What do we mean when we say, work-life integration? It simply means the concept of blending personal life and work, which will ensure the achievement of a peaceful balance in our personal and professional time.
Both are interconnected, our personal life influences our mood at the desk, and our professional life does the same! Attaining that Zen between these two worlds is what separates work-life integration from work-life balance, as the latter is about a clear separation of work and private time!
Work is a part of life, yes surviving in a capitalist world without cursing the concept of labour is hard, very hard. But at the end of the day, work brings food to our table. And for us Indian women, work brings financial independence, a sense of honour and personal stability.
Work-life integration strategies basically involve adopting methods that enable women to effectively manage their work commitments without bleeding into their personal responsibilities, and well-being.
Each of these strategies is further elaborated below:
You have to understand where your priorities lie, both in work and personal life. Work is part of life, but it is not more important than your time and health, yet work makes it possible for you to live your life. So start identifying what matters most, and allocate your time and energy accordingly.
Learn to set boundaries, especially learn to say and make clear demarcations between your work time and personal time. Communicate these boundaries to your colleagues, supervisor and dear ones.
Remember, you have to be protective of your time first and foremost, only then will others respect your rules. So be firm and don’t make exceptions for anyone!
Negotiate your work options, thanks to work-from-home options, we women have a better option to explore what works best for us!
For some women in India, remote work is the best option, as it is easier to accommodate family time! Meanwhile, some women would prefer flexitime, as some tasks are better done in an office setting.
Few might prefer compressed work weeks, whatever your choice of medicine, these options give you greater control over your planning and help you balance your personal time much more effectively!
Time-management is not hard, but many obstacles can come your way without a warning, being prepared with a set list saves you from feeling clueless.
Learning time-management techniques that help you prioritize tasks, create schedules and use productivity tools can help you from feeling overwhelmed by work-fatigue!
We, women, have a hard time delegating tasks, trusting our colleagues and asking for help when we need it or sharing the workload. Sharing is caring, delegating tasks will free up your time and mental load!
As someone who has dyslexia and trouble with jumping numbers, I need the help of technology to make my professional life easier! I may hate those spreadsheets, but they help me organize things! So ladies, leverage technology!
Streamline tasks, and enhance efficiency, use the inbuilt calendar on your computer, phone, or tablet! Download that project management software, and get the communication tools that will help you stay organized and connected, and reduce reliance on physical presence and mental notes!
I love my Google calendar, as it serves as both a reminder and a to-do list!
Choose your ‘self’ for care and well-being. Sadly, self-care doesn’t mean, artistically drinking coffee by a window and enjoying the morning sun! Sorry, it is not!
It means doing physical activities that help you feel rejuvenated, engaging in hobbies, and developing healthy habits that make you feel happy and stress-free!
For me, it’s going on hiking trips with friends, for my friend it is going to yoga classes. For others, it can be knitting or simply spending time with loved ones!
Followed by learning to say no, and avoid over-committing! Conserve energy and decline tasks and social obligations that will leave you feeling drained!
We, women, understand the importance of a support system! Civilisations were built on the collective labour of women supporting each other. Build your support network full of people who respect your work-life integration goals!
You will always have people cheering you in the workplace, at home and in your social circle! So share your challenges, ask for advice, and work together to come up with effective solutions.
Understand the importance of networking with fellow professionals and interact with working women. Those who work together succeed! Share insights, bring mentoring opportunities and create a meaningful connection with like-minded individuals who are facing similar challenges!
Communicate openly with your employer, colleagues, and family about your needs and expectations. Discuss flexible work options, realistic deadlines, and strategies to balance work and personal responsibilities.
Learn to communicate your needs and aspirations and problems openly with your employer. Tell your colleagues and family members about your expectations and goals. Discuss flexible work arrangements and realistic deadlines and strategies so that you can balance work and life without hurting either!
Followed by negotiating for equal pay, promotions, and career advancement opportunities. Advocate for policies that support work-life integration in your workplace; so that no loopholes will keep you away from home on weekends or overworking on a Wednesday evening!
These work-life integration strategies aim to create a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle that helps both men and women thrive, both personally and professionally. There is always another method to explore, and new steps needed to be taken!
Hence, choose the steps that you can incorporate into your life without feeling overwhelmed!
Are you ready to achieve the state of Zen between your professional life and personal time?
Image source: Free and edited on CanvaPro
Editor at Women's Web. She/They. 30. Bi. Bookworm. Comic book connoisseur. read more...
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