As an expert and proponent of Work Life Balance and the positivity and fullness that it can bring your life, there is no secret that it has become the standard in mine. But there is a new methodology that has been making waves the last year or so called Work Life Blend. The purpose behind this is to essentially nix the idea that you have to balance both work and life so that they don’t interfere. Instead, you blend the two so that you can get the most out of both without sacrificing either or. As a Work Life Balance advocate, I can say that I am a fan of Work Life Blend. Let me tell you why.
Every lifestyle is different. What works for me may not work for you and your lifestyle, since there may be so many different variables. If you are an entrepreneur growing your business, or you work different hours, it may be difficult to truly exercise Work Life Balance. But Work Life Blend could work because you can blend time spent with the family or on vacation with answering a few emails at work or taking a phone call during a road trip.
With Work Life Blend, you essentially blend your work with your life. This can be beneficial for some lifestyles, and because you blend, you understand the importance of giving attention to important things in your life. The all work, no play adage is no longer in play as people find ways to actively make work and life work for them in a positive manner. Work Life Blend can be an awesome asset for working parents, who often experience guilt when they have to leave their children with caretakers in order to go to work.
Here are 4 Tips to Utilize Work Life Blend in your Life:
1. Operation Flex Time
If your workplace utilizes Flex Time, take them up on it. With Flex time, your hours fluctuate around your life schedule. It can also allow you to work from home on days that you can’t get into the office. This could allow you to take care of your small ones while working from home, which is an example of using Work Life Blend.
2. Get it Done While You Can
The travel schedule is going to pick up for a lot of you during the holiday season. During these travel times, you may experience delays with flights or heavy traffic if driving. Use this time to get some work done—finish reports, answer emails, return phone calls, etc. Blend this “vacation” time with your work time, since you are not in the full throes of family time.
3. Get The Kiddos Involved
Since I own my own business, I am always on the clock. My nine year old knows this, and I often get her involved with my work. She will accompany me in my office and bring her Kindle Fire with her and “work” side by side with me. She feels a sense of accomplishment, and she gets to see firsthand what I do.
4. Power Hour
When I discuss Work Life Balance, I often talk about putting away the smartphones, tablets, and laptops when spending time with your significant other or spouse. But you can also incorporate a little work time into your quality time as well. Designate a Power Hour, a time when you and your loved one sit down and work together. You can also use this hour to bounce work ideas off of one another, vent about the office, etc. And then once the hour is over, put away the gadgets and focus on snuggle time. Blend, then end!
Whether you are a Work Life Balance user or Work Life Blend—what matters most is that you are able to properly and positively fit time into your life on those items that are important to you.
What do you think of Work Life Blend?
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