BALANCING WORK AND LIFE IN TECH 2024

Author • Ikpenyi Michael

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The tech industry can sometimes be a jungle where survival is for the fittest both in terms of knowledge and health. 

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Balancing Work and Life in Tech

Managing a healthy work-life balance in the industry can be a daunting task. One report found that 42% of all tech employees feel high levels of burnout, with over half of this group reporting that they cannot relax once their workday is over.  

Work-life balance is the management of time spent at the workplace and time spent outside the workplace. The balance between work and life within the technology industry oftentimes falls heavily toward more work than life.

Maintaining an equilibrium between life and work is an act that requires delicate and deliberate conscious effort. With tested and proven strategies we aim to help tech experts and enthusiasts who are struggling with time management to strike a balance amongst the demands of contemporary work and life dynamics.

1 . Set boundaries on how many hours to work

Setting boundaries for work hours and other areas of life is a crucial strategy in the journey of creating and maintaining a balanced life.  When the line between work and personal life becomes unclear, work burnout, exhaustion, depression, etc begin to gradually creep in. Boundaries make the work environment pleasant and exciting. 

When you set boundaries in the workplace, you can focus on tasks that align with your role and responsibilities. Boundaries allow you to prioritize work effectively, concentrate on essential tasks, and avoid getting sidetracked by distractions or non-essential requests. Boundaries could be; interpersonal, physical, emotional, etc. 

Setting boundaries involves learning to communicate effectively, saying "NO" at the appropriate time, staying focused on a task at a given time, delegating responsibilities when necessary, efficiently utilizing facilities at your disposal, etc. 

2 . Maintain a positive work culture. 

A positive culture is a MUST in the tech industry. Given the fact that the industry is data-driven, it can be easy to neglect a culture that allows people to separate their work and personal lives. Good work culture is a blend of personal values and company values thereby creating an avenue to perform optimally while maintaining a healthy out-of-work lifestyle. 

A positive culture improves morale and creates trust between employees. It is therefore imperative to keep a close watch on your workplace and know when to call it quits if your values begin to get affected by your workplace values.

3 . Incorporate some physical activity into your routine.

It is so easy to get carried away by the high demand of the tech industry that one becomes fixated on just working without having a life outside work. Creating a work-life balance requires having other physical activities to engage in. Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a way of maintaining a balanced life. Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, and gets you prepared for workplace activities.

4 . Prioritize and invest your time wisely

Maintenance of work-life balance rises and falls on time management. Time is a currency that spends itself even when no one spends it. Effective utilization of your time helps you to make out time to attend to other areas of your life. Prioritizing and judiciously spending your time is a necessary attribute in the industry.

A healthy work-life is a condition precedent for mental health and wellbeing in the tech workspace. Tech enthusiasts, and experts, need to ensure that they pay adequate attention to the work-life. 

By Ikpenyi Michael