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Work-life balance — is it as elusive as it is made out to be? Know the secrets of achieving flexible arrangements by women entrepreneurs

In today’s world, the concept ‘work-life balance’ is considered to be one of the major issues that plays a vital role in organisational success. Working women constitute a significant part of workforce and they are expected to manage all the roles in their lives perfectly, creating an equilibrium between work and family responsibilities.

The boss ladies

According to the latest data, women hold nearly 14 per cent of chair positions, 26 per cent of directorships, 17 per cent of CEO roles and just over 30 per cent of key management positions. These stats are improving year-on-year, but gender equality in the workplace — not only at senior levels but across organisations — is still being held back by the persistent challenge of work-life balance.

Talking about the daily challenges faced by a woman in their day-to-day regime, Laura Manning, founder of BRW Society, said: “It can be challenging having a work life balance and although many companies are recognising the importance of flexible working since Covid-19, I believe more can be done to help both women and men in the workplace.”

“ I still face challenges. Growing a new brand is demanding, it sometimes feels like you are always-on and there is never an off day. I love my children seeing me work, I hope it helps them develop a strong work ethic, but I want them to see their mum with a healthy work life balance, so they adopt the same when they enter the workplace,” she added

Mantra of smooth and healthy work-life balance

Women are spending more time in the labour force than in the past, but also more time in child care. This shows that they are constantly juggling their commitments and responsibilities, both personally and professionally, which can make finding a balance difficult. While it may seem hard to break away from today’s ‘always-on’ culture, here, Nancy Zabaneh, founder, Darshan Collective, wellness mentor and kundalini yoga teacher highlighted few tips to have an easy balance.

“We must learn to alleviate the pressure we place on ourselves. This begins with recognising that our task list is never-ending and there comes a point in the day when we just need to walk away from it. We may finish responding to emails, only to find a pile of work-related Whatsapp messages or phone calls that must be attended to. No need to answer these messages immediately.” She went on to say that: “There may be certain periods when the demands on our time are higher, but being more disciplined about setting healthy boundaries is key. Learning for example to say: ‘thank you, I have seen your message, and will revert in the coming days’ paves the way for more space and distance from your work. Not everything needs to be dealt with on the spot. The information age lures us into this ongoing sense of urgency.”

Is it really important to have a balance between both the worlds?

Naomi Bell, CEO NR Beauty, understood the assignment as she comes from the industry where changes are dynamic and days are busy. “It’s super important to focus and maintain a healthy work life balance to avoid burning out, hating your job or poor productivity. Eventually, an unhealthy work life balance can make you mentally or physically sick.”

She further added, “My industry is hard at times to prioritise personal commitments especially around the festive period when the salon is the busiest, but I always make sure to block out time, pencil in my diary sometime off prior to the month starting. This allows me to have the time to commit to personal engagements without it interfering with my work.”

Unplug yourself for your ‘Me-Time’

Being a woman, it is always expected to be on your toes when it comes to giving time to the family. Despite having a hectic schedule and a busy personal life, one should find solitude and ways to relax for their own growth. Hanane Benkhallouk, founder and executive director of Sustain Leadership Consultancy, tawazoun author of Seeds of Change, narrates her life balance and ways if destressing after a long day at work. “I manage energy, not time. Some days, I feel more productive later in the day, others, I feel more energised in the mornings, so depending on that I plan activities accordingly, office work, meetings, personal errands. Every day, I make sure that I take one hour to distress, it could be a yoga session, a walk in nature, a facial, or a shopping spree, as long as it is serves the purpose of free alone time.”

anam@khaleejtimes.com