• What it is
• What it is not
• How to have more
Presented by Jenny Fleetwood
Work-Life Balance Coordinator
University Human Resources

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 1

1. Explore Work-life Balance
2. Assess your personal balance
3. Look at ways to make small but effective change
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 2

Work-life Balance or Work-Family Conflict
- Work –life balance is a concept including proper prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) and
"lifestyle“(health, pleasure, leisure,family and spiritual development/meditation)
– “A form of interrole conflict in which the role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible in some respect. That is, participation in the work (family) role is made more difficult by virtue of participation in the family (work) role (Greenhaus &
Beutell, 1985, p. 7).
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 3

not
Work-life balance does not mean that there must be equal balance across all aspects of an individual’s life
The optimum work-life balance will not remain static but will vary over time
The best work-life balance will be different for each person. There is no one size fits all in work-life balance
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 4

Work-life Balance – Why are we talking about this??
– 60s-70s – WLB was mainly considered an issue for working mothers, trying to balance the demands of their jobs with raising children
– 80s – Structural changes took place. For example, policies and procedures, along with benefits were added/changed to support WLB. Maternity leave, EAP’s, flextime, etc. Also in the 80s, men began concerns around their own work-life
– 90s – Really solidified WLB as an issue that was vital for everyone (men, women, singles, couples, parents, nonparents, etc.) Also generational studies began to show how employees were making choices about their jobs based on cultures of companies and their own work-life issues
– 21 st Century – More challenging than ever – work load predicts other stressors
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 5

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 6

Work-Life Balance – Why are we talking about this??
• 72% of absenteeism is due to childcare related issues (US. Dept of Labor)
• 40% of people caring for elders also have child care responsibilities (Labor Project for
Working Families, 2000)
• Of married couples with children, both are employed full time 59% of the time(US
Bureau of Labor Statistics , 2013)
• Almost two-thirds of American women (62 percent) with a birth in the last year were in the labor force in 2008
( http://www.census.gov/ )
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 7

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 8

Assess and learn
• Quiz
• Wheel
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 9

Identify the two areas that you’re most satisfied .
Identify the two areas that you’re least satisfied .
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 10

Reflect on the two areas in which you are most satisfied….
What do you need do to achieve a higher level of satisfaction in those areas?
What would change for you if you became dissatisfied in those areas?
Think of a moment in your life when you felt completely balanced. What exactly was happening? What were you doing and how were others involved? How did you feel?
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 11

What do you need to say no to in order to achieve more balance?
What do you need to say yes to in order to achieve more balance?
What will happen if you don’t say yes or not to these things?
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 12

Physical:
– Headaches, upset stomach, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, muscle tension, fatigue, heart palpitations
Emotional:
– Depression, anxiety, irritability, difficulty making decisions, angry outbursts, resentment, feelings of powerlessness
Personal:
– Lost time with friends and loved ones, job burnout, isolation – stopping social activities, relationship loss/difficulties, self medicating
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 13

1. Time
2.
I should…
3. Feeling guilty
4.
Climbing the “ladder”
5. Failure to set limits
6.
Can’t say no
7. Comparing
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 14

Understand some things are beyond your control to change
Take action to reduce or remove the stressor
Break problems down into smaller more manageable pieces
Take a time management course
Replace negative relationships with positive ones
Adopt self – care practices
Develop outside activities – hobbies, social events, education, etc
Seek advice from others
Commit to the notion that managing stress is a permanent and ongoing activity
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 15

Learn to say no
Leave work at work
Track your time
Identify options at work and take advantage of them
Bolster your support system or ASK
FOR HELP
Know when to seek professional help
(Contact IUEAP)
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 16

Suffering from stress is a weakness
Keeping stress to yourself is the best approach
Other people or situations are to blame for your stress and imbalance
Cutting back or eliminating social, sporting, or personal interests will restore balance
Believing that there is a single solution
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 17

Breathe
Walk, move
Eat, drink, sleep
Plan an unplanned day
Do the unexpected
Connect with someone you wouldn’t
Connect with someone important to you
Play
Ask for what you need
Laugh, giggle, chuckle, chortle
Enlist a balance team (massage therapist, manicurist, spa, friend)
Leave town
Electronic fast
Slow down
Remember what is important
Disregard what is unimportant
Use your influence
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 18

WLB is your definition of how to be a harmoniously integrated whole
It’s an issue today because of how the nature of work and family have changed over time
You and your WLB will not be perfect, it’s a constant dance and takes work
Only you can set your priorities and boundaries to shape your life
Re-evaluate often
Pay attention to your indicators of stress (symptoms of unbalance)
Know your own barriers to balance – your unique tendencies (e.g. guilt)
Do something different
Ask for help
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 19

• IU offers resources, your community offers resources to help.
• You have to ask for help.
• You have to make changes.
• No one can do it for you.
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 20

Jenny Fleetwood jerfleet@iu.edu
hr.iu.edu/worklife
812.855.7903
I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 21