Modern companies try to incorporate work/life balance in different ways: some have fun treats like a cold brew tap or Friday lunches, while others allow employees to play ping pong throughout the day. But do any of these practices actually equal balance?

Career and personal life “balance” rarely equals 50/50, and many employees feel liberated when they let go of making balance happen.

Why Work/ Life Balance Is a Myth

When you google search “work/life balance,” you’ll find a list of results to help you evaluate the culture at a company during your interview.

But your employer can’t hand you balance.

While a company should never have an “always on” culture, your team might go through a time-sensitive project (examples: accountants during tax season or year-end), and you won’t have “balance” during that season.

Balance cannot be achieved in a top-down mandate, but an agile company will lead from the top. Executives and associates alike are expected to find the best method to complete work efficiently while maintaining personal responsibilities.

Only You Can Decide What Balance Looks Like

Each person should decide for themselves what that elusive balance looks like, because individuals have different life demands and approach their work differently.

Different Personality Types

Remember -- some people just enjoy working more than others! Which doesn’t make either employee good or bad.

Someone with a more entrepreneurial spirit may enjoy picking up their work on the weekends or whenever inspiration strikes. While another may be completely productive during standard working hours, in order to maximize the time a child is at school.

The entrepreneurial person needs to realize that his or her colleagues may not reply to weekend emails, and the 9-5 employee shouldn’t feel compelled to check email while at their child’s soccer game. Both can fulfill their career goals and their company’s goals within an agile work environment.

Different Health Needs

Agile companies will respect that each employee’s caregiving responsibilities may be different. While it may not be appropriate to ignore your work completely during difficult seasons, a flexible schedule or remote work policy could go a long way towards keeping employees loyal to an enterprise so they can return happy.

Different Personal Interests

Again, each person will go through different seasons with different interests. One may love traveling, but remains fully committed to working while they’re away (if the time zone is a few hours ahead, they can explore in the morning and work in the afternoon-evening). Some value disconnecting completely while on vacation.

Questions to Get You Started Finding Balance

Balance actually reflects personal fulfillment in your daily life. If you feel off-balance, burned-out, stressed or anxious, these few questions will help you get back on track.

How’s your physical health?

Without your health you can’t fulfill your responsibilities in work or your personal life. Are you getting eight hours of sleep a night and at least three days of exercise?

Again, this looks different for each person -- one employee may go for a run at 9pm, while another remains loyal to their daily 6am yoga class. But if you can’t make a way to fit in sleep and exercise, you need to sit down with your google calendar and shift some activities to protect your own body.

Even if it seems impossible, your daily productivity will improve when you make time for your health.

What hobbies would you like to pursue?

Creativity and collaboration are necessary tools in the new world of work, and sometimes you need to get out of the office to develop those. If you don’t have a hobby that allows you to think differently about the world, then you need to clear a little space each day for something new. Whether that’s a book club, gardening in your own yard, or a ceramics class, look for ways to get outside your industry and find new ideas.

How would your friends describe your work/life balance?

While outsiders may not have the full picture, they can provide some needed insight to your balance. Would your friends say you have flexibility after work to spontaneously go out for dinner or drinks? Or do they need to “book you” months in advance? Do you constantly check your email while out with friends? Or are you present and engaged in their conversations?

Ask them how they see work affecting you, and accept constructive criticism as you explore what balance looks like in your own life.

Which activities have no relevance to your personal fulfillment?

Another way to evaluate your work/life balance is going through daily tasks and commitments to ensure they line up with your values and goals. What tasks can be outsourced (house cleaning, landscaping, grocery shopping, etc.) that don’t directly link to personal joy or career fulfillment?

As you seek balance, look for it everywhere. Don’t be afraid to cut mundane tasks in order to protect your time and career.

Connect with us and continue the conversation around work/life balance online or by emailing hello@swayworkplace.com.