MJ Gonzales │ Executive Chronicles
Deadline and target quota are not only driving forces for workers, but also for executives, entrepreneurs, and freelancers. In fact, beating deadlines are harder for businessmen and freelancers since they’re in control of what and when they want something. Thus, work-life balance is also harder for them as they can either too workaholic and so lay back that they can perform well.
For Ellen Ernst Kossek, Purdue University professor of management and the researcher, knowing what lifestyle type and your boundary are good indicators to establish work-life balance. In her one-on-one interview with Daily Herald, she said ‘low boundary control’ means a lot for workers and companies as having this could result to substance abuse, less quality output, and poor health like suffering from cardiovascular disease.
“I’ve done research on situations like this, where people feel they have what’s called “low boundary control.” People are more depressed. They’re more likely to want to quit their jobs; they have lower work-life fit. They are just unhappy, “Kossek shared.
Meantime, Kossek also specify the interrogators, volleyers, and separators as the three types of working people who have different work styles and preferred boundaries. She said ‘separators’ are those solid dividing their career and personal life. On the other hand, volleyers like to switch and interrogator opts to combine the two aspects in their lives.
“What matters is being in control of boundaries in a way that fits your identity. So take some time to figure out how you best focus in both work and life domains,” Kossek said. She also recommended to schedule your work and relaxation, don’t shy to ask for assistance, and eye what’s important for you.
Meanwhile, in the combined report of Harvard Business Reviews from the research done by Harvard Business School students, interviews with more or less 4000 executives in various countries, and a survey that involved 82 top company officials there are five major things executives follow to avoid conflict in their work and personal lives. These are establishing support networks in the office and home, have strong teamwork with their partners, utilize technology effectively, be mindful of work location or travel for work, and identifying what’s success for them.
“Rewarding relationships are by far the most common element of personal success for both sexes, but men list merely having a family as an indicator of success, whereas women describe what a good family life looks like to them. Women are also more likely to mention the importance of friends and community as well as family, “HBS shared.
“The survey responses consisted of short phrases and lists, but in the interviews executives often defined personal success by telling a story or describing an ideal self or moment in time. Such narratives and self-concepts serve as motivational goalposts, helping people prioritize activities and make sense of conflicts and inconsistencies.”
