What do you do if your work-life balance goals don't align with your values?

My bff is currently dealing with this difficult situation atm, often due to a modern work culture that values career over personal and family well-being. Weigh your job's trade-offs. For some, the perks of career growth and its financial rewards may outweigh personal sacrifices. Yet for others, no amount of professional success compensates for lost family moments or personal interests. This assessment is not static and can change depending on your life stages and what you value most. Think of options like flexible work, a sideways move, a new career direction, or even scaling back on work duties and pay. This might dent your pride initially but keep your overall priorities and the bigger picture in mind!

Assess your values to align your work and personal life effectively. Identify priorities like family time, personal growth, or social impact. Recognize conflicts between job demands and these values, such as sacrificing family dinners for late nights. Understanding your values empowers informed decisions on structuring work-life balance.

Everyone should have three main parts of their life: personal, relational, and professional. Each of these pillars has smaller parts (i.e personal : body, mind, spirit, emotions; relational: family, friends, etc, professional: career goals, money, etc..) that are based on specific values. It's recommended to look at these values on regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly etc..), and decide which ones are the most important. It's more crucial to keep these 3 pillars balanced as you go through life. Sometimes, you might pay more attention to values related to one pillar, but you need to keep an eye on the other 2 too. If you don't do this regularly, you might start to be out of balance, leading to feeling very stressed or even burned out.

Um dos pontos mais importantes para o crescimento profissional é entender seus valores, ou seja, aquilo do que você não abre mão. Talvez “segurança” seja um valor alto para você e por esta razão você tende a não abraçar o novo, a ficar apreensivo com novas oportunidades ou a não ficar à vontade frente a mudanças na empresa. Por outro lado, se “liberdade” é um valor para você, não estará feliz em um emprego mais formal, com horários rígidos de entrada e saída, em um local que não possa sugerir mudanças, etc. Seus valores direcionam suas decisões e consequentemente, seus resultados. Entenda e mapeie quais são eles e abrace-os. Certamente eles irão mostrar qual o melhor caminho a seguir e farão de você um profissional muito mais realizado

If your values and your goals are out of alignment, one of them needs to change. Start by assessing your values: Are they genuine? Are they realistic? Most important - are they yours? Take a moment to reflect on what is really most important to you - not just for today but over the long term.

If your work-life balance goals are not aligned with your values, reevaluate priorities, communicate with your manager, negotiate for solutions, set boundaries, seek support, and consider alternative opportunities that better align with your values. Maintaining a work-life balance that reflects your values is essential for long-term satisfaction and success.

Establish clear boundaries aligned with your values. Prioritize personal health by safeguarding sleep and exercise time. Communicate these boundaries to employers and colleagues, crucial for achieving work-life balance aligned with your values. Despite challenges, it's essential for your well-being and fulfillment.

Setting boundaries involves maintaining balance among the values of the 3 pillars: (personal, relational, professional). The professional pillar (as well as the family's responsibilities) may be particularly challenging to manage due to numerous external demands. Setting boundaries is all about assertiveness: declining requests and providing clear explanations. Communicating about these boundaries to others might be challenging, but you will gain respect from them for your firm choices. It may sometimes be necessary to prioritize professional (family) responsibilities this should only be on a short-term basis and never compromise the values associated to your personal pilar.

Once your values are clear, establish firm boundaries that honor them. For example, if you value personal health, ensure you don't sacrifice sleep or exercise for work. Communicate these boundaries to your employer and colleagues, despite potential challenges in demanding work environments. This step is crucial for achieving a work-life balance that respects your values.

Savoir dire non fait partie du chemin sur cette recherche d’équilibre. Dire non aux réunions après 18:00, dire non aux réunions sur la pause déjeuner. Dire non au « j’en ai pour 2 min » qui vont vous prendre 45 min et vous mettre en retard… ça demande du temps pour certains de réussir à dire ces Nons indispensable au bon équilibre !

Estabeleça limites firmes que respeitem e valorizem sua saúde e bem-estar. Não se sacrifique por trabalho ou outras responsabilidades, priorize o sono e o exercício para uma vida mais equilibrada e saudável. Seu corpo e mente merecem ser cuidados com carinho e atenção.

Explore alternative options if your current role lacks the desired balance. Consider internal transfers for more flexibility or explore opportunities elsewhere. Prioritize roles aligning with your values over mere career advancement. It's about finding fulfillment and balance in your professional life.

To achieve a better work-life balance, it is important to establish clear boundaries that align with your values. If your current role does not allow for the balance you seek, explore other options within your company that may offer more flexibility or consider seeking a new job that aligns with your priorities. Communicate your needs and boundaries to your employer and colleagues, even if it is challenging. Remember, finding a role that allows you to live according to your values is crucial, not just advancing in your career.

Maintaining balance among the three pillars is essential, with personal well-being is a MUST. While self-care is frequently overlooked, yet it should be prioritized. It's very important to understand that if physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional health is compromised, it badly affects the management of the other two pillars. The process of work-life balance must begin with oneself: achieving self-victory is crucial. Individuals who neglect their own care not only generate less respect from others but also face significant challenges in managing relationships.

Prioritizing self-care is non-negotiable when aligning work-life balance with values. This involves getting enough rest, eating well, and making time for rejuvenating activities. Self-care is the fuel that enables you to pursue your goals and should not be compromised by work.

Aligning our goals and values isn't something most of us learn in school. No matter where you are in your career it's useful to take some time and assess both on a regular basis. Getting expert help is a great idea - even the best athletes have coaches who challenge and hold them accountable. It's never too late to take ownership of your career.

Knowing what your values (truly) are, understanding how to prioritize them in your personal and professional life, and taking actions and setting boundaries that reflect those values is not an easy task. People tend to struggle with setting boundaries and taking action when unclear about the "why" they are doing it. External help (e.g., mentor, coach, community, etc.) can be extremely valuable to help you reconnect to your true needs (and values), and understand the limiting beliefs that may keep you stuck in a situation that is not aligned with them.

Regular adjustments are imperative, whether they occur daily, weekly, or monthly, yearly depending on your values and activities. I recommend maintaining a journal to record the time allocated to each pillar and their respective parts. In case of any imbalance, it is crucial to analyze the causes and proactively adjust your priorities and values accordingly. While writing down all observations, it serves not only to develop a better understanding of your whole situation but also to identify the root causes of any deviations, and find better or appropriate solutions.

Remember that some values may be aspirational in nature. Addressing a gap between current and desired state can be motivating. Also consider reprioritizing a value on an interim basis if that helps (eg. “Achievement” might not need to take the front seat while you explore more self care). And identify if work environment values and/or work relationship values need some attention. Respecting boundaries can be more helpful than building walls for example.

Here's what to do: Revisit Your Values: Take time to reflect. What truly matters to you? Family, health, creativity, or something else? Evaluate Goals: Are your work-life balance goals pushing you away from your values? Are you striving for long hours for a promotion that doesn't align with your desire for family time? Adjust Approach: Can you modify your goals? Perhaps negotiate flexible hours or remote work to achieve career goals while prioritizing family. Consider Career Shift: If the job itself clashes with your values, explore a new career path that better aligns with what matters most. Remember, a fulfilling work-life balance integrates your values, not just separates work from life.