Work Life Balance

Work life balance

AUTHOR: – MANASI .M.THORAT

 

1. “Guiding Lights: Empowering Women Through Mentorship”

BAHRAMI et al. (2023) stated that the study how important it is for men and women to have equal opportunities at work. Sometimes, women face challenges in balancing their work and personal lives. The study says that having someone more experienced (a mentor) to help women at work can make a big difference. It shows that when women have mentors who support them, they feel happier at work and do better in their jobs. The study also says that when women trust their mentors, they can learn a lot and even advance in their careers. It’s like having a helpful friend at work who gives good advice.

The study found that when women have mentors, they feel more confident and satisfied with their work. It also says that having a mentor helps women understand their job better and make good decisions. Plus, it can help them manage their personal life along with their job. The study suggests that organizations should encourage mentoring programs to help women succeed at work.

 

2. “Family and Work: Finding Balance in India”

 BANSAL and AGARWAL (2017) stated that this study is important because it helps us understand how parents in India manage their work and family lives. It uses a special way of learning called grounded theory, which means it looks at real experiences to figure things out. By studying how parents balance their jobs with taking care of their families, the study hopes to create new ideas that fit Indian culture better. It teaches managers and people who work in human resources that they should pay attention to the problems parents face in balancing work and family. They can make rules and plans to help parents manage both parts of their lives better, which can make the whole company work better too.

The study was done with only 21 parents in Mumbai, so it might not show everything for all parents in India. Doing the study with more parents from different places could help understand things better. Also, the study’s findings are based on what the parents said, so there might be more to learn. In the future, it would be helpful to study single parents or compare parents who work with those who don’t, to learn even more about how families balance work and life.

 

3. “Homebound Hustle: Navigating Work-Life Balance in the WFH Era”

 

BATTUR and KANDAGAL (2022) stated that Work-life balance means finding the right balance between your job and your personal life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had to work from home instead of going to their workplaces. This is called WFH, or working from home. For some people, especially those who are experts in their fields, working from home was great. But for others, it was challenging.

This study found that while working from home, many people struggled to keep a regular schedule. This means they found it hard to start and finish work at the same times every day. Some also ended up working longer hours than they should, which made them feel tired and stressed. Additionally, they had to do a lot of chores and tasks around the house, which took up more of their time.

So, even though working from home has its benefits, like being able to stay safe during the pandemic and spend more time with family, it also has its downsides. It can be hard to balance work and personal life when both happen in the same place. This study shows that many people faced challenges with keeping a normal routine, working too much, and managing household tasks while working from home.

 

4. “Balancing Act: How Family and Work Influence Our Lives”

HAAR et al (2018) stated that this study looks at how our family life and work life affect each other, and how they can make us feel tired or excited about our jobs. It found that when our family responsibilities and work responsibilities clash, it can make us feel worn out, which is called burnout. But when our family life and work life make each other better, it can make us feel energized and excited about our jobs, which is called engagement.

The study used a special way of learning called a daily diary, where people write down what happens to them each day. This helped researchers see how our family and work lives affect us every day. They found that when our family life and work life don’t get along, it can make us feel tired and stressed. But when they help each other, it can make us feel happy and excited about our jobs.

So, in simple words, when our family life and work life work together nicely, it can make us feel good about our jobs. And when we feel good about our jobs, we can do our best work!

 

5. “Balancing Work and Life: Exploring Burnout and Job Satisfaction”

 KANWAR et al (2009) stated that this is about how researchers can learn more about how people balance their work and personal lives, and how feeling tired and stressed from work, called burnout, affects them. They want to understand how having a good balance between work and life can make people happier with their jobs. The study looked at people who work in high-tech service industries, like computer companies, in New Delhi and nearby areas.

But there are still a lot of things they don’t know. For example, they want to know what causes people to have a good balance between work and life, and how feeling tired and stressed from work affects them in different situations. They also want to know how having a good balance between work and life affects the companies these people work for.

One problem is that they only studied people in New Delhi and nearby areas, so they’re not sure if what they found applies to people in other places too. Also, they made up a way to measure how well people balance work and life, but they’re not sure if it’s a good way.

In short, researchers want to learn more about how people balance work and life, and how feeling tired and stressed from work affects them. They hope to find ways to help people feel happier with their jobs and do better work.

 

6. “Beyond the Clock: Exploring Women’s Choices in Part-Time Work”

LAMOLLA et al (2021) stated that this article talks about the choices made by women who work part-time, especially those in working-class jobs. The study aimed to understand why these women choose to work part-time. Even though all the women in the study worked for the same company and had similar jobs for four hours a day, they had different preferences for how many hours they wanted to work and when they wanted to work.

In the past, people thought that working fewer hours meant being less dedicated to work. But this study found that this isn’t always true. The schedule, or when you work, is just as important as how many hours you work. So, it’s not just about working less; it’s also about having the right schedule that fits your life.

Some of the reasons why these women choose to work part-time might be because of traditional gender roles, like taking care of the house or family. But the study also found that some women want to break away from these roles and have more freedom in their lives, even if they have manual labour jobs.

The study has some limitations, like only looking at one company and one type of worker, and the information is based on past decisions. But even though the findings might not apply to every situation, they help us understand how these decisions are made and can give insight into other situations too.

 

7. “Building Tomorrow: The Power of Happy Teachers”

PADMA and REDDY (2014) stated that A school where there are lots of teachers working hard to teach students and help them learn new things every day. These teachers are like the builders of the future citizens of our country because they play a big role in shaping students’ minds and personalities. But being a teacher is not always easy. Sometimes, they have to work a lot, which can make them feel tired or stressed.

Now, imagine if these teachers also had families to take care of. They might have children to look after or other family responsibilities. Balancing their work life with their family life becomes really important for them to feel happy and satisfied with their jobs. When teachers feel good about their jobs, they can teach better, and students can learn better too.

So, this study looked at teachers of different ages and levels of experience to see how satisfied they were with their jobs. And guess what? It found that no matter how old or experienced the teachers were, having a good balance between work and family life was the most important thing that made them happy with their jobs. When schools provided good ways for teachers to balance their work and family responsibilities, it made them even happier with their jobs.

In simple words, when teachers feel good about their work-life balance, they feel happier and more satisfied with their jobs. And when teachers are happy, they can do their best to teach students and help them grow into amazing citizens.

 

8. “Bearing Others’ Burdens: The Hidden Struggles of Mental Health Heroes”

SAVARIMALAI et al (2023) stated that there are people whose job is to help others feel better when they are sad or worried. These special people are called Mental Health Professionals (MHPs). They include therapists, counsellors, and others who work with people’s emotions. Now, even though these MHPs are good at helping others, they sometimes feel stressed or worn out themselves.

This happens for different reasons. For example, some MHPs have jobs that are more demanding or difficult, which can make them feel more stressed. Also, how much money they earn and whether they live with their family or not can also make a difference. If they do not have a lot of money or if they live far away from their family, it can add to their stress.

So, just like how they help others deal with their feelings, MHPs also need help sometimes to deal with their own feelings of stress or tiredness. It is important for them to find ways to feel better and to balance their work with their personal life. This could mean taking breaks, talking to friends or family, or doing things they enjoy outside of work. By doing these things, they can take care of themselves better and continue helping others feel better too.

 

9. “Flexible Work, Happy Life: Finding the Perfect Balance”

SHANKER (2022) stated that This paper looked at how having flexible work arrangements, like being able to choose when and where to work, can affect how people balance their work with the rest of their life. It found that when people have flexibility in their work, it makes them feel better both physically and mentally. This helps them find the right balance between their job and their personal life. When people have this balance, they tend to work better, feel more committed to their job, and stay loyal to the company they work for.

So, having flexible work arrangements is like a good thing for both the employees and the company they work for. It makes people happier and healthier, and they do their job better. And because they are happier, they are more likely to stay with the company for a long time. It is a win-win situation for everyone!

 

10 “Happy Workers, Successful Company: How Balance Helps”

SHARMA and JHA (2021) stated that A company where the people who work there are happy and satisfied with their jobs. Well, one of the reasons why they feel this way could be because the company has something called “work-life balance” policies, or WLB policies for short.

Now, what are these WLB policies? They are basically rules and practices that the company follows to help their employees balance their work life with their personal life. For example, they might offer flexible working hours, so employees can adjust their schedules to fit their personal needs. Or they might have policies that encourage taking time off for family events or personal emergencies without any stress.

So, why are these policies so important? Well, the article says that having good WLB policies can actually solve some big problems that companies face. One problem is when people don’t like their job, which can make them unhappy and less productive. Another problem is when people don’t come to work regularly, which can disrupt the company’s operations. And finally, a big problem is when people leave the company because they’re not happy, which can be really expensive and disrupt the team.

But when a company has good WLB policies in place, it’s like they’re solving these problems before they even happen. People feel happier and more satisfied with their jobs because they have the flexibility to manage their work and personal lives. This makes them more committed to the company and willing to go the extra mile to help it succeed. It’s like they feel a stronger bond with the company because they know it cares about their well-being.

So, in summary, having good WLB policies is like a smart and positive decision for a company. It helps keep employees happy, productive, and committed, which ultimately strengthens the company as a whole.

 

“WORK LIFE BALANCE: MASTER SUMMARY”

The above content can be summarized with an example of having two big balls to juggle. One ball is your job, and the other ball is everything else in your life, like family time, playing, and relaxing.

Now, some smart grown-ups did some studies to understand how people can juggle these two big balls without dropping them. Here’s what I found:

Having a Helper: Imagine having a friend at work who gives you good advice. That’s what it’s like when someone who knows a lot helps you with your job. It makes it easier to handle work and other stuff without feeling too tired or stressed.

Family and Work: Some grown-ups looked at how moms and dads manage their jobs and family time. They found that sometimes it’s hard to do both because they have to figure out how to balance their time. They say it’s important for companies to help them with this balancing act.

Working from Home: When people had to work from home because of a sickness going around, some found it tricky. They had to deal with work and home stuff at the same time, which was like doing two jobs at once. This made some people feel tired and stressed.

Feeling Good at Work: Another group of grown-ups looked at how families and jobs affect each other. They found that when families and jobs help each other out, people feel happier and more excited about their work. But when they clash, it can make people feel worn out.

Making Choices: Some studies looked at why some moms choose to work only part-time. They found that it’s not just about working less. It’s about having a schedule that fits with everything else they need to do, like taking care of the house and family.

Helping Teachers: Teachers are like superheroes who help kids learn new things. But even superheroes need a break sometimes. They found that when teachers can balance their work and family time, they feel happier, which helps them teach better.

Taking Care of Helpers: Some people whose job is to help others with their feelings also need help sometimes. They found that taking breaks and doing things they enjoy outside of work helps them feel better.

Flexibility is Key: When people can choose when and where they work, they feel happier and healthier. This makes it easier to manage both their job and the other fun stuff in life.

Good Rules Make Everyone Happy: Companies that make good rules to help their employees balance work and everything else have happier workers. This means people are more likely to stay with the company and do their best work.

So, work-life balance is like trying to keep two big balls in the air. When you have help, flexible rules, and a good schedule, it’s easier to keep both balls up without getting too tired or dropping them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

 

BAHRAMI, P. et al. (2023) Modeling the Impact of Mentoring on Women’s Work-Life Balance: A Grounded Theory Approach. Administrative Sciences (2076-3387), [s. l.], v. 13, n. 1, p. 6. DOI 10.3390/admsci13010006. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=e2ec0af1-b96c-3166-9cdc-c341426b680e.

 

BANSAL, N.; AGARWAL, U. A. (2017)  Exploring Work-Life Balance among Indian Dual Working Parents: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Management Research (09725814), [s. l.], v. 17, n. 2, p. 99–111. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=095fe9e7-8db8-3f32-9359-0e94177b6802.

 

BATTUR, A.; KANDAGAL, P. B. (2022) Work-Life Balance While Working from Home during COVID-19 Lockdown: Changing Preferences and the Future of Work. ANWESH: International Journal of Management & Information Technology, [s. l.], v. 7, n. 2, p. 21–28. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=238308e7-6faf-3089-b140-c1d2f9b79ac4.

 

HAAR, J. M.; ROCHE, M.; TEN BRUMMELHUIS, L.(2018) A daily diary study of work-life balance in managers: utilizing a daily process model. International Journal of Human Resource Management, [s. l.], v. 29, n. 18, p. 2659–2681. DOI 10.1080/09585192.2017.1314311. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=b98c814b-32a1-3449-9544-198a80677c8e.

 

KANWAR, Y. P. S.; SINGH, A. K.; KODWANI, A. D. (2009) Work-Life Balance and Burnout as Predictors of Job Satisfaction in the It Ites Industry. Vision (09722629), [s. l.], v. 13, n. 2, p. 1–12. DOI 10.1177/097226290901300201. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=ba2c7e03-b61b-3dd3-8758-bcf1d27619f4.

 

LAMOLLA, L.; FOLGUERA, I. C.; FERNÁNDEZ, I. X. (2021)  Working‐time preferences among women: Challenging assumptions on underemployment, work centrality and work–life balance. International Labour Review, [s. l.], v. 160, n. 3, p. 431–451. DOI 10.1111/ilr.12193. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=e542222b-228e-3ca2-8d83-2804f408665c.

 

PADMA, S.; REDDY, M. S. (2014) Work-Life Balance and Job Satisfaction Among School Teachers: A Study. IUP Journal of Organizational Behavior, [s. l.], v. 13, n. 1, p. 51–60. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=18f15d70-c83c-3e0c-a381-6fbe401aeb4d.

 

SAVARIMALAI, R. et al. (2023) Work-life balance among mental health professionals in a tertiary care neuropsychiatry centre in India. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, [s. l.], v. 32, n. 2, p. 354–360. DOI 10.4103/ipj.ipj_31_22. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=6b427129-da5f-3aa0-a9b4-d61318c88b13.

 

SHANKER, A. (2022)  Flexible Work Arrangements and its Impact on Work-Life Balance. Optimization: Journal of Research in Management, [s. l.], v. 14, n. 2, p. 23–26. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=11f160b4-838c-3745-a3e0-ecb484baf6b6.

 

SHARMA, E.; JHA, M. (2021) Work-life Balance: A Key to Positive WorkplaceAttitudes. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, [s. l.], v. 57, n. 1, p. 99–110. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=5a3746ef-2f18-35e5-a1eb-5ae38f7e969a.