What’s the Work-Life Balance Equation Really Mean?

I was recently inspired by a story I read in the New York Times to think about what it really means to have true work-life balance. Is it enough that you can get home before 8:00 p.m. to see the kids before they go to bed? Is it the flexibility to work from home? Is it the ability to work around personal schedules? Or maybe it’s the ability to come in late and leave early when necessary.

It’s a good question to think about, especially as the millennial generation begins to infuse itself more and more into the professional workforce. They are no longer bound by the workplace traditions of our parents and grandparents and they are not afraid to express that. In fact, they often demand it and refuse to work for companies that don’t offer any sort of flexibility.

The truth is the realities of today’s modern workplace are vastly different than they were 20 years ago. Today’s employee is more than likely part of a dual-income couple or even single parent. For years, the image of professionalism was so closely tied to the strict boundaries of presenting yourself at the office as someone who was totally unfettered by the messiness of home life. However, as we examine today’s contemporary workforce, perhaps those boundaries might have been counterproductive.

Most companies these days seem to be coming around to the idea that flexibility is important to the recruitment and retention of employees. Very forward thinking companies have ditched the “mother-may-I” approach to flexibility – one that relies on manager discretion – for a policy where flexibility is a living, breathing part of the corporate culture rather than a privilege or reward.

In the most traditional sense, we speak of work-life balance almost as if it was a scale – there is work on one end and life on the other, and when one is up, the other is down. At best, perhaps balance is an unattainable goal. Flexibility however, should maybe not be seen as a perk to work around the fact that some people have children, but as a way to enhance the happiness, and subsequently the performance, of both men, women, parents and those without children.

In the end, flexibility provides the ability to feel liberated from the chronic feeling that the day has failed even before it starts. I’ve been fortunate to work for some great companies throughout my career and where I am now at No Limit Agency* is no exception. I’m blessed with the flexibility to see my family every day and the ability to balance, to the best of my ability, both my professional and personal life. And for that, I am extremely grateful.

Nick Powills, CFE, founded No Limit Agency in 2008 and serves as Chief Brand Strategist for the Chicago-based firm. No Limit is a full-service communications agency that establishes and elevates brands by bridging Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Digital, and a lot of creativity, to best strategize well-rounded and successful campaigns for 50+ global franchise brands. By presenting visionary ideas and building real relationships, No Limit is able to create effective media branding strategies to help companies grow. Nick currently leads a staff of writers, media strategists, designers, social media experts and digital producers in an office think-tank where brands are humanized for strong, compelling media stories. Prior to starting No Limit at the age of 27, Nick spent four years working at a franchise PR agency where he mastered the art of building rapport with media outlets and creating newsworthy pitches for earned media placements. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Drake University in Iowa.

What’s the Work-Life Balance Equation Really Mean?

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