Work Life Integration

Author: Chaitra Gowda

Gary Keller once said “Work is a rubber ball, if you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls- family, health, friends, integrity – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, scratched, perhaps even shattered.”

Today I can proudly say that I have a successful and a consistent career because of the flexibility my job offers me without which I could never have imagined getting this far.

The recent pandemic forced professionals to work from home and this has continued post pandemic as well with decreased commutes and increased virtual interaction. Work-life integration is the go-to lifestyle for handling day-to-day priorities. Professionals have to accommodate the needs of the employer and their own needs at the same time. Employees are having a hard time maintaining a work-life balance, leading them to question if work-life integration is a better option than work-life balance (concept of putting work and personal stuff in two different compartments and having priorities to balance both).

Work life integration is getting more traction in the current workforce, which accommodates both the employer’s and the employee’s own needs at the same time while allowing them to be more efficient. It simply means to go with the flow and adjust as necessary rather than building barriers between work and life.

Work-Life Integration focuses on different areas of life such as-

Work and Career

Home and Family

Health and Wellbeing

It is all about blending the above important aspects of your life, so that one does not take over the other. This synergy helps you to evenly distribute your focus and energy that can lead to greater well-being and a sense of fulfilment. Overall, the significant benefit is it focuses on flexibility and helps you to shift easily between priorities and what you are focusing on at that moment.

Every individual has different needs and career paths if the work-life balance works for you, do not change. If not, then try the integration approach. They are essentially two roads to the same destination.

” The author is a Sales & Marketing Professional with over 17+ years of rich experience in the media industry.”