Which One Is Your Problem: Your Work Habit or Your Company?

You have worked way past your regular hours for the second month in a row. You are always behind schedule, and the work never seems to end. 

Is there something wrong with your work-life balance, or is it the fault of your company? Answer these nine questions to find out:

 

1. You are feeling stressed out because of your workload. You choose to: 

A. Work extra hours anyway because you've been struggling to get things done on time.

B. Inform a coworker, who also says that the entire team feels the same way.

 

2. When you're having difficulty concentrating, you're most likely to blame:

A. The never-ending stream of messages from friends and family.

B. The constant barrage of messages from your colleagues and boss.

 

3. During the workday, your phone is constantly ringing. You should: 

A. Text your friends to ask them to stop calling so you can concentrate.

B. Answer the phone because all of the calls are from your colleagues and boss.

 

4. You are working on a tough task and have difficulty finishing it. You're feeling: 

A. Unfocused, and you're taking frequent breaks to try to get through it.

B. Anxious because you know your team and boss will be upset if you don't finish it soon.

 

5. You're about to leave for a much-needed lunch break when a coworker sends you a message. You: 

A. Choose to respond to the message, then scroll through your other messages and email.

B. Respond to the message, then immediately receive a call from them.

 

6. You have just completed a series of lengthy meetings. You choose to:

A. Proceed to another task and try to remember the next steps later.

B. Respond to new requests from your colleagues regarding what was just discussed.

 

7. You haven't had a vacation in nearly a year. You believe the problem is: 

A. There's never a good time for a vacation, and you haven't scheduled one yet.

B. You're too concerned about the work that will accumulate while you're away.

 

8. You are finally on vacation, and a coworker sent you a message while you're away. The message is about: 

A. A task you forgot to complete before going on vacation, and there are no instructions on how to complete it.

B. Something urgent that your boss wants you both to complete before you return.

 

9. You leave your 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job at 6:30 p.m. Your coworkers' online statuses are:

A. Away; most of the employees log on and off around 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

B. Available; everyone appears to work late into the night.

 

Is your work-life balance the problem, or is it the company at fault?

If you got mostly A's, you might want to reconsider your work habits.

A poor work-life balance does not imply that you are a lesser employee or person. It simply means that you should reconsider your work habits, environment, and personal tendencies.

Begin by thinking about your productivity on a given day. How many hours do you spend not just working but actually doing real work? Why are you not getting the job done when you are not in a meeting or responding to a work chat?

You could be checking social media, chatting with a friend, or simply zoning out. It's not that breaks aren't an essential part of a productive workday; it's just that they should refresh and recharge you rather than draining your focus.

The first step is to reclaim your focus so that you can work more efficiently, smarter, and faster. Determine what time of day is most productive for you and plan your hard work around that. If you have difficulty getting started in the morning, begin with simpler administrative tasks.

Then consider the external distractions and what you can do to limit them. Can you set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode and block out the noise from non-work-related texts? Can you make time during your lunch break to check social media?

After you've addressed your productivity, you can move on to your boundaries. When setting them with your team, be clear and specific, and follow-through by marking your availability publicly on your calendar or communication apps. Make a boundary and stick to it, even if it's scary or uncomfortable. If you stick to your guns, your team will most likely do the same.

Is there is something wrong with your work habits, or is it the fault of your company?

If you answered mostly B's, it could be due to your company's culture.

If everyone is expected to be "on" all of the time, this type of company culture can easily lead to a poor work-life balance. It can manifest as constant communication after hours, meetings during non-work hours, and consistently pressing work deadlines, even if the project isn't as pressing.

It can also appear as a lack of empathy or check-in. If your boss and teammates never bring up your workload and bandwidth, or if you bring it up and they dismiss it, they may not be concerned about your work-life balance.

Another red flag is if they don't discuss their personal lives (no need to get personal, but if they're too preoccupied with work, it may be an issue) or if they never take a vacation; the problem may stem from the top line.

If your company culture is destroying your work-life balance, you should discuss your concerns with your manager directly and specifically, and brainstorm actionable ways to help you achieve balance. For instance, discuss changing deadlines, meeting frequency, or even a no-response expectation after a particular hour. 

Your company should be concerned about work-life balance because it affects every employee. An improved work-life balance means a more productive, energised employee and a more fulfilled, happy person.

 

Speaking up and taking action to achieve a good work-life balance is critical to your career success, whether you need to reassess your own habits or those of your company.

 

Source: FairyGodBoss