Thought I'd get back into the habit of blogging when I wrote the following post in my office internal forum where this topic was raised.
Here is what I had to say:
I think we should no longer think of the traditional mentality of 9:00-17:00 time-frame to bring in work-life balance. World has become smaller, work patterns have evolved over time and demands expectations always seem to increase in the capitalistic environment. But at the same time we are no longer bound by office space. We have options to work from home (virtually anywhere) if and when we want. Technology is at our disposal so that we can use it to our advantage.
- I have found this core time when I need to be available for discussions, meetings, presentations, etc. I try not to plan anything else around this period because it will inevitably get sidelined. If I am free at that time, it as an added bonus to finish off things.
- Limited the use of smart phones and devices outside office hours. I believe that when the company provides us with these devices, they don't expect us to be available at absurd hours (unless on service call or something critical like that). It is we who choose to respond to emails at all odd hours because of which others think we are available at that time as well.
- At the same the these very devices let you be outside office boundaries. I find it useful to check my emails before starting a work day, so I know the kind of day it is going to be (really!). If something urgent is waiting for me at a different time zone, I make sure I respond instantaneously.
- Split work hours. I appreciate this may not be true to all roles but it is to mine. Sometimes I work late evenings due to time zone requirements. By doing this, it gives me a lot more flexibility during the day, where I ensure I step away from work early.
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