INTEGRANTS:

VANESSA PACHECO FALCONI KERLLY RIVERA BAJAA

WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Work-life balance is a broad concept including proper prioritizing between career and ambition on one hand, compared with pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development on the other. As the separation between work and home life has diminished, this concept has become more relevant than ever before. The equilibrium between the amount of time and effort somebody devotes to work and that given to other aspects of life. Work-life balance is the subject of widespread public debate on how to allow employees more control over their working arrangements in order to better accommodate other aspects of their lives, while still benefiting their organizations. The agenda consists primarily of flexible working practices and family friendly policies, although good practice demonstrates that flexibility should be open to all, including those without caring responsibilities. The work-life balance debate has arisen through social and economic changes, such as greater numbers of women in the workforce, the expectations of the younger Generation X, a growing reluctance to accept the longer hours culture, the rise of the society, and technological advancements. It has been supported by government and by organizations which see it as a means of aiding recruitment and employee retention. It is clear that problems caused by stress have become a major concern to both employers and employees. Symptoms of stress are manifested both physiologically and psychologically. Persistent stress can result in cardiovascular disease, sexual health problems, a weaker immune system and frequent headaches, stiff muscles, or backache. It can also result in poor coping skills, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity, exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating. Stress may also perpetuate or lead to binge eating, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

WORKLIFE BALANCE BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATION

WORKLIFE BALANCE BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL

Measured increases in individual productivity, accountability and commitment Better teamwork and communication Improved morale Less negative organizational stress

More value and balance in your daily life Better understanding of what your best individual worklife balance is Increased productivity Improved relationships both on and off the job Reduced stress

ARTICLE

Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress

If your work life and personal life are out of balance, your stress may be running high. Here's how to reclaim control.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Finding work-life balance in today's frenetically paced world is no simple task. Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult. Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress along with its harmful effects is the result. The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance.

How work invades your personal life

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here's why:

Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and

companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.

International business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day

for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.

Advanced communication technology. Many people now have the ability

to work anywhere from their home, from their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this.

Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours

than they're scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations.

Changes in family roles. Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-

career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community. Married to your work It can be tempting to rack up the hours at work especially if you're trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child's education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload. But if you're spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:

Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when

you're tired. This means you're less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.

Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child's first bike

ride, your father's 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.

Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you're

spending time at the office instead of with them, you'll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.

Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more

responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.

DISCUSS 2 REASONS TO BE UNBALANCED: 1. - THE TECHNOLOGY AND LONGER HOURS OF WORK:

Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won't be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you're too tired, when it's affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations

2.- GLOBAL ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

SOLUTIONS FOR

CORPORATIONS:

EMPLOYEERS SHOULD BE TO RESEARCH THE WORK-LIFE-BALANCE OF

WOMEN AND MEN WITH CARE AND OTHER FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES. IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT HELP TO RECONCILE WORKING AND PRIVATE LIFE FLEXIBLE WORK ORGANISATION AND WORKING TIME ARRANGEMENTS ALLOWING WOMEN AND MEN WITH CARE RESPONSIBILITIES TO HAVE BOTH A CAREER AND A SATISFYING PRIVATE LIFE THIS WILL ALLOW MORE ORGANIZATION AT WORK AND LESS STRESS WHAT IS USED TO BRING COMPLET EQUILIBRIUM.

SOLUTIONS PERSONAL: Leave work at work. With today's global business mentality and the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there's no boundary between work and home unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.

Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off, and running errands in batches are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.

Protect your day off. Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more relaxing.

Get enough sleep. There's nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you're sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.

Seek professional help. Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels too chaotic to manage and you're spinning your wheels worrying about it, talk with a professional,

such as your doctor, a psychologist or a counselor recommended by your employee assistance program.

DEFINITION OF WORKAHOLIC A workaholic, colloquially, is a person who is addicted to work (the correct medico-legal term is "ergomania"). The phrase does not always imply that the person actually enjoys their work, but rather simply feels compelled to do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition, although some forms of stress, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder can be work-related. Although the term workaholic usually has a negative connotation, it is sometimes used by people wishing to express their devotion to one's career in positive terms. The "work" in question is usually associated with a paying job, but it may also refer to independent pursuits such as sports, music and art. A workaholic in the negative sense is popularly characterized by a neglect of family and other social relations. Clinical researcher Professor Bryan Robinson identifies two axes for workaholics: work initiation and work completion. He associates the behavior of procrastination with both "Savoring Workaholics" (those with low work initiation/low work completion) and "Attention-Deficit Workaholics" those with high work initiation and low work completion, in contrast to "Bulimic" and "Relentless" workaholics - both of whom have high work completion.