Balance or Fluidity? Integrating our professional and work lives.

We’re all aware of the importance of having a good work life balance but is it really the best way of ensuring our wellbeing?  Is work/life fluidity the key to a better blend of our work and personal lives?

Nowadays, we’re all encouraged to have a good work-life balance to ensure our mental and physical wellbeing. Whilst this looks different for everyone, it generally means finding a balance between the demands of our work and personal life to ensure a greater sense of well-being. By having a clear and firm boundary between our work and personal lives and by seeing them as completely separate entities we can devote our attention to them at any given time. In reality though, our work and personal lives are linked in many ways and trying to separate them can be difficult and often counterproductive.

A different way of bringing our work and personal lives together is through work/life fluidity. Instead of having hard boundaries between our work and personal lives, it acknowledges the connection between the two and finds ways to make their different aspects complement and enhance each other. Instead of putting our work and lives into different compartments, we embrace the way they overlap and interconnect and recognise that our needs and responsibilities change constantly. This means we can adapt to the changing nature of our world and allow our work and personal lives to support one another.

That’s not to say though that work life fluidity is a better option than "work-life balance”. Whilst some people may prefer a more traditional work structure with clear boundaries, others may thrive in a more fluid and flexible environment. The key is to find a balance through open communication that meets the needs of both the individual and the organisation. One that ensures work expectations are met, but also promotes overall well-being and aligns the individual's personal and professional goals with their specific circumstances.