In this day and age when more and more people can opt to work remotely, the topic of work life balance has gained popularity and it’s now one of the top considerations of most Filipinos when talking about building their ideal career.

To help improve the quality of life, one tends to set expectations and have values to live by. The same thing applies to your career. So, what should matter to you most? Here’s four considerations:

1. Good work life balance

With all the sad news about the pandemic surrounding us, it’s normal for us to get fed up with the stress, anxiety, and fear of the unknown. Building a career in such a challenging time in our lives can be such a chore as well, so a lot of people tend to look for ways to bring back that control they seemingly lost due to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. One way to do that is to finally look out for their well-being through practicing a good work life balance. It’s not an easy feat, but it shouldn’t be rocket science, too.

With this, employers are now realizing how job seekers have become wiser and more assertive with their job expectations as well as the things they look for in a company. Apart from job candidates vying for competitive positions, employers also work on building their image by promoting a healthy work life balance. 

2. Job security

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world, one thing has become certain for many people: No job is ever permanent, and that it’s always best to have a backup plan. No one foresaw the drastic effects of such a health crisis not just in our economy but also in our daily life. Plus, millions and millions lost their jobs due to the closing of businesses.

However, this was already true even before the pandemic. Nothing is ever certain, and that we all want to have a stable and reliable source of income to sustain our standard of living.

On the bright side, a lot of professionals took this event as a learning opportunity. Something that we can control is making ourselves more versatile and skillful. We can do this by upskilling, improving our habits, widening our connections, looking at things from a new or broader perspective, and trying to maintain a positive work attitude.

3. Good relationship with superior

In relation to having a healthy work life balance, having good relationships at work is also of paramount importance. As this directly affects one’s work performance, it’s only logical for Filipinos to value work relationships more than ever. During these trying times, having a supportive superior plus empathic colleagues helps lessen the stress we encounter at work. At the bare minimum, respect should be practiced regardless of individual differences, culture, ideas, and character.

4. Ideal work environment

While this may be subjective because every employee has a unique take on what his or her ideal work environment is, this factor remains as one of the top priorities of Filipinos these days. Balancing personal matters with work-related responsibilities is a hard reality already, so try choosing a work environment that doesn’t contribute to your worries.

Boosting Your Work-Life Balance

For Filipino professionals, work life balance, along with salary/compensation, career development opportunities, and job security belong to their top priorities. However, what is the importance of work life balance for Filipinos? Also, how do you work on ensuring you get to experience and sustain it without sacrificing your ability to work on your career plan? Here’s three ways you can improve your work life balance:

1. Learn how to draw the line

Having to work from home or remotely may mean that you will have to put more effort into managing your time well. Drawing the line between your work time and personal time is important for you to practice a healthy work life balance.

You can do this by blocking your time off daily or weekly, allotting your non-negotiable schedules for all things work and personal affairs.

2. Work and agree on boundaries

Effective open communication between you as an employee and your employer is more crucial when the topic of remote work policies is at play. Great employers understand how each employee is different, so trying to implement unique approaches to address employee needs is a must.

However, it takes two to tango. As an employee, it’s also your right to negotiate and come to terms as to how you prefer to reach out, your preferred time to talk after work, and how you can efficiently deal with urgent matters that arise. Also, you have to be clear about your personal boundaries on weekends and after-hours. Does your work really require you to devote time during weekends and outside work hours? Or is it not part of your responsibilities? For most people, working eight hours a day is more than enough. The rest of their time is dedicated to their families, friends, and themselves.

3. Have realistic expectations

Every employer is different. With this, there’s a high chance that even if you share common values with them, there may still be things you won’t agree on. That’s normal, so you don’t have to set unfair expectations on how your employer must always meet your demands nor you must meet theirs all the time, too.

Simply put, you can’t push your standards for yourself on others. Trying hard to change the things you can’t control in the workplace would only jeopardize your ability to practice a better work life balance.

Lastly, one common lesson we can deduce from these factors is that we shouldn’t abandon our self-respect so that we can be excellent employees. Maintaining an ideal work life balance is a long-term effort, but it shouldn’t let you drop all your beliefs to please everyone around you. Remember, no one will look out for your welfare as much as you can, so it’s best to take it one day at a time. As the world continues to change, be ready to adapt to living in the post-pandemic era.

Found this guide helpful? Browse more of Bossjob’s career advice and job search tips to help you boost your career in the pandemic climate and beyond!