Work-life balance and work-life integration: What’s the difference?

14 de December, 2023

For many professionals in different industries, particularly those who have started working in remote or hybrid arrangements in the context of the pandemic, work and personal life are more intertwined than ever.

When our workplace can be our sofa or our kitchen table, it can become more difficult to separate the personal from the professional and find a balance between the two.

As these boundaries tend to blur more and more, the concept of work-life balance has given way to a new perspective called work-life integration. Come and discover the main differences with us.

What is work-life balance?

Work-life balance is a simpler and more linear, but also more rigid, approach to the question of the boundaries between time spent working and time spent on personal life. It involves dedicating a certain part of the day to professional tasks and responsibilities and another part to personal commitments, in a compartmentalized way.

From a work-life balance perspective, it’s about the ability of workers to set clear boundaries between work and everything else outside of work, making sure that one thing doesn’t interfere with the other.

However, for many people – depending on their profession, their working pattern, the phase of life they are going through, etc – it can be difficult to demarcate the two so obviously. Not only may they not be able to switch off completely when working hours end, but, conversely, they may also have to accommodate personal commitments during working hours.

It is in the context of these specificities that the concept of work-life integration is gaining strength.

What is work-life integration?

Work-life integration refers, as the name suggests, to a more adaptable integration between personal and professional life. Instead of trying to set specific hours for each thing – which can be frustrating for people whose professions don’t allow them to have the typical 9am-6pm schedule – workers make a commitment that allows them to coordinate professional and personal responsibilities in a more flexible way.

Balance is achieved not by dividing up schedules, but by people being able to do the different tasks when they need to be done or when it makes the most sense to do them. For example, if you need to go to the dentist at 4pm, you can leave work in the middle of the afternoon and, when you return, you can stay at work until 7pm to make up for it. Or if they need to look after a sick child, they can telework.

When professionals feel that they have this flexibility and freedom, they are likely to experience greater satisfaction in all areas of their lives, their stress levels will decrease and their well-being will increase. In fact, several studies indicate that generations Y and Z tend to favor this more flexible integration between work and personal life rather than a more rigid balance between the two.

In short, the work-life balance perspective is based on a clear separation between personal and professional life, while work-life integration assumes that professional tasks and personal commitments can occur simultaneously during the day, as long as this is reasonable and healthy for the worker.

But how can you promote a healthy integration between the personal and professional spheres in your life?

• Consider your family needs, such as picking up your children from school, helping your parents or grandparents with chores, going for a walk with your partner, and so on.
• At work, plan your tasks realistically, so that you understand how much work you will have to do in your day or week. This will help you coordinate professional projects with free time for personal activities.
• Don’t be afraid to set limits, such as informing your boss that you can’t attend a meeting because it coincides with picking up your child, or setting an “absent” status when you’re no longer going to reply to messages in the company/team chat. Setting limits shouldn’t mean that you don’t do your job and aren’t productive and dedicated. These limits should be used appropriately, and with common sense, to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding your availability and what works best for you.
• Dedicate time to activities that give you pleasure, such as spending quality time with your family, playing sport, traveling, etc. It’s important to feel fulfilled and meet your professional goals, but it’s also crucial to be with the people you love and not neglect your health, well-being and happiness.
• Use and abuse your vacations, days off and weekends, which allow you to replenish your energy and feel more refreshed to give your best on work days.
• In an ideal scenario, find an employer whose organizational culture matches your values and what you’re looking for in a company (whether it’s the possibility of working remotely, flexible hours, no pressure to work overtime, extra vacation days, etc).

Achieving a healthy balance between your personal and professional life can take time. It’s a process that requires adaptation, both on your part and that of the company you work for.

What’s more, work-life integration can mean different things to different people and can change as circumstances change.

But it will be easier once you understand what works best for you.