The speaker at this seminar was Edilburga Wulan Saptandari, M.Psi., Ph.D.

, a
psychologist who is familiarly called Yayi as a Psychology Lecturer at Gadjah Mada
University. Yayi started sharing session by asking questions to the participants to
measure their life balance. In his presentation, Yayi explained that work-life balance
was a word used in the late 1970s to describe a balance between one's work and
personal life. This can be achieved if a person's right to personal life is accepted and
respected by the company and society.

Yayi also explained that a balanced life is not just about balancing work and family.
However, how can we gain achievement and also enjoy life? The balance of life
includes work, family, self, and social life. She also explained the myth about work-
life balance which is perceived as impossible to achieve because we cannot choose
it.

In fact, according to Yayi, work-life balance is beneficial for reducing stress and the
possibility of experiencing burnout. Stressed employees are more likely to
experience depression, anxiety, and physical health problems such as hypertension,
diabetes, heart problems, and others.Employees who experience work-life balance
will be more motivated, productive, and efficient at work so that they can achieve
goals or targets. Yayi explained that several conditions create pressure involving
excessive loads so that you don't get enough rest. Such as management that is not
good due to employees who are not involved in decision-making that there is no
guarantee of continuity of work.

it might seem ironic to talk of work-life balance. However, no matter how pressing the need
for employment, it is essential to understand how best individuals can experience
satisfaction inside and outside working hours.

Definition
This state, called work-life balance, can be defined as an individual's ability to meet
their work and family commitments, as well as other non-work responsibilities and
activities. Outside work hours, leisure relates to non-work activities, whereas free
time by definition is not committed to any activity. The difficulty in defining work-life
balance lies in the fact that all these factors play a role in determining whether the
individual feels this balance has been achieved. Achieving a balance is not about
giving equal time to each of these areas. Instead, it is having the ability to allocate
enough time, labor, and thought so that individuals are satisfied.

Different countries seem to have alternative work ethics, with the Netherlands having
the lowest percentage of employees who work long hours. Denmark, France, and
Spain are also high on the list. The USA is 30th on a list of 38 countries where work-
life balance is considered, with most full-time workers putting in over 8 hours of work
a day. Over a tenth of Americans said they worked over 50 hours a week, and two-
thirds perceiving a lack of balance.

Interestingly, research has suggested that this is a common problem amongst highly
paid managers, despite control over this balance expected from individuals with this
position.

Determinants of work-life balance

For most people, work commitments are a fundamental element of life satisfaction
and are not performed for the wage alone. Researchers link this to the daily structure
and social identity offered by professional positions and expectations to be met. The
determinants of work-life balance include both factors that can be altered by the
individual and those that need organizational initiative.

Some are satisfied to spend long hours at work for potential career progression,
while others feel satisfied if their family is prioritized. Still, aligning both remains a
focus for many. It may be that balance is best defined when it is absent. Therefore,
when the preferred type of balance is not achieved, it leads to interference or
conflict.

Individual factors
Individuals may be affected by their attitude towards work – they may be
overachievers, perfectionists, or compulsive workers, all of whom are generally seen
as workaholics who spend more time than required, sacrificing other activities.Those
overworked also commit to long hours even when not needed to, but are not
satisfied by the returns. The worker's health status, personality type and degree of
resilience, as well as the stage of career and period of life, and gender are other key
parameters in determining a work-life balance.

Organizational factors
Organizational measures influencing work-life balance involve the work demanded in
terms of the time spent at work and any intensity or pressure. In addition, the
organization determines the work culture. Inflexible hours, demanding managers,
incompetent colleagues, and long commutes all contribute to this problem.
Connectivity has worsened this problem. Remote workers are often required to be
accessible to their employers, even if these interruptions occur outside of
commitment hours or during time spent with family.

Home as a source of imbalance

Work itself is poorly defined, as life outside the workplace also consists of other
types of work. This is true of all who operate at home- or family-based businesses
but has become a unique pandemic problem. Many at home are expected to be
online or available for far longer than before. When it comes to tasks done as non-
paid but necessary labor, the demands of home and its culture are seen to be
determinants of work-life balance. For instance, role-related expectations are
important, along with the presence of dependent children or older adults. Women
may be implicitly expected to take care of domestic matters after working hours.
Similarly, the care of children and elderly family members may be an unspoken or
accepted obligation of one working family member.

Indicators of work-life balance

Both subjective and objective indicators of work-life balance have been suggested.
For instance, working parents may be satisfied with the level of balance they
perceive, but their children may feel deprived of parental company. Or, perhaps, their
children's teachers perceive that parental guidance and encouragement to do their
homework is lacking.

In Europe, labor laws envisage no more than 48 hours a week at work, indicating
that beyond this, labor is both unhealthy and relatively unproductive. The spillover of
work to the home, or vice versa, are undesirable indicators of work-life imbalance.
Society values play an essential role in deciding how work-life balance is perceived.
If family responsibilities are not seen as crucial, or at least not as necessary as
economic productivity, it is unlikely that workaholics would face any interference.

Consequences
The consequences of such imbalance may be poor satisfaction, mental stress,
unproductivity, problematic behavior at work or home, which may affect either work
colleagues or family members.
Even if work hours are abridged, without an accompanying reduction in work
obligations, the time spent at home may be overshadowed by constant work-related
thoughts and pressure. For some, stressors at work lead to job exhaustion and
decreased health, potentially impacting satisfaction in personal relationships.

Chronic stress is associated with a weaker immune response, leading to more minor
illnesses, muscle aches, and headaches; they are also at a higher risk of strokes and
heart attacks. They are also at a higher risk of stroke and heart attacks.

Irritability and anxiety are found to be up to 75% more common in this group. Such
issues may culminate into prolonged depression, sadness, and drug or alcohol
abuse. Also, if organizational loyalty is stressed at the expense of family
responsibilities and expectations, family satisfaction and a withdrawal from family
roles may be expected.

It is important to understand how these problems are associated with lower

productivity. This occurs via low employee morale, burnout, and high employee
turnover. Healthcare spending is also lower among employees who are under less
stress.

The benefits
With a satisfactory work-life balance, employers can reap a range of benefits.
Productivity is higher, absenteeism is lower, and physical and mental health
improves with a higher commitment and motivation to work. Personal relationships
can also benefit from achieving this balance.

How to improve work-life balance

Critical steps in this process include identifying causes of stress and understanding
whether personal sacrifices compensate for the rewards of longer work
commitments.

Changes to work hours, shifting task responsibilities, and determining flexible

deadlines are all actions that could be taken. Decisions such as these might be
especially impactful during certain stages of life. Establishing boundaries at work,
such as knowing when tasks are complete, is another option. Balance is an ongoing
process. Actions might have to be repeated when stress is experienced during or
outside work hours.

Organizational initiatives can make the task of maintaining a reasonable balance

much easier, as when employers take family and community obligations into
account. Organizations should, for instance, allow employees to unplug from work
once they are out of the office so that they cannot be contacted for work purposes
until they come back the next working day.

As remote work became the norm during the pandemic, efficient productivity without
personal sacrifices has become evident. Workers should keep such perspectives in
mind to balance work and life responsibilities.

In my opinion, the benefit of work-life balance is important because we must

organize ourselves to be more productive and avoid stress which can harm our body
and soul.