Americans first heard the term in 1986: "Work-Life Balance" was the new mantra, and it reflected the need for a healthy connection between work and play.
Two decades after Rubik's Cube and fluorescent leg warmers, the phrase is as timely as ever, and fast becoming today's hot-button issue. As the speed of our culture has accelerated, the line between work and personal space has blurred. Today we text memos to the boss during family BBQs. We email clients on our days off. A decade ago, a blackberry was a food bursting with antioxidants. Today it connects us to the world.
Between superhighways and the supersized, we live in a "super"-saturated culture. Not surprisingly, Superwoman Syndrome is alive and kicking. So how do we come back to earth and nurture our happiness, health and home?
As comic Lily Tomlin put it: "For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."
More sage advice:
Know Your Options: In January 2010, during an appearance at the Department of Labor, first lady Michelle Obama urged companies to embrace policies such as flextime, telecommuting and paid time off. More than ever, women are seeking workplaces that are broad-minded and offer an equally broad spectrum of opportunity.
Do you know where your company stands?
Review your company's rules regarding sick days, sick leave, flextime, telecommuting, job sharing, compressed work weeks, wellness programs, and EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs). Your company may not post its policies, but your employee handbook should list the available options. Speak to your supervisor if you have additional questions or have an idea you would like to propose.
Be Good to Yourself: It's all too easy to take our health for granted when all the parts are working as they should. But it's vital that you choose nutrient-rich foods, set a healthy sleep schedule, and get your body moving. Nourish your spirit by reserving regular time for what you love: hiking, gardening, volunteering, learning an instrument, or practicing taekwondo will help reconnect your wires and remind you of what makes you you.
Identify Stressors: Pyramids of paperwork, looming deadlines, gremlins in the copy machine: Knowing what makes your blood pressure soar is half the battle. You can help intercept workplace stress by planning ahead, delegating what you can, and fostering positive relationships.
Pitching in to help colleagues when you feel able, and accepting a hand when you need one, can help keep workloads from overwhelming your department. As for errant office equipment, learning in advance how to fix the inevitable paper jam will save time -- and handfuls of hair.
Just Say Nay: Toddlers quickly learn to love the word "no" -- and so can you. Chances are, you've said "yes" plenty of times this past month. Remember that overbooking yourself won't help anyone in the long run. Don't foil plans for some well-deserved "you" time.
Get a Handle On "Homework:" The economic downturn has spurred many employees to compensate for job losses by logging longer hours and shouldering heftier workloads. For many, this means that the workday doesn't end at the office. A 2010 CareerBuilder survey of over 3,100 American workers reported that thirty-one percent bring work home at least once a week, while one in ten do so at least every other day.
While occasional homework may help make the next workday more manageable, remember that too many extra hours can quickly add up to poorer performance at the office, disrupted time with family and friends, insufficient time to decompress, and burnout.
Being time-savvy by grouping like tasks and eliminating extra steps can help keep your work hours at work.
When you do need to tote projects home, try to keep limited windows of time open for their completion. Cell phones, iPads, briefcases, laptops: Tuck them all in by a certain time at night.
Log In: Tracking your daily events for one week can be an eye-opener. Jotting personal and work-related events into a journal can help you identify where your time is best served and filter out activities that are time-gobblers.
Maintain Your Minutes: A "to-do" list can help streamline your schedule, but give yourself leeway. Focus on the most pressing tasks first and if time runs out, don't fret: Ask someone to help out, or move activities to another day.
Stay Connected: Building and strengthening bonds with your friends, family, colleagues, and community will bolster your well-being and help fortify you when times get tough.
Finding Your Footing: Ironic how the word "balance" can throw you off. If work-life balance is your new mantra, remember that the tune will change day to day.
And here's the kicker: There is no perfect equilibrium.
We are all unique -- with our own situations, ambitions, and dreams. You may be single, child-free and heading to night class after work, but your sister, on maternity leave, is in the process of interviewing local daycare centers. In the meantime, there are millions of other women with individual circumstances, all connected by a common goal: to be content, whole, and in the place we most want to be.