Well-being and work-life balance
Perfect balance
Well-being at work is not a luxury; it is the foundation that makes everything else possible. When energy is low and stress become the default, even the most meaningful work starts to feel heavy. When we feel grounded, respected, and restored, the same tasks become more manageable, creativity returns, and our relationships—at work and at home—begin to breathe again.
Work–life balance is often pictured as a perfect split between “work” and “life,” but in reality it is more like a rhythm than a rigid formula.
A skeptical client, told me there is no balance in life but different seasons…winter, spring, summer and autumn and depending on the season, the balance can be totally ineffective”.
Indeed, there will always be intense weeks and calmer ones. What matters is not getting it “right” every day but learning to notice when you are tipping into exhaustion and gently bringing yourself back. Balance is less about counting hours and more about asking:
“Does my life, as it is today, make space for my health, my relationships, and my sense of self?”
The wheel of life is an excellent tool to get a snapshot of our life and its level of fulfilment in a certain moment. In my coaching practice, I use this tool to stimulate introspection and sharing in individual and group coaching and the results are surprising and deep at the same time.
The major realization is that fulfilment can start with small, concrete choices.
A real lunch break away from the screen. One meeting less, blocking some hours a week to exercise etc.. Closing the laptop at a set time three nights a week. Saying yes more intentionally and “not this time” a bit more bravely. These micro‑boundaries are not signs of weak commitment; they are what allow you to show up with attention, patience, and presence—especially when the pressure rises.
Well-being is also deeply relational.
Psychological safety, trust in leadership, and supportive colleagues are as important as individual habits. When managers normalize talking about workload, set realistic expectations, and role‑model disconnecting, they give permission for others to do the same.
When teams celebrate rest and recovery as much as results, people stop hiding their limits and start co‑creating smarter, kinder ways of working.
If you are reading this and feeling stretched thin, consider this an invitation—not to overhaul your life overnight, but to choose one gentle experiment.
Protect one small pocket of time this week just for you.
Ask for one adjustment that would make your day more sustainable. Replace one automatic “yes” with a considered response.
Well-being and work–life balance are not destinations you arrive at once; they are ongoing, living agreements with yourself. And you are allowed to renegotiate them as you grow.
