Deviating a bit from security to something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately: healthy and sustainable work/life balance. I have lots of experience here (mostly by way of what not to do), so here are 4 critical questions to ask yourself…and your employer:
#1: What is the definition of success for my role, and how is it measured?
Just like in security, you can’t monitor/measure what you can’t see. What constitutes “success” in your role should not be open to interpretation. You need to understand what is going to be required of you to succeed, and it cannot be ambiguous or amorphous. Beware in particular “lean” orgs (i.e., under-resourced), or orgs in crisis, where people tend to wear many different hats.
#2: Is it possible to meet those expectations, and still maintain a healthy work/life balance?
Here’s where you must move beyond the generic Corp value statements, or the fluffy words of the hiring manager/HR, to the real world. Given what you learned in #1 above, can I actually do this job, and stay emotionally, physically, and relationally healthy? Am I going to have to be someone else (professionally and/or personally) to be successful? Am I about to bite off more than I want to chew, given the other priorities in my life? It’s critical to honour your gut here. Remember, it takes a lot of courage to say no to a good opportunity.
#3: How does leadership empower employees to set healthy boundaries?
The wording here is quite intentional. Many companies will say the right thing, but when push comes to shove, are you really empowered to set and enforce healthy boundaries? Can you say no, for example? Or when it really comes down to it, is your job simply to deliver…irrespective the cost to you and your family?
Of course, there’s two sides to this. We all have seasons at work where we must stretch to achieve difficult targets or asks. But there’s a big difference between this and a systemic cultural norm. The former is doable in the short term; the latter is toxic and will grind you into dust.
#4: Am I setting and honouring the healthy work/life boundaries I have created for myself?
You can’t blame your job/boss/customers if you are empowered to set good boundaries, but when you do, you don’t honour them. If you don’t take your own emotional, physical, and relational health seriously, don’t expect anyone else to do it for you.