About work balance, boundaries and work ethics

When we think about the Covid 19 pandemic, we recall stories of a deadly disease and horrible time of continuous lockdowns in Australia and worldwide. The disease has continued to circulate, but as of 2024, experts were uncertain as to whether it was still a pandemic. There are still lessons to be learnt from this experience and there are still people who are unwell because of the Virus's mutations are surrounding and affecting us continuously. One of those lessons is our changed way of working. The hybrid methods of work has been adapted by many employers. While some enjoy and utilise best the working from home idea, others welcome returning to their usual routine of going to their workplaces. In both cases, the way we work is being challenged by two words: balance and boundaries.

Despite where you work, it is about how you approach your work that matters. It is about not only what you do, but also how you do it.

Work ethics include not only how one feels about their job, career or vocation, but also how one does his/her job or responsibilities. This involves attitude, behaviour, respect, communication, and interaction; how one gets along with others. Work ethics demonstrate many things about whom and how a person is. (www.allaboutphilosophy.org)

It is much easier to work in the environment where people demonstrate honesty, integrity and work values. Work is hard and despite our aspirations to make it a place of passion, enjoyment and fulfilment, day to day challenges usually require from us laborious efforts. This is why it is truly hard to work in such a way that the place we work does not overtake our private space and our private life does not permeates into the work relations. The boundaries are needed to keep our life in balance. And it comes with practice and maturity of everyone we work with.

But in both situations - we can have some fun and enjoy the moments, relations and ways we exercise our work duties. Like the other day, when Lynn (a colleague from work at Holy Family Services brought us all her delicious Buttermilk scones.

Have fun at work this week, everyone!