During Brigid Schulte's 2024 ICMA Annual Conference session, How To Be a Great Leader and Also Have a Life, Schulte shared how many issues with work-life balance can be fixed by doing this one thing: identifying your pain point at your job, and working around it.

Work-life balance means something different to each individual. While care responsibilities usually affect everyone, statistically there is two to ten times more invisible and unpaid work for women than men. Being realistic with equity and the needs of each individual is key. 

Besides gender, one’s field of work may drastically affect one’s pain point at work. Jobs with high burnout, like many in the field of medicine, as well as hourly and service workers, suffer from unpredictable work schedules. In addition to the stress of unpredictability in schedule and, therefore, an inconsistency in how one can handle the responsibilities of home life, hourly and service workers also face a 30% difference in wages per month. Inconsistency in wages and time worked provide a sense of instability both mentally and physically, as one can’t plan or gauge any part of the future, keeping them tunnel-visioned on simply living, not planning or thriving.

Office workers can experience burnout through what can be described as “stupid work.” Low-hanging, low or no impact work items that are done simply to lend to longer work days and, therefore, an outdated sense of productivity actually decrease productivity. Lack of rest and personal time can create physical burnout, and doing meaningless tasks at work can also lead to mental and emotional drainage. Rigid work schedules also disproportionally disenfranchise women and people of color, while not adding to the overall value of the work being done.

Other factors to consider while striving for a healthy work-life balance is the amount of equity a job offers upfront. Jobs with low equity end up being jobs that workers have no trust in. In order to create a harmonious relationship between work and life balance, finding a job that understands equity over equality for its workers provides the mental and emotional security that can help one thrive both personally and professionally.