In a highly connected world where the line between work and home life is blurred, Telum's Southeast Asia PR Team spoke with prominent PR practitioners on how important is it to create boundaries between professional and personal time?

 

Julian Sherman Fernandez, Chief Operating Officer, FOY Communications
Blurring the line between work and home life can lead to increased stress, poor quality of work, burnout, and a diminished sense of well-being. By establishing clear boundaries, we protect our personal time, while constantly performing at work.

Those privileged to lead a team or sit in a senior leadership role must understand that this separation is crucial not only for maintaining a healthy work-life balance for the team, but to enhance their productivity and focus, creating a win-win outcome for the employees and the organisation. It is therefore imperative that good time-management be constantly promoted within an organisation to serve as the platform to nurture a healthy work-life balance.

Allocating dedicated time for work-related tasks and personal activities promotes better mental and emotional well-being, improved relationships, and sustained long-term success. By setting limits and communicating them effectively, we can navigate the challenges of a connected world while priori<sing our overall happiness and fulfilment. Finding the right balance is an ongoing process, but by actively creating boundaries, providing clear briefs for the team, and genuinely looking out for your people’s well-being, we can strive for a more harmonious and fulfilling integration of work and personal life, while ensuring continuous success for an organisation.
 

Germaine Lim, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, PageGroup 
Long plane rides used to mark the beginning of a genuine vacation for me - a time to disconnect and truly unwind. Being required to switch our devices to airplane mode served as a valuable reminder. However, in today's hyperconnected world, where free in-flight Wi-fi is becoming the norm, I reluctantly admit that I'll likely give in from the very start. With red flags and growing concerns about burnout, I recognise the need to establish clear boundaries in both my professional and personal life. It's undoubtedly challenging, given the expectations of our constantly connected society. Yet, by carving out dedicated work hours, we can enhance our focus and productivity like a well-oiled machine. Allocating personal time allows us to recharge and indulge in activities bring back a familiar sense of warmth and contentment. Striking that delicate balance is what I believe the key to a happier, more fulfilling existence. Let's assertively reject work encroaching on our pajama-clad Netflix nights and reclaim our personal lives with confidence. I like to think it’s the recipe for a life well-lived, complemented by a dash of success.





 

Puteri Karima El-Sherief, Head of Marketing Communication, ACASIA Communications
As a full-time mum working her way up the corporate ladder, I believe time management is crucial because I don't want to miss out on creating memories with my son while pursuing my career goals. Especially given the luxury of working from home, I try to complete any job obligations during my scheduled working hours and once it’s time to clock out, my mom hat is right back on. Exceptions are given only to any urgent or ad hoc work tasks, and then I just play around with my schedule to ensure a balance between home and work is established.

That said, it's important for me to establish a clear schedule for my professional time. What I frequently do is consider how long it takes to complete a task and how close the deadline is, and then schedule in any online discussion with the team if necessary. By establishing this manner, I’ve been able to better set my boundaries in juggling my professional and personal time, as well stay productive throughout the workday so that I don’t burn out.






 

Faizah Jaafar, Communications Lead, World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation (WIEF)
One downside of technological advancement is indeed having the line between work and life blurred. And with so many of us now working from home, it’s becoming increasingly harder to create clear divisions between our jobs and our lives. But, like everything else in life, if it’s not balanced it might cause damage. 
 
At the end of the day, as an employee, I owe my employer my undivided commitment at work. And equally important, as a wife and mother, I owe my family the same. It boils down to having a strong sense of integrity. Do your best at work, during working hours, and get job done. And when it’s time, shut down and become the best wife and mother at home, without allowing work to interfere. 
 
Having a clear BIG WHY would also help. If the reason for your hardwork is to provide for your family, would it make sense then to abandon them and deprive them of your attention?