How to integrate work-life harmony

By Jessica Salerno, OSCPA senior content manager

The term “work-life balance” has started to get a bad rap recently, and Amy Vetter, CPA, prefers to use “work-life harmony,” instead.

“I think ‘work-life balance’ sometimes connotes there has to be a certain amount of time each day spent on those areas,” she said. “Whether it’s intentional or not, there’s a perception if you don’t make that time, then you’re working too much or not spending enough time with your family.

“For many, life doesn’t work out that perfectly, and each day shifts and is different, and some days there are more demands than others.”

Vetter will discuss work-life harmony at OSCPA’s June 27 Women, Wealth and Wellness Conference in Columbus, covering topics such as integrating mindfulness into how you work, becoming a more empathetic leader, building long-lasting business relationships and more.

The accounting profession can have a reputation for long hours and stressful work, but when you allow your career to overwhelm your life completely, Vetter said, it can have a negative impact on your work.

“We’re not as productive, and we get distracted and stressed out,” she said. “Because we’re frustrated that we gave up that time and we bring that into the experience when we’re interacting with someone else.”

She said it’s not necessarily the amount of time we take to create this harmony, but the quality. If it’s something you don’t enjoy, you won’t be able to release stress and will lose the benefits of that time

“It’s a practice, and you can’t expect it to work for you because you wish it to be happen,” she said. “You have to put the same amount of time and intention into taking time for yourself and not doing things during this time that don’t feed you.”

Vetter said restorative time is different for everyone: it could be reading a book, playing an instrument or exercising. From her research into this area she said it takes 30 days to create a habit, and it’s helpful to keep yourself accountable during that time. You can do this by writing in a journal or on your phone or asking a friend or family member to check in on your progress.

“When you feel more fulfilled personally you show up better at work and with your family,” she said. “You can feel happy in a moment, but it takes work to ensure you’re maintaining that happiness in your life and awareness when you feel off. It’s really that inner fulfillment that will help you feel better in the long run.”