Achieving a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives is not easy. For most of us, it’s a constant struggle to juggle the demands of our work and our personal needs. But because our jobs provide us with the means to support ourselves and our families, morning meetings, overtime at work, and business trips often take priority over personal matters. And while these activities are necessary, they take away valuable time for personal relationships and activities that matter the most to us.
But fret not. The good news is, the same tools and technology we use in the office can also be the same ones we use to make us happier in our personal lives. One such tool is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoI)P. Let’s take a look at how VoIP technology can help us achieve a good work-life balance and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Commuting daily to work can often put a large strain on workers (especially those who can carry out their tasks with equal efficiency from anywhere). Aside from increasing the risk of absenteeism and tardiness, long hours of commute have also been linked to poor health and lower overall satisfaction.
According to a report written by the researchers from the University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and the Cooper Institute in Dallas published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, commuting (particularly driving more than 10 miles to and from work) is associated with higher blood sugar, higher cholesterol levels, and higher risk of depression and anxiety.
VoIP significantly reduces such risks as it gives people the freedom to work from home (or anywhere!) where there’s an internet connection. With VoIP, employees can get the same amount of work done without having to suffer from an hour-long commute or be tied to their office desk. Because VoIP phone systems can be accessed using a laptop, smartphone, or any internet-connected device, you can continue with your work as though you were present in the office. This is made possible by a host of features such as Video Conferencing (work and collaborate with colleagues without traveling), Find Me/Follow Me (calls are forwarded to a pre-set sequence of numbers to make sure no call goes unanswered), Mobile Apps (access all the phone system features using a smartphone), and Voicemail-to-Email (voicemails are attached and sent via email).
Most articles about work-life balance often mention that people should take the time to "unplug" (otherwise known as abstaining from digital technology). While this is a good tip, in reality, completely shutting yourself off from the world can also do some harm. Imagine all the emails, voice mails and potential opportunities that await you upon your return to the digital world!
With VoIP, employees can take a break from work without being nagged by the thought that they’re missing out on something. This can be done through managing communications better. For instance, if you want to silence all distractions throughout the day to enjoy some rest and relaxation, you can activate the Do Not Disturb feature and incoming calls will be sent to your voicemail. You can then check your messages later. Or if you’re expecting a call from an important client but are not sure when it will come through, you can set up the Call Group feature so anyone from your department (or employees with the same responsibility or function) can take the call.
Finding the elusive work-life balance is challenging, but not entirely impossible. By using tools and features included in a business VoIP system, you can be one step closer to achieving the balance that works for you.