7 Fundamentals of Work/Life Balance
Balance is key to success in anything. Life is lived properly by finding balance. Every challenge in life tends to revolve around finding balance between two extremes. In the Qur’an we are reminded, “…He set up the balance. So do not transgress in the balance. But maintain the weights with justice, and do not violate the balance.” (Qur’an 55:7-9)
Justice is to find balance. Losing it in any direction leads to injustice whether directly or indirectly. This applies to our lives as well. Work-life balance is a topic that many people struggle with today. The problem with trying to find work-life balance is that it gives too much importance to work and vaguely dumps everything else into one big category: life. This means we dedicate half our lives to work, and the other half to life. This is not just, nor is it not balanced.
To truly achieve balance, we need to break down life into more specific criterion. To keep things simply, I have compiled a list of seven areas of life that we need to do justice to, so we can achieve a balanced life. The amount of time you need for each of these depends from person to person. The key is to be aware of these seven areas and to ensure that each gets time and justice.
1) Nurturing Your Faith
Most modern understandings of work-life balance fail to take into account the needs of the soul. The soul needs nourishment too. It needs to worship the Creator, develop a relationship with the Creator, and it needs to be purified from darkness. This should be our biggest priority as it is vital to success in this world and the next. Ignoring the needs of the soul leads to darkness creeping in and taking over. It leads to an unsettled life and a lack of contentment. Worst of all, it can lead to the Hellfire. All success, therefore, lies in purifying the soul.
God says in the Qur’an, “By the soul and He who shaped it, and placed in it evil and goodness. Successful is the one who purifies it. Ruined is the one who corrupts it.” (Qur’an 91:7-10)
Purification of the soul does not take much time. The little bit of time needed for it should be our priority daily. At the very least, we should pray five times a day. To go deeper, we should continue studying the religion, engage in self-reflection, seek forgiveness for our sins, and do a lot of optional acts of worship. Prioritizing this is essential for achieving true balance.
2) Quality Time with Family
In a capitalistic society, family is deprioritized. Work becomes everything, and family is seen as an inconvenience that gets in the way of financial success. In Islam, however, family is more important than work. Work is simply a means to an end, a way to provide for our families. Work does not define us, it rarely gives life meaning, and it is just one part of life. Family is far more important.
The family is the foundation of society. When families are strong, united, and loving, society thrives. When families are divided, society falls apart. Islam places great emphasis on the family. This does not refer to the nuclear family only but to the tribe as a whole. Daily, we must spend quality time with our spouses and children, but during the week or month (depending on the relationship), we must make time for our parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, nephews, and nieces too.
Islam encourages us to have large thriving families, where everyone supports each other to be their best. In such families, everyone thrives. People have love, support, and people to lean on during difficult times. Making time for family is more important than dedicating time to work.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever desires to have his provision expanded and his life span extended, let him keep good relations with his family.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2067, Sahih Muslim 2557)
3) Take Care of your health
True balance cannot be achieved if we neglect our health. Obesity has become a major problem globally today. Taking care of one’s health does not require much effort. Self-awareness and carefully choosing one’s meals and activities are key to achieving good health. People’s health needs differ but at the very least, we all need healthy food, a good healthy diet, regular physical activity, sufficient rest, and some recreation. All this is necessary to keep the engine in prime condition for as long as possible.
4) Your Mind needs care too
Good health is not limited to the physical. In this article, we already covered physical and spiritual health. Humans are made up of body, mind, and soul. All three need regular care. Neglecting the mind can lead to loss of intellect and knowledge, as well as multiple mental health problems like depression or anxiety.
We live in an era of brain rot. Many people are not careful about the media they consume. We fill our time scrolling pointlessly through social media feeds absorbing all levels of brain rot content, while neglecting any activity that could nurture and develop our minds. Mental health care means making time to do things that are good for your mind, like reading books, engaging in intellectual conversations, and spending time in nature. Taking care of our minds is essential for keeping it sharp for as long as possible.
An important part of mental health care that is neglected today is recreation. Some Muslims have a misconceptions that entertainment and recreation are prohibited. Islam is the natural way of life and does not prohibit anything that the human being naturally needs. It simply teaches us to prioritize and to avoid vices. Healthy hobbies are encouraged as they help to relax the mind and recharge for the next day. Overworking and dedicating all one’s time to others can be taxing and can lead to burnout. Make time regularly to relax, recharge and take care of yourself.
5) Doing justice to our work
I placed work as the fifth priority. Even modern capitalist societies, it is often considered the number one priority. For Muslims, however, our health (body, mind and soul) and families are far more important. Work is simply a means to an end. It a means of providing for our families and unlocking our sustenance. This does not excuse us to be lazy or do the bare minimum at work. It simply means we understand priorities. During work hours, ihsan (excellence) demands that we do a good job and do justice to the work assigned to us. Our work contracts and work hours are an amanah (trust), and the believer always fulfils his trusts.
However, work should not dominate life or be the most important thing in life. Religion, family, and health are all more important. True balance is finding a way to make time for each of these and give each its due.
6) Be part of society
Human beings are social creatures. Allah created us in a way that we all need it each other. The amount of social life that a person needs changes from person to person. Introverts may require fewer social interactions and smaller social groups than extroverts, but everyone needs friends. Neglecting this aspect of life has caused a lot of depression, loneliness, and isolation in modern times. No matter how busy life gets, it is important to have a social life and be part of society.
Our social life in Islam is not limited to friendships. Neighbours, community, and a connection with the broader ummah is all important. Muslims must find ways to remain connected to and to benefit others. This does not need to take up much time, but it must be a part of our lives.
Individualism has killed our interest in others. People have become self-obsessed, only focused on their own needs and success. In doing so, we are destroying society. Islam teaches us to make time for others. The community are our brothers and sisters. To find true balance, we must be part of society. Volunteer, attend community events, and be a part of society.
7) Never Stop Growing
If someone is not growing, they are declining. Too many people stop developing after High School or College. That is the end of their education and evolution. They reach a certain level of knowledge, skill, and maturity and just stay at that level for life. In doing so, they are doing themselves a great disservice. Allah has created us with intellect. It is the gift that separates us from the rest of creation. If we do not nurture this gift and utilize it in ways that benefit society then we are wasting our potential.
True balance includes making time to grow through education and continuous learning. At some point in your life, formal learning ends. After that, it is up to you. You have to take the reigns and steer your own education. Failure to do so can lead to stagnation and becoming outdated in one’s knowledge and skills. Make time daily or weekly to learn, study, and grow. Always have a new book that you are reading, a new course that you are studying, or a new skill that you are developing. Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
True Balance unlocks inner peace
Balance is difficult and nobody gets it perfect. Balance is justice. Justice does not mean making equal time for everything but making enough time for each. Prioritize your faith and your spiritual journey. Spend quality time with your family. Take care of your physical and mental health. Do justice to your work. Be part of society. Never stop growing. If you find balance between these seven things, the quality of your life will increase dramatically, and you will experience deeper contentment and inner peace.
Our courses are developed to help you keep growing. Become a premium member of Islamic Self Help today to unlock our full library of online courses and ebooks, including our ongoing weekly classes. Become a member here.
