Work Life Balance: Are You The Problem Or Is It Your Job?

As a Leadership Coach you can rest assured that one consistent challenge or complaint I hear and see in clients is that they struggle with feeling like they’ve got the balance they want. 

Many of them feel it’s systemic, like the company culture, their leader, or the workload simply does not allow for it. But when we start to lift the lid, often we discover that THEY are in fact a large contributor to their own lack of balance. 

And its an important distinction to get right for everyone, because otherwise you run the risk of fixing the wrong problem….and maybe the ‘problem’ keeps following you, no matter where you end up working. Already a familiar story for some perhaps?

So when it comes to work life balance: are you the problem or is it your job? Keep reading as I share key signs that you can look out for to help you determine your answer, and some ideas to take action to resolve it either way!

5 Signs It’s A Company Problem

Let’s look at the signs you can look out for that will indicate it’s more of a company or systemic problem….

These factors point to deeper organisational or cultural problems that make work-life balance difficult for anyone, no matter how well they manage their time or boundaries.

1. Constant Overwork Is the Norm

• If everyone in the company, especially senior leaders, is working long hours, it might be systemic. When a culture of overwork is celebrated or expected, it’s hard to be the one to break the cycle.

2. Lack of Resources or Support

• Systemic imbalance often shows up when leaders are asked to do more with less. Whether it's understaffing or outdated tools, not having the right resources can make it impossible to delegate or manage workload effectively.

3. Rigid or Outdated Policies

• If the company is stuck in traditional working hours, maybe has inflexible leave policies, or doesn’t offer remote work options, it could be preventing leaders from achieving work-life balance.

4. Pressure from More Senior Leaders

• When leadership expects constant availability or rewards burnout behavior, it creates a culture where boundaries are blurred, making balance nearly impossible.

5. No Emphasis On Mental Health or Wellbeing

• If there are no initiatives or support systems in place to promote employee well-being, it may indicate that the company doesn’t prioritize balance for anyone. (not just you)

5 Signs That You May Be The Problem

Alright so let’s look at the signs that might suggest that it’s your own habits, beliefs, or leadership approaches might be contributing to the imbalance you experience.

1. Perfectionism and Control Issues

• If you’re struggling to delegate or feel like things won’t get done unless you personally oversee them, it’s highly likely be self-imposed. Leaders who have a hard time letting go of control often overwork themselves unnecessarily.

• Perfectionism and control is often driven from a place of fear…fear of not being good enough, fear of failure, judgement for example so take the time to really think about this and the root cause.

2. Saying Yes to Everything

• If you’re taking on tasks outside of your core responsibilities, even when your plate is full or Over-committing to things…its a common self-imposed barrier to balance, often rooted in wanting to please others or avoid letting people down.

3. Not Setting Boundaries

• If you frequently check emails after hours, attend unnecessary meetings, or allow work to bleed into personal time without setting clear limits, even though no one is strictly telling you have to do so, you may be unintentionally creating your own imbalance.

4. Not Prioritising Downtime

• When leaders don’t make time for self-care, hobbies, or relaxation, they burn out more quickly - pretty obvious. Failing to prioritize personal time or schedule breaks is a self-imposed form of imbalance.

5. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

• If you have trouble saying no to meetings or projects because you feel like you’ll miss an opportunity, you may be stretching yourself too thin, leading to self-imposed stress.

Ok so there’s 5 things to watch out for that may indicate its a systemic issue and 5 that may indicate its a YOU issue….often of course its a mix of both. So what can you do about it…it’s always best to think about what you CAN control and start there….

How To Fix Systemic Issues…

• Advocate for Change: Bring up work-life balance concerns to more senior leaders focusing on how flexibility or better resourcing can benefit both the team and the company’s performance. You’ve got to take the approach of ‘whats in it for them’

• Look for Cultural Shifts: Initiate or support efforts to shift the company culture toward more balanced practices, such as setting clear boundaries, offering wellness programs, or promoting flexible work options.

• Lead by Example: If you’re in a leadership position, model the behavior you want to see. This might include setting boundaries, delegating effectively, and respecting your own personal time to inspire others to do the same.

How To Fix Self-Imposed Issues…

• Set Clear Boundaries: Define when you’re “off the clock” and stick to it. Start small—such as no emails after 6 PM—and expand over time.

• Learn to Delegate: Recognize that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Build trust in your team’s ability to handle tasks and focus on empowering others.

• Prioritise Self-Care: Block out personal time in your calendar, just like you would for important meetings. Treat downtime as a non-negotiable part of your schedule.

• Fundamentally you’ve got to build your self-confidence up…in backing yourself not to feel the need to overwork, as well as in your leadership skills to be able to do all of these things.

So there you have it, 10 signs to help you identify whether your lack of balance is systemic or whether its actually a lot to do with YOU. Take the time to reflect on what actions you feel you can start to take to improve things for yourself, focussing on the things you CAN control first.

If you’d like some help in building your confidence as a leader, and getting your balance back on track then you should check out my Inspiring Leaders Coaching Program - it’s all about this and more!! It’s a 12 week program designed to help women confidently succeed in leadership without burning out.

You can check it out here.

I wish you all the confidence and success you desire, and a life you love!

To Your Success,

Laura