So we’ve started a new year. We have counted down from 10 and hugged and kissed our loved ones as we celebrate the arrival of 2025. For some, we’ve had time off. We’ve gone away with friends and family and enjoyed the simple things of the Australian summer like the beach, the sunshine, the Australian Open and a good beverage. Summer is now ending and our normal routine is (well and truly) starting to slip back in. The rush of the holidays is slowly fading, and for some, the dread of returning to a regular work schedule is setting in.
With new year’s resolutions and reflections occupying our minds, you might start questioning whether your 9-5 serves you the way you want it to.
“Am I happy with my work/life balance?”
“Do I have enough variety in my schedule?”
“Could I feel more fulfilled in my work life?”
For many people, their 9-5 serves them perfectly as a means to an end. For a set number of hours per day, you put your head down, clock off at your set time and don’t think about work for a minute after your shift has ended. You receive a pay check every week/fortnight/month that suits your lifestyle just fine. It works for you, for your family and you have no intention of changing that. Your job is a JOB and it serves it’s purpose perfectly.
The flip side are those whose entire 8 hours of work are a drag. You’re lacking fulfilment, you take on far more (both in and outside work hours) than what you’re paid for, and you clock off feeling defeated, unsatisfied, and yearning for more.
MORE balance, MORE fulfilment, LESS stress.
A study done by the Victorian Public Sector Commission at the end of 2023 shows that;
- 66% of respondents feel satisfied with their job, work-life balance and career development.
- 57% of respondents feel they have an appropriate workload and have enough time to do their job.
- 45% of respondents plan to continue working at their current organisation for 5 years or more.
In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, many don’t have the privilege of up and changing careers and taking a pay cut to find something that inspires them. However, there are other ways you can change what your week-to-week looks like to (hopefully) help improve overall life satisfaction. Diversifying your schedule will push you to learn, change and evolve. Whether that be taking on a new hobby, putting your hand up for a new project or doing a short course to explore a different career path. All of these things can lead to diversification.
“Diversification leads to joy, that it puts you in a state of learning, and learning is intrinsically rewarding.”
For most, the idea of change takes time, so “diversifying your schedule” may not be as easy as deciding that from tomorrow, you will take a whole new approach to life. But if there’s ever a time to feel encouraged to make positive changes, the start of a new year is a good place to start.
Striving for diversity in your life is an active task, not a passive one. It requires the want and need from the individual to go out and seek new ideas, concepts and challenges. Simple ways we can seek to diversify our everyday life is by;
- Learning a new skill
- Leaning into the things you love, discarding of the things you don’t
- Networking with a new group of people
- Pick a new hobby
- Taking a different route to work
“The future is always coming up with surprises for us, and the best way to insulate yourself from these surprises is to diversify.”
All of the above, whilst simple, contribute to;
- Rewiring your brain: Increasing focus and memory
- Boosting productivity
- Ceasing fear
- Allowing you to re-evaluate
- And over time, feeling easier to try something new
So, whilst making a huge career or lifestyle switch in the early months of the year may be a little daunting, there are small changes with diversifying our day-to-day schedule that we can make now, that could lead to positive changes later, giving us the momentum we need to improve overall work/life satisfaction in 2025.
References:
- https://hbr.org/2024/02/the-key-to-a-fulfilling-career-variety
- https://www.calendar.com/blog/diversify-your-life-for-higher-achievement/
- https://hive.com/blog/how-to-diversify-your-day/
- https://vpsc.vic.gov.au/workforce-data-state-of-the-public-sector/employee-experiences-in-the-workplace-2023/job-satisfaction-and-career-intentions-2023/#:~:text=66%25%20of%20respondents%20feel%20satisfied,life%20balance%20and%20career%20development
An Article by Cecily Hemphill
Dip. Professional Pilates Instruction
Owner of NPT Affiliate Studio- Alive Pilates Studio, Greensborough
Faculty Educator – National Pilates Training
