How Quiet Quitting Helps in Creating Work/Life Balance
October is upon us, as well as being the fourth quarter of the year. 2022 has gone so fast, and I have learned much this year when it comes to resting, to slowing down, and to living from the space that everything is in sacred motion. Building the muscle to trust that statement has been frustrating as well as relieving as I learn to rest in embodying and believing it.
Where are you pushing or trying to control situations and outcomes? In our culture, we tend to operate under the belief we control outcomes, and we are now being asked in our world to build the muscle of trust and right action in a way that resonates with our values and the greater whole. I recently heard Pat McCabe speak, and she was wonderful in explaining the healing we are all currently going through.
As we navigate the abuse and disruption of exclusivity in our world, we need to unwind these beliefs so we can learn to be inclusive of self and others. We have been programmed at no fault of our own; it has just been the way of our evolution and what has brought us to this point.
The first step in navigating unknown territory is taking a pause, then reflecting in order to tune into what redirection needs to be taken. How is this showing up in your personal life and the environments around you? On a personal level, this lesson is showing up for me physically in recognizing that finding new activities are imperative for my knees as they have been amazing companions on my life journey, but they are now in need of some loving care and adjustment in how I strengthen them and the extent that I use them. I am learning to let my body serve as a guide regarding what is best for my body, mind and spirit.
Perhaps this is what quiet quitting is all about – individuals taking a pause, noticing how they feel, what aligns with their values, what right action is best for them, and trusting that information by acting on it. This is also happening at the organizational level because as individuals take a pause, so does the organization in order to determine how they need to shift to accommodate the people that support their organization. This process doesn’t happen overnight, so it is about slowly making a shift in a way that better serves the individual, the organization, and the whole.
The actual definition of quiet quitting is an application of work-to-rule in which employees work within defined work hours and engage in work-related activities solely within those hours (Wikipedia). It is not about quitting a job, but doing precisely what the job requires.
Bottom line – it is about work/life balance, holding healthy boundaries, and doing great work. People and companies have gotten out of balance with constant back-to-back meetings, poor self-care, and setting expectations that don’t serve anyone. Perhaps this is an opportunity to take note of what you need in order to be a better you, which supports you in making a greater and more positive impact, which, in turn, serves the organization.