Achieving a good work-life balance

Attending a management programme can be an exhilarating experience. B-schools not only improve your academic knowledge, but they can also help you develop practical skills that are invaluable for success in a competitive world.

These additional skills are becoming increasingly important as the workplace becomes more and more global.

One of the reasons that the world is becoming more global is that we are constantly "connected". This connectivity allows us to be more efficient at times, but it also results in pressure and stress.

Which is why, given the dynamics of this increased accessibility, one lesson B-schools need to focus on more is the importance of achieving a good work-life balance.

Typically, a B-school motivates you to want to achieve more and more professional success and it attempts to help you develop the required skill sets.

However, there is less emphasis on maintaining a healthy personal life. It is important to know how to manage expectations - at home and at the workplace.

Increasingly, more and more corporations are realising this fact. Employers are developing various tools and techniques to re-energise and, ultimately, retain their employees.

Practices like sabbaticals, flexi-timings, tele-commuting, day care facilities at the office and so on are becoming popular in a bid to help employees better manage their personal and professional lives.

To grow in this profession, it is, of course, important to have a strong sense of responsibility in the workplace. However, you need to know when that responsibility reaches a limit and where your personal obligations should receive priority.

Additionally, as a manager, you have to be sensitive to the work-life balance of your team members and ensure they are happy and productive. Understanding these dynamics always requires a great deal of proactive effort on your part. And this is one skill that can be difficult to learn and master during your time at B-school.