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National Work Life Week (October 6-10, 2025) is a campaign led by the Working Families charity. The week is designed to spark conversations about well-being, flexibility, and balance at work. Even though Working Families is based in the U.K., National Work Life Week can benefit just about anyone. A healthy balance can improve productivity, reduce burnout, and create the kind of sustainable success that employers value.
If you’ve ever thought about speaking with your boss about work/life balance and perhaps taking on a hybrid schedule or more flexible hours, National Work Life Week is the perfect time to have the conversation. Today we’re going to talk about how to prepare for this sort of conversation, along with tips for talking to your boss and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Let’s begin.
Why Work/Life Balance Matters
The modern workplace has changed dramatically. Remote work, hybrid schedules, and flexible hours are pretty much standard in many industries, yet expectations around availability and productivity can still blur boundaries.
When there’s poor balance between your work and life, you may experience increased stress, reduced job satisfaction, and in many cases, burnout. On the other hand, when employees feel supported in managing their work and personal lives, they are more loyal, engaged, and productive.
How to Prepare for the Conversation
Talking to your boss about work/life balance can feel intimidating, especially if you’re early on in your career. In this situation, preparation is key. The first thing you should do is reflect on your needs. In other words, are you asking for flexible hours, occasional remote work, or better boundaries on after-hours communication? It’s important to be clear about what you want and why.
Next, gather some examples to back up your case. For instance, you might reference colleagues who already have flexible working schedules and how it works for them. You could also research how flexible working schedules have improved employee retention and performance in other organizations.
Your manager will most certainly want to know how your request will affect your team. Here, you’ll have to be ready to show that a flexible schedule won’t reduce productivity, but rather, enhance it. If you have a particularly long commute, you might mention how working from home once or twice a week will cut down on travel time and give you additional time to tend to daily tasks. For keeping in touch, you could explain how you’ll use platforms such as Slack and Zoom to communicate with your team when you’re not in the office.
Tips for Talking to Your Boss
Once you’re all prepared, it’s time to have the conversation. Here are some tips to help you make it a positive and productive discussion:
Choose the Right Time
Avoid bringing up flexibility (or any other issue) when your manager is busy or under pressure. Instead, schedule a one-on-one meeting where you’ll have their full attention.
Lead With Professionalism
It’s important to frame your request around your commitment to doing your best work. Here, you might say, “I want to make sure I’m being as productive as possible. I’ve been thinking about how a little flexibility might help me achieve that.”
Offer Solutions
All bosses love problem solvers. If you’re able to express how you’ll be able to stay connected, attend meetings, and meet deadlines while working a hybrid schedule, it’s more likely that your boss will agree to your proposal.
Highlight Benefits
Building off of our last entry, it’s important to stress that your request isn’t about doing less, but about working smarter and more effectively. Your boss will be more receptive to your request if you can show how a flexible schedule directly benefits your team.
Be Open to Compromise
Your boss may not be able to grant everything you ask for. Remember, the key word here is “flexibility,” so be flexible—whether it’s a compromise with a trial period, adjusted hours, or another approach.
Staying Balanced
Even after you’ve had the conversation and your boss (hopefully) agreed to your request, work/life balance is an ongoing process. It’s important to establish and maintain boundaries regarding emails or messages outside of work hours. Along with this, use your downtime wisely. Instead of catching up on work, let yourself rest and recharge—your sanity will thank you later.
If you’re going to be remote at least part of the time, it’s important to communicate regularly about your workload, what you’re currently working on, and any concerns you might have while working away from the office. Lastly, revisit the details of your arrangement with your boss at regular intervals to ensure that everything is going smoothly.
For students, early-career professionals, and even seasoned employees, establishing a healthy work/life balance is incredibly important. National Work Life Week is the perfect time to start a conversation about work/life balance, and if you’re thinking about getting into a hybrid role or introducing a more flexible schedule, consider speaking to your manager about it. In the end, striking a fair balance will not only benefit you, but your employer as well.
Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.
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