The idea of work-life balance caught in the 1980s, powered to a large extent by the increasing number of women in the paid workforce who also shouldered the bulk of home and family work. While it is a concept somewhat hard to define and based on many assumptions, definitions of work-life balance tend to focus [...]

Education

The ‘New Normal’ in Education

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The idea of work-life balance caught in the 1980s, powered to a large extent by the increasing number of women in the paid workforce who also shouldered the bulk of home and family work.

While it is a concept somewhat hard to define and based on many assumptions, definitions of work-life balance tend to focus on the “absence of conflict” between professional and personal domains.

It’s a misguided metaphor because it assumes we must always make trade-offs among the four main aspects of our lives: work or school, home or family (regardless of situation and definition), community (friends, neighbours, religious or social groups), and self (mind, body, spirit).

It is therefore believed that students need to categorize and divide their time, allocating set times for studies, socializing etc.

Synergies, not trade-offs

Integration is not about trade-offs but synergies, gaining more by combining aspects of life often deliberately quarantined from each other.

Psychologists Jeffery Greenhaus and Saroj Parasuraman describe integration as “when attitudes in one role positively spills over into another role, or when experiences in one role serve as resources that enrich another role in one’s life”.

A pre-COVID-19 example might be participating in a university cricket match. It’s as chance to deepen your bonds with peers and do something good for the college. Furthermore, exercise is good for both your physical and mental health.

However, with the new normal that prevails in the world, barriers between components in life have merged even more, forcing us to adapt and thrive.

Making integration the
new normal

What would work/ study-life integration look like in the age of COVID-19?

Studying from home and attending online lectures has been a new experience that has had its fair share of challenges. From data and technology, to having a conducive environment, students are struggling to adapt to the new normal. In this scenario, talking through a study  issues enables the family to support each other and to feel a part of each other’s lives.

Integration also allows us the opportunity to throw away the idea of being the “perfect” partner or parent and instead work on being more open, honest, and even vulnerable.

But first we need to recognize that COVID-19 has dramatically changed personal and study/ work dynamics, and we need to let go the mental model of thinking of study-time and home-time being distinct and separate blocks.

Nawaloka College of
Higher Studies

Keeping with the need of studying from home, students at Nawaloka College are privileged to be privy to the best online facilities both locally and globally.  It was stated that students will have access to all Swinburne material, as well as support from the local academic steam.

The same syllabus, methods of delivery and evaluation as the partner universities are followed, ensuring that the pathway programs conducted at Nawaloka College are of the same standards and quality.

Student loan facilities at special interest rates are also on offer to help students pursue their higher education at Nawaloka College from reputed banking partners.

For further information
call Nawaloka College on
0777 899 998/ 011 5 899 998 or
email info@nchs.edu.lk

 

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