Tori Uncensored

Work/life balance what does that even mean anymore? It used to be simple: leave the office, step into personal time. But in today’s world, those lines have blurred.

In my last post, I touched on the challenge of balancing different responsibilities in life. It’s something we all struggle with, and I wanted to dive deeper into the topic—especially in light of how work/life balance has evolved in recent years.

For a long time, the phrase work/life balance reflected the need to ensure time away from the office to focus on personal life whether that meant family, hobbies, or simply rest. Before the pandemic, most office workers spent the majority of their “working” hours on-site at their workplace. That physical separation shaped what balance meant, setting clear boundaries between work and personal time.

The Shift: Work/Life Balance in a New Era

Then, everything changed. Remote work became widespread, redefining the boundaries between professional and personal life. For many, this offered newfound flexibility, but it also blurred the lines. Instead of leaving work behind at the office, it crept into home life emails after hours, meetings outside traditional schedules, the struggle to create clear cut-off points.

A Personal Shift in Balance

Just as the pandemic hit, I had successfully obtained a promotion. It was an exciting step forward in my career, but it also came with new challenges one of which was traveling more frequently to our head office, a four-hour drive away.

Before, work/life balance seemed more straightforward: leave the office, shift focus to home life. Now, with long commutes, remote work flexibility, and increasing responsibilities, defining balance required more intention. I had to rethink what personal time actually meant.

The Changing Definition of Work/Life Balance

The traditional idea of work/life balance no longer fits neatly into a single definition. For some, flexibility has been a gift offering more control over schedules. For others, it has made it harder to separate work from home life.

Through this shift, I’ve realised that balance isn’t just about hours spent at work versus home. It’s about mental separation, energy management, and setting boundaries that protect personal well-being.

Ultimately, balance isn’t about rigidly managing every aspect of life—it’s about adapting to the present moment, making intentional choices, and focusing on what truly matters.

What are your thoughts on work/life balance? Has it changed for you since the pandemic? I’d love to hear your experiences—let’s start a conversation in the comments!