Hello World! Let’s talk about work/life balance, that elusive unicorn of the tech world. Career coaches and HR managers love to wax poetic about this, as if it’s actually achievable for anyone in Systems Engineering. For those of you who are unfamiliar, being a Systems Engineer means you get to be part-time tech wizard, part-time sales person, and full-time magician. You are on call for everything: demos, customer questions, last-minute design modifications, and endless presentations.
The Myth: Just Set Boundaries: Every productivity guru’s advice to achieve work/life balance boils down to two words: “Set boundaries.” Just shut your laptop at 5:00 pm. Don’t check email after hours. Easy, right? If you’re in Systems Engineering, you know that “boundaries” are about as effective as putting a “Do Not Disturb” sign in an open field during a stampede. Customers, sales reps, resellers, bugs, network failures, and new opportunities do not follow schedules. So, while we could technically “just say no” to after-hours requests, we would also be saying no to collaboration, delivering on deadlines, new business, and (oh yeah) promotions. Boundaries are important, but set them realistically, with caution, and definitely in collaboration with you team. And prepared to be flexible, because the reality is that they will get redrawn, or even eliminated, in certain circumstances.
The Real Equation: To the uninitiated, work/life balance seems like a simple equation: work + life = balance. But in tech, it’s more like work + life + network outages + customer issues + salesmen whims + on the fly changes + security breaches + moving deadlines. Sure, you might actually leave the office at 6:00 pm, but does that really mean that you’re “off”? Every unread email, text, or Slack message feels like a ticking time bomb, especially if they are from your manager. The concept of “life” outside of the office can quickly fly out the window, especially if you aren’t prepared for this kind of work.
The Flexibility Trap: Tech companies love to advertise “flexibility.” Flexible hours! Work from anywhere! Unlimited vacation days! Here’s the catch: “flexibility” is code for “you’re on call 24/7.” It is an unspoken expectation that you will answer that late-night Slack message because, well, you’re working remotely anyhow, right? Good luck taking that unlimited vacation without feeling like your backlog will become a hole the size of the Grand Canyon. And while you are on vacation, you had better check messages regularly and dial into a few critical conference calls. Unlimited vacation? More like “take time off at your own peril.”
Empathy from Management: Stop me if you have heard this one before, “We’re here for you; just let us know if you’re feeling burnt out.” That’s well and good, unless a deadline is looming. Management might empathize in theory, but they also have their own bosses, deadlines, KPIs, and impatient stakeholders. There’s only so much “understanding” that they’re able to extend. The show must go on, no matter how many mental health days you are told to take.
Some companies also offer wellness programs, meditation apps, and an occasional surprise holiday. Hey – a big shout-out goes to those companies. However, this is still the corporate equivalent of handing you a band-aid for a broken bone. Seek out companies that prioritize your wellbeing, even if it is just one band-aid at a time. And definitely take advantage of the “perks” – free coffee, an in-office yoga class, a team happy hour – whenever you can.
Coffee and Power Bars: Who has time for actual meals? Those luxuries are for mere mortals. Between running to demos, conducting presentations, “quick” follow-ups, internal synchs, and quality time with your email inbox, there is hardly is any time for normal “balancing” activities like eating, working out, or picking up the kids from school. Throw in the inevitable crisis or two, and “balance” quickly degrades into chaos.
So, fellow engineers, buckle up and embrace the chaos. Grab an apple along with your power bar every once in a while. If somehow you do manage to sneak in an actual break, consider it a technical achievement. Work/life balance may be mythical, but at least we have customers, caffeine, and cool toys to play with. In short, this can be a very rewarding and also a very challenging career.
Stay tuned for more nerdy columns about my experiences as an SE.
