Lesson

Work / Life Balance

Vocabulary for discussing work-life balance

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Work–Life Balance Vocabulary

This lesson introduces key vocabulary used to talk about balancing professional responsibilities and personal life. These words appear often in HR documents, meetings about wellbeing, job adverts, and company policies.

  • Learn common nouns, verbs and expressions related to workload and personal time.
  • Understand differences between similar terms (e.g., overtime vs. flexible working).
  • Practice using these words in professional contexts like emails and performance reviews.

Table

Key Terms for Work–Life Balance

Term Part of speech Short definition Example
work–life balance noun The equilibrium between work responsibilities and personal life Good work–life balance improves employee retention.
burnout noun Physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress After months of late nights, she experienced burnout.
flexible working noun/phrase Working hours or location that can be adjusted The company offers flexible working to accommodate parents.
remote work noun Working from a location other than the office, often from home Remote work saved him two hours of commuting every day.
overtime noun/verb Time worked beyond normal hours / to work extra hours She did overtime to finish the quarterly report.
boundary noun A limit that separates work time from personal time Setting clear boundaries prevents work from taking over evenings.
wellbeing noun The state of being comfortable, healthy and happy The firm invested in employee wellbeing programs.
compassionate leave noun Leave granted to care for a sick family member He took compassionate leave to support his partner.

Tip

How to choose the right term

Use these guidelines to select the correct word in professional communication:

  • Use 'work–life balance' to discuss the overall concept or company culture.
  • 'Burnout' describes a condition—use it as a noun (not an adjective).
  • 'Flexible working' and 'remote work' are not exact synonyms: flexible working refers to hours/location flexibility; remote work specifically means working away from the office.
  • 'Overtime' is usually a noun; use 'do overtime' or 'work overtime' when you describe the action.

In formal documents, prefer 'wellbeing' and 'compassionate leave' rather than informal phrases.

Example

Examples in context

Our HR team is reviewing policies to improve work–life balance.

After months of back‑to‑back deadlines he suffered from burnout and took a month off.

The manager approved flexible working so Maria can start earlier and finish sooner.

Please avoid sending emails after 7 PM to respect colleagues' boundaries.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Learners often make predictable errors when using work–life vocabulary. Watch for these:

  • Confusing noun forms and verbs (e.g., using 'burned out' vs. the noun 'burnout').
  • Using 'overtime' only as an adjective — remember it is usually a noun or paired with 'work/do'.
  • Mixing collocations: say 'set boundaries' not 'make boundaries'.
  • Using informal phrases in formal documents — prefer 'compassionate leave' over colloquial expressions like 'time off for family issues'.

Focus on collocations and the correct grammatical category (noun/verb/adjective).

Quiz

Choose the sentence that uses 'overtime' correctly:

Hint: Focus on how to express working extra hours

Quiz

Complete: To support parents, the company introduced _____ policies.

Hint: Think about a phrase that describes adjustable hours or location

Quiz

Which phrase best completes the sentence: 'Managers should encourage employees to set clear _____ between work and home.'

Hint: Think about a word that means limits between roles or time

Key Points

Vocabulary

work–life balance

noun CEFR B2 //ˌwɜːk ˈlaɪf ˈbæl.əns//

The state of equilibrium between professional responsibilities and personal life.

The company promotes work–life balance through flexible schedules.

Vocabulary

burnout

noun CEFR B2 //ˈbɜːnˌaʊt//

A state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overwork.

The HR report warned that prolonged overtime can lead to burnout.

Vocabulary

flexible working

noun/phrase CEFR B2 //ˈflɛksəbl ˈwɜːkɪŋ//

Policies or arrangements that allow employees to change start/end times or work location.

Flexible working helped her reduce commute time and improve concentration.

Vocabulary

overtime

noun/verb CEFR B1 //ˈəʊvətaɪm//

Time worked beyond the regular working hours; to work extra hours.

Many employees occasionally work overtime during peak season.

Vocabulary

boundary

noun CEFR B2 //ˈbaʊndəri//

A limit that separates different areas of life, such as work and personal time.

She set a boundary: no work calls after 8 PM.

Vocabulary

remote work

noun CEFR B1 //rɪˈməʊt wɜːk//

Working from a location other than the standard office, often from home.

Remote work reduced the team's commuting costs and improved punctuality.

Vocabulary

wellbeing

noun CEFR B2 //ˈwɛlˌbiːɪŋ//

A general state of health, happiness and comfort, often a focus of workplace initiatives.

The wellbeing program includes counselling and fitness classes.