Work-life balance is typically the amount of time you spend doing your job versus the amount of time you spend doing what is important to you outside of work, whether that is with loved ones or pursuing personal interests and hobbies. When work demands more of your time or attention, you will have less time to handle your other responsibilities or passions. Truly, many people want to achieve a greater balance between their work and their personal life, but in practice, it can be difficult to achieve, sometimes a demanding job means more money to support a family. Sometimes, a job contributes to deteriorating your mental health, which then leaves you drained in personal relationships. But work and life integration or the synergistic blending of our personal and professional responsibilities has become an increasingly popular concept. Work is simply one aspect of our lives that needs to be considered alongside other  home and family lives, our community and our personal well-being, rather resembling a scale with two computing sides.
The importance of work-life balance can never be over-emphasised.  Improving your work-life balance can improve your overall well-being including your physical, emotional and mental health.  Studies have found out that working long hours can lead to such serious health issues as “impaired sleep, depression, heavy drinking, diabetes, impaired memory, and heart disease. Unfortunately, as these conditions arise, they can also exacerbate our work-life issues, leading to burnout and other negative repercussions. Ordinarily, the unique nature of each of our lives and our fluctuating responsibilities mean that work-life balance and work-life integration look different for everyone. It is a constant negotiation about, how and where you spend your time. In striving for greater work-life balance, you get to determine your priorities, whether they are related to your work or personal life.
Different workers or employees have different schedules to take care of their responsibilities. For instance, a stay-at- home parent who tackles work assignment while her newborn is napping. You can also look at a student who prioritises spending time with friends rather than rushing to study for an upcoming midterm exam.  An employee who crafts his schedules to work specific days so that she can take care of her elderly parents. Notably, an employee has more advantages when it comes to work-life balance. One of those is increased production.   When you are able to take a step back from work and recharge, it is amazing how much more productive you can be when you return to your tasks. Studies have shown that employees who have a better work-life balance are more productive, creative, and motivated.
One study found that employees who have great balance of work and personal lives are more productive by as much as 30per cent. Being able to disconnect from work and focus on other things, whether it is spending time with family, pursuing a hobby or simple relaxing, can help you come back to your work with renewed energy and focus.  When you are feeling more balanced you are less likely to burnout, which can lead to a decrease in productivity and even health issues. Additionally, better work-life balance leads to improved health of a person.  When you are constantly working, it can be easy to neglect your health. But maintaining a good work-life balance can have a positive impact on your physical and mental well-being. Study by the American Psychological Association reveal that people who maintain a good balance of work , as well as personal life are more likely to report good health and less likely to report poor health.
When  you are able to focus on other things, like exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep in addition to having a better balance will reduce stress. When you are working long hours, it can be easy to neglect your relationships. But maintaining a good work-life balance will have a positive impact on your personal relationships. When you can disconnect from work, you can focus on other things, like spending time with friends and family, pursuing hobbies , and building new relationships. Furthermore, having a better balance can reduce stress which can lead to better communication and understanding in your relationship. When you are feeling good in your personal relationships, you are better able to handle the demands of your job, which in turn can lead to better performance and more job satisfaction.  A good work-life balance can lead to happier and more fulfilling life overall.
If you just focus on getting things done without proper planning, it can be easy to neglect your overall career development. But if you maintain a healthy work-life balance, it can have a positive impact on your career opportunities. Employees who have a good balance of work time and personal lives are more likely to be promoted and have better job satisfaction. By disconnecting from work, you will be able to focus on other things like learning new skills, networking and exploring new career opportunities. Additionally, when you can disconnect from work, you are able to enjoy your personal life and recharge your batteries , which in turn, helps you stay engaged and motivated at work. Work-life balance also has its negative impacts on the employee. It may be difficult to meet up work demand. It is not always easy to find a balance between work and personal time, especially when you have a demanding job or tight deadline. Maintaining a good work-life balance can be difficult and it is common to feel like you are not doing enough in either area.
In fact, employees who are struggling to balance work and personal life are more likely to experience stress and burnout. When you are trying to balance work and personal life, you may find yourself feeling pulled in different directions. It can be hard to focus on when you are thinking about personal obligation and it can be hard to enjoy your personal life when you are thinking about work. Furthermore, when you are trying to find the perfect balance between work and personal life, you may feel like you are not able to give your full attention to either area. This can lead to feelings like guilt or dissatisfaction with your job or personal life. It is important to remember that finding a balance between work and personal life is a work in progress, and it will require constant adjustments and flexibility. It is also important to be realistic and set boundaries for yourself to communicate them with your personal life.
When you are focused on maintaining a good work-life balance, you may end up sacrificing financial opportunities. For instance, you may turn down a promotion or a rise because it will require more time away from your personal life. Or you may take a leave of absence from your job, which can lead to a loss of income. Employees who take time off for personal or family reasons often experience a loss of income. They also may have difficulty getting back into the work force, which can lead to long term financial consequences. Furthermore, employees who are constantly working overtime or taking on additional responsibilities may be eligible for extra pay or bonuses, but if you are trying to maintain a good balance, you may end up missing out on those opportunities. It is important to remember that balancing work and personal life is not just about time but also about financial opportunities and stability.
Finding a balance will require careful consideration of both your personal and financial goals and communicating with your employer about expectations and limitations to ensure that you are able to meet your financial needs without sacrificing your life. Prioritisation is very important.  Considering which one is more important than the other.  When trying to balance your work and personal life, you may find it difficult to prioritise what is important. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 60per cent of adults said that work is a significant source of stress in their lives. This stress can be compounded when you are trying a balance competing demands on your time and attention. Remember, that finding a balance does not mean that you have to divide your time equally between work and personal life. Instead, it is about determining what is most important to you and making sure that you are allocating your time and resources accordingly.
Robinson is a student of Pan African Institute of Management and Technology, Port Harcourt.

By: Happiness Nkiruka Robinson

August 9 this year made it three years that the people in the South Eastern part of the country are mandated to remain at home every Monday. The sit-at-home was initially declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in protest against the arrest and imprisonment of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. For three years, people living in Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Anambra States, are prevented from going about their businesses every Monday.  Markets, schools, offices, banks, and so on remain closed. In some places, people are not even allowed to go to hospitals on “Ghost Mondays”. Reasons may have prevailed on the leadership of IPOB to put an indefinite end to the weekly exercise in 2023 as it had constantly resulted in killing and destruction of lives and property. In the statement titled, ‘Monday weekly sit-at-home: An ugly phase of a bygone history that must never be repeated as echoed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’, the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful warned that any person or persons talking about sit-at-home in Igbo land again will be considered an enemy of the people and will be dealt with accordingly.
However, a young Finland-based, Nigerian, Simon Ekpa, refused to heed the call. The factional leader of the secessionist group decided to take the “agitation” to the next level by sometimes declaring a whole week as sit-at-home and wasting innocent lives within those days. He sits comfortably in Finland and dishes out orders on how to destroy his homeland. His calls for sit-at-home protests, often enforced with violence, have disrupted daily life, harmed economic activities, and deepened mistrust between residents and authorities. Many people have tales of woes to tell of how their loved ones and family members were butchered by Ekpa’s foot soldiers who are bent on forcing everybody to comply with the sit-at-home directives. Reports have it that some hoodlums have capitalised on the sit-at-home order to perpetrate all manners of crime in the zone – kidnapping, killing, maiming, etc. wearing the toga of IPOB and ESN and unknown gunmen. Many government buildings have been razed down with many policemen being killed.
So, the recent arrest and detention of Simon Ekpa by the Finnish authorities over terrorism charges was long overdue. It is high time the  young man and his co-travellers were put on the right track. Of course, the Constitution of the country grants the citizens the freedom of expression and the right to protest against any wrong in the system or make any demand from the government but when one oversteps his bounds by stepping on the rights of others and engaging in acts of terrorism, he should be called to order. But is Ekpa’s arrest enough to bring about the much-needed peace and security in the South-East? For a lot of people, the arrest of the Finland-based separatist, a divisive figure in the struggle for self-determination in Southeastern Nigeria, marks a significant development in the ongoing crisis in the region.  To others, it sends a strong message about the global community’s unwillingness to tolerate activities that incite violence and destabilisation.
However, it may not be uhuru yet until the root cause of the agitation is addressed. The region’s grievances extend beyond the actions of any single individual, and the movement for Biafra remains deeply rooted in historical and socio-political factors. The crisis in Igboland is primarily driven by demands for self-determination, economic, political marginalisation, and other grievances. Commenting on a recent controversy on whether or not non-indigenes are sold land to in Igboland, the Executive Director of Development Specs Academy, Prof. Okey Okechukwu, noted that contrary to the erroneous belief of some uninformed people, Igbos do sell land to non-indigenes but the problem is that land in the South-East are not attractive for non-Igbos to buy due to the limited absence of federal presence in the region. “Tell me, what federal establishment do you have in Enugu and all over the South East that will make me leave my place in Yorubaland to come and buy land?. Is it to be a villager? he asked.
“So, we must also see the connection between national infrastructure, national institutions, national political headquarters etc. the limited absence of that in the South East makes the land there totally unattractive for anyone to procure”, he continued. Therefore, it is high time the federal government engaged in meaningful dialogue with legitimate leaders from the Southeast, including traditional and religious rulers, political figures, and civil society organizations. Government should see Ekpa’s arrest  as a diplomatic victory and an opportunity to engage the region without the looming shadow of Ekpa’s rhetoric. Economic empowerment, infrastructural development, and justice for victims of violence on all sides are essential components of any sustainable solution. Very importantly, the federal government should, in the interest of peace and security in the South East Zone and the country at large, reconsider its position towards the release of the IPOB leader.
President Bola Tinubu should show that he is interested in peace and unity of the country by heeding to the call by south east governors and other people from the zone on the release of the IPOB leader. What about solving the matter politically as has been canvased by many groups and persons.  In the words of the founding Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, to Former President Muhammadu Buhari, “The time for President Muhammadu Buhari to show magnanimity and leadership in the vexed issue of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is now.” The same is being said to Tinubu today. On their own part, the governors of the South-East region must prioritize the welfare and security of their people.  The story of marginalisation of the South East by successive governments in the country is not strange but the political leaders in the zone are not making matters any better. They hardly make efforts towards employment creation for the youths.
A writer recently lamented the high number of political thugs in Enugu. He spoke with some of them who disclosed that they took to that line of “job” due to lack of meaningful employment opportunities years after their graduation from higher institutions. Many times, we have heard the spokesperson for IPOB, Emma Powerful, debunk the accusation that the group is responsible for the insecurity and the mayhem that have been going on in the region for years, saying that other people, some non-Igbos, masquerading as IPOB are taking advantage of the situation in the zone. IPOB should not stop at the disclaimer. They and other youths from the zone should join hands with the government to reveal the identities of the criminals and uproot them from the zone and the country at large. It is also high time IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN)took a look at their strategy for their agitation.
If the whole thing is causing untold hardship and pain to the region and the people they claim to be fighting for, why continue with it.  IPOB and its factions must reassess their strategies. The use of violence and coercion has alienated many who might otherwise sympathise with their cause. Advocacy for self-determination must align with democratic principles and respect for human rights. Ekpa’s arrest provides an opportunity for introspection and recalibration. It is a reminder that actions taken in the name of liberation must not perpetuate the suffering of the very people they aim to serve. While the arrest of Sam Ekpa is a notable step, it is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Peace in Igboland requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address historical grievances, foster economic development, and create a platform for genuine dialogue.
this moment will not be another flashpoint but a turning point toward lasting peace and reconciliation in the region.

By: Calista Ezeaku

Before the Saturday, October 5, Local Government Council Election to midwife the rebirth of elected Local Government administrations in Rivers State, it was hard on me to believe that general elections can hold in Nigeria without the Nigerian Police and other statutory security organisations’ participation to provide security. So when the Abuja High Court restrained the Nigerian Police from giving security for a seamless, hitch-free election processes, I was startled on the security of election materials, adhoc staff of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the voters, even though legal luminaries posit that it is not within the ambit of Federal courts to legislate on Local Government matters. Many people thought that the Inspector-General of Police’s decision to promptly obey judicial orders would either truncate the process or trigger voter apathy.
However, the outcome: violence-free, massive participation of voters even the participation of those who confessed that they had not exercised their franchise in the last 24 years of Nigeria democratic dispensation, does not only prove me wrong but also speak volumes of a people yearning for self determination at the grassroots. It also shows that the time of a marked departure from the ugly, repressive and dictatorial past has inevitably come to an end. It underscores the emergence of  a new political order and structure that are the prerogative of the people and a function of legitimacy from the people, not a structure that is a product of a coercive, repressive , and other measures that negate democratic values and norms. For once, Rivers people have sent a message that they remain a distinct political entity with the right to decide who leads them.
The people of Rivers State, from the Ikwerres, the Kalabaris, Etches, Ndonis, Wakirikes, Andonis, the Ekpeyes, Ogonis, Abuans and several other micro ethnic and language people as a resilient and brave people have gained consciousness to dislodge the human instrument that perpetrates oppression even as Karl Marx said, “It is only when people are conscious of the fact that they are oppressed can they rise to dislodge the instrument that makes the oppression possible”. The October 5, Local Government Election, shows that despite its ethnic  and language diversity Rivers State is homogeneous, united in  corporate interest and goal. Rivers people have  proven that general election without the presence of Nigerian Police is possible. Some voters have also alleged that considering the peaceful election achieved without the presence of Nigerian Police, the crisis-ridden elections in Nigeria may have been the architecture of the Police. Some believe that their presence poses a discomfort to voters and an uneasy calm in voting environment.
Now that it is possible to conduct elections without them the Federal and Sub- national electoral bodies can reduce cost of conducting elections. The huge budget allocated to security for election purposes presupposes waste, so can be channeled to other critical sectors. This laudable achievement-a peaceful election without Nigerian Police would have been elusive without the peaceful, mentally and emotionally matured, God-fearing disposition and Rivers First mantra of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. The Governor’s passion for peace and development even amid provocative and inciting statements by detractors and enemies of Rivers State, has endeared him to the people and whittled down the influence and relevance of the opposition in Rivers State. It is not gainsaying the fact that in recent times, the Nigerian Police has flagrantly violated professional, ethical and moral standards.
The high command seems to have sacrificed their statutory obligations to the people on a whim for personal relationships and filthy lucre. They seem to have allowed pecuniary gains to dull and cloud their sense of reasoning and their primary statutory responsibilities of crime detection and prevention, protection of lives and property. The occupation of Local Government Council Secretariats in the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State by the Nigeria Police, preventing Caretaker Committees and staff of Local Government councils to access their offices to carry out legitimate duties when States with caretaker administrations functioned without Police interference, is a dent on the credibility and integrity of the Nigerian Police. At the wake of the political upheaval in Rivers State, the Executive Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, received his dose of the rascality of some men of the Nigerian Police. Canisters of water were shot at the Governor as gleaned from viral videos and other media outfits.
How could the Nigerian Police have descended so low to derecognise the Executive Governor who is the Chief Security Officer of Rivers State? What came on them to compromise their duties to the people and Government of Rivers State? How on earth could they have deemed serving the interest of one man in Abuja is paramount and transcends that of the generality of Rivers people? The Nigerian Police by their inactions and untoward activities in Rivers State, tried to convey a false assumption that there are two Governors in Rivers State. This animosity on the state lends support for the quest for and against State Police. A State Police formation will be necessary, Purpose-driven and effective under a cool-headed, humane, objective and listening governor like Governor Fubara. However, a State Police in control of the opposition in Rivers will be the German Nazis – an instrument of torture, oppression, and autocratic governance.
The Nigerian Police should be and be seen to be professional, neutral, non- partisan, conscientious and sagacious in their conduct, if they must earn the respect of the people. The Nigerian Police and the Judiciary should resist the allures of being used as anti-democratic institutions to truncate Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy. No doubt every profession has its hazards. If the challenges of a profession do not allow a person to uphold integrity and ethical standards, it is better to quit the job. It is honourable to die for what you know is right than living for the shadow, and the mundane. When money and wealth are lost, nothing is lost but when integrity is lost everything is lost.

Igbiki Benibo