Work can too often get in the way of life.
That is, it’s often hard to schedule such important life event as making it to a child’s soccer game, scheduling a child’s parent/teacher conference, taking a child to doctor’s appointment, getting the time off to travel to a beloved family member’s funeral or wedding.
We’re supposed to work in order to live, but too often work gets in the way.
It’s not that we’re against work, of course. Work provides meaning to many people, as well as friendships, a sense of a job well done and, of course, income.
But with employer access to employees 24/7 via technology, it’s often too hard to keep work work and your personal life your personal life.
Read below for our top three favorite ways to improve your own work-life balance. As you read them remember that it’s pretty much impossible to totally separate work from your personal life today. Read these tips more as suggestions as to how you can better meld the two into your life so that you don’t feel overwhelmed between one or the other.
- Check with your employer about the possibility of telecommuting or working a flextime schedule. Make sure you go to your supervisor with the attitude that such an arrangement will help both of you. In fact, see if you can make your sales pitch one that shows how it benefits your employer more. Studies show that employees are more productive when working at home (fewer interruptions and distractions). Offer to do a part-time telecommute program for a short period of time, such as three months, for example. You and your boss can revisit the arrangement then to see if it’s working for both of you.
- Our society, perhaps, has forgotten that technology is supposed to act as our servant and not our master. It sometimes feels as if technology, particularly cell phones and e-mail, has taken over our lives. It’s time to put technology back in its place. Decide when and where you will answer the phone after hours and access e-mail. Let your supervisors and coworkers know these parameters and stick to them. If you decide you won’t take calls during the dinner hour, don’t take them. Your supervisor and coworkers won’t adhere to your limits unless you do so first. In addition, consider only checking e-mail twice a day, at designated times a day.
- Remember that no one can truly do or have it all, at least not at the same time. You will have to make choices about what’s important to you regarding your career and home life. If you don’t have children, you may choose career over home; you may change your priorities once you become a parent. Decide if a spotless home is worth fretting over; decide if sitting on the PTA is worth the added stress. You’re going to have to make choices and you should have a pow wow with your family about what choices they will be.
When you’re looking for new career opportunities in the Inland Empire, consider sending your resume to the recruiters at Arrow Staffing. We can help you find employment with some of San Bernardino and Riverside counties’ top employers. We look forward to hearing from you.