Connecting Career and Life

This weekend and next week I am very excited to be talking to so many of the audiences I serve at Career Life Connection.  Since work/life is so multi-layered I wear many hats.  I help people with their own personal responsibility on work/life struggles.  I talk to those working in the corporate world or those that want to return to it to help them engage management on how they can work more flexibly and help it increase its bottom line.  I talk to corporate recruiters and HR people who are key to understanding that work/life is tied to productivity, talent attraction and employee retention and is thus a pain point for corporate executives.

What I haven’t been able to do is get them to talk with each other. To understand how much common ground they all have and how flexibility at work can help them all achieve their various goals.  Enough with the echo chambers and back slapping both audiences get from their peers.  It’s time to start understanding the other side…seek common ground…and find success.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

And if you’re at SXSW or ERE Expo in the next week and want to discuss, debate, give me a piece of your mind.  I’m game.  Comment on this post, @leanneclc or  email chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.

So I’m on vacation.  And I’m watching my little one just enjoy being…playing with toys, riding a bike for the first time, running down the sidewalk…and I think I really should chill more.    We’re in Arizona and she would desperately like to be in the pool.  But it’s 52 degrees out, so not today.  Instead of pouting she just moves on happily.  I posted my thoughts on Facebook and a male friend agreed that wives/moms should chill more.

And so I think, goodness, why can’t I do that better?  Well it could be because I bothered to open my laptop this morning.  I have a conference call so I was checking on the details of that and in the process saw an article about a study that claims that children of mothers who work full time are fatter, less healthy kids than those that work part-time or stay at home.

Ugghhh!

Here is why Moms can’t chill.  Because if we work we are compromising our children.  If we don’t we are compromising ourselves.  If we work part-time we are underemployed as well as under appreciated both at work and at home.

My husband is great and he helps a lot but if you asked him how many fruits or vegetables our little one ate in a day he would have no clear idea.  If you asked him how much TV she took in, he would know what the rules are, but not necessarily the realities.   And if you asked him to make dinner it would consist of something frozen or a pizza.  If you asked him what Dr’s appts are coming up, he would really struggle with that one and certainly not know the dates or times or even some of the Dr’s names.

Moms are working (women are now 50% of the workforce), they are attending to the children’s health, the food buying, the food preparation and they are being judged.  ‘Nuff now.  Either it’s time for other parts of society to help or quit it with the judgments and studies! Just once I would love to see a study on how Dads’ work habits, eating habits, life affect children.

Oh and did I mention today’s breakfast for me & the little one will be hotel room service.  I won’t be controlling the ingredients, etc. I will make sure to include fruit in the mix, but I’m sure it won’t be as healthy as it could be…and I’m sitting her in front of the TV at 11a as I have a conference call.   As Kathy Griffin would say:  You can suck it society.

Events happening this week

The Care Summit - March 11, Washington, DC

Join the work/life dialogue along with other organizations on the cutting edge of family
care giving issues.

In the News

“Although Krislite is not a family-run business, we inculcate a family spirit among our people,” explains Mr Teo.  The company encourages a work-life balance where it can, and facilitates connections on both social and business levels to maintain the team spirit.   The strategy has worked well, with the company managing to retain its best people.   “It can be expensive,” comments Mr Teo, “but we balance costs with flexible wage solutions and a performance-based incentive structure.”

Civil servant unions pushing back on feared cuts to pensions (The Montreal Gazette)

But Duxbury said pensions aren’t the big draw they used to be for the “creme de la creme,” those young high-flyers who don’t see themselves in one career. Today’s big lure for all workers of all ages, is work-life balance, which the government is ideally positioned to offer.

Survey: Work-life balance difficult when family business is your life (Central Valley Business Times)

As a result, 56 percent of owners are constantly trying to improve their work-life balance, according to the survey.  According to the survey, 44 percent of family business owners always or often discuss work at home, and 28 percent always or often discuss home life at work. Nevertheless, surprisingly few find it to be a concern. Sixty percent say their discussions of work at home rarely or never cause problems, while 75 percent say discussing home at work presents no difficulties.

In the Blogs

Japan’s Local Government Offices Start Introducing ‘Telework’ System (Bernama.com)

As maintaining a work-life balance and tackling global warming have both become key issues, the Japanese government is promoting a ‘teleworking’ system in which people are able to work at home using computers and the Internet, and reduce emissions at the same time by not commuting, Kyodo news agency reported.  In 2007, the government laid out a plan to increase the number of teleworkers to 13 million by 2010, twice the figure in 2005, hoping to promote the system in both public and private entities.

Latest Book by California Western Professor Explores How Married Lawyers “Share the Pants” (California Western News)

“Work-life balance is not just a woman’s issue,” writes Slotkin. “Men also seek a work-life balance. Significant numbers of Gen-X and Gen-Y male professionals are demanding balance for themselves and their families.”

Through a collection of first-person essays by the husbands of women lawyers, Slotkin offers readers lessons and suggestions for achieving work-life balance and building lasting relationships.

BlackBerry adds 10 extra work days a year (Into Mobile)

These studies are always a bit overblown in the same way we see those stories about Facebook costing businesses billions in lost productivity. It would be foolish to say that the work/life balance hasn’t changed but I think that’s okay because the 9-to-5 schedule is antiquated. Sure, you may now be on the hook to respond to work e-mails on the weekends but that same ability should enable flexibility to take off in an afternoon if you need to do things like pick up your kids.

A Flexible Work Arrangement May Have Health Benefits (Emax Health)

The review also found that flexible work schedules was associated with improvements in alertness and heart rate, as well as secondary health outcomes such as perceived social support in the workplace and a sense of community.

Time spent at the workplace is often greater than the time spent with families and in personal pursuits. The consequences of losing an overall work-life balance can result in conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers due to factors such as increased use of packaged and convenience foods (ie fast food), decrease in the amount of time spent doing physical activity, and the lack of sleep from anxiety.

Workplaces can use this study to their advantage. A worker who gets the appropriate amount of sleep, for example, is less tired and more productive during working hours. Having time to dedicate to one’s health can reduce overall healthcare costs for employers as well. And happy employees are often more engaged with company activities.

A (Very) Non-Millennial Working Mom’s Thoughts on Tattoos, Piercings, and Work-Life Balance (Current Mom)

Even more compelling is recent data from the consulting firm, Accenture, about Millennial (and Millennial-plus) professional women (here, women aged 22-35). Despite the recession, the vast majority of the 1000 women surveyed by Accenture - 94% – believe they can achieve a balance between a satisfying professional life and a gratifying personal life.  And nearly half of them – 46% – actually reported having an equal balance between their work and personal lives. (Hmm. I wonder how many of them have kids right now. Or whether they’re simply balancing work with leisure-filled weekends.) Significantly, 59% of these Millennial women defined success as “doing meaningful work while maintaining a work/life balance” as opposed to achieving a certain job title or level (37%) or being seen as an expert in their field (38%).

The Imbalance of Life and Work Balance (Expense Report)

Did you know the following?

* Health Care expenses are almost 50% higher for Workers who report high levels of stress

* People who experience work/life imbalance are three times more likely to suffer from heart problems, infections, injuries, mental health problems and back pain, and five times more likely to suffer from certain cancers

* Workers who have to take time off work because of stress, anxiety or a related disorder will be off the job for about 20 days

As these statistics show, work/life balance is still an important (and costly) issue both for individuals and organizations.

Events

Work Life Conference – March 25-26, Washington, DC

Join us on March 25–26, 2010 for our annual thought–leader conference for work life, HR, diversity and talent management professions. This year we will explore the “New Normal” in the Global Economy: What is it and what are the implications for work life and talent management?

The Work. Life. Me! Balancing Retreat for Working Mothers – March 27-28, Lewiston, NY

Unlike many other “getaway weekends” geared towards women, this retreat acknowledges the juggling act working mothers live out each day – and the extreme difficulty many have with feeling deserving of time and money investment in themselves. This is reflected not only in the affordable registration rate, but also through workshops which will give participants takeaways they can apply immediately toward more balance in their lives. Workshops include an introduction to the Law of Attraction, Organization 101, Kicking Super Mom Syndrome to the Curb, Eating for Mind Body Balance, and Finance for Women. Presenters are not only experts in their fields but working moms who bring real-life understanding to the table.

Developing an innovative workplace using flexibility – April 1, Lexington, UK Campus, ES Goodbarn

Learn how flexibility can be used as a strategy to motivate and engage employees who are having to do more with less, forego salary increases and deal with the challenges of work and life in the 21st century.

Workplace Flexibility Summit – April 7, Dallas, TX

When Work Works – April 8, Chandler, AZ – The Chandler Chamber of Commerce will hold its launch breakfast and forum for the 2010 When Work Works Alfred P. Sloan campaign to promote flexibility in the workplace from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. April 8 at the Courtyard by Marriott/Fairfield Inn at 1100 S. Price Road, Chandler.

Planning Your Post-Career Career: Work/Life Balance After Age 50 – April 14, Hartford, CT

Workplace Flexibility: Flexibility in a Multigenerational Workforce

Ann Arbor IT Zone
330 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

“Work, Life, Balance: No Excuse!” February 4 Lunch Program – Century House Hotel & Conference Center,
997 New Loudon Road – Route 9 Latham, NY 12047

A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility Research Pt 2 (Georgetown Law event)

Video

Work Life Balance (as seen from Stanford Biz School grads)

Kevin Roberts interview in Paris (amplified) < He’s the man! #branding #sorted #follow

Recently had need to drag this out of the archives so thought I would share it with you. My favourite part of this is…‘It’s not about work/life balance; it’s about work/life integration. I don’t want to balance my life, I want to blast it to the max’

Flexible Work Arrangements as described/discussed by Kathleen Greer of KGA

Kathleen Christensen, Ph.D. Discusses New Book “Workplace Flexibility” on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
Kathleen talks about workplace flexibility and the idea that the workplace structure should adapt to the changing needs of workers. She also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Career Life Connection News and Events

ERE Expo – Career Life Connection will be exhibiting at ERE Expo on March 16 & 17 in San Diego, Ca.  Come by booth #317 to plug in, grab a drink, grab a seat and generally re-charge

SXSW, March 12-14 – Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection will be at SXSW in Austin, TX.  To meet up @leanneclc on twitter, send email to chase at careerlifeconnection dot com

Creating buzz, one day at a time (Boston Globe)

Work/Life balance and the Community Manager – March 3rd – discussion for members of The Community Roundtable, led by Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection

Work Life Balance Strategies on Career Life Balance Radio featuring Leanne Chase, Founder and President of Career Life Connection.

Success: Advancement and Caregiving–Challenging Work+Life Fit Roadblocks (Fast Company)

Really challenge what a good mother looks like for you personally.  Not what your mother says it is.  Not what the media says it is.  What do you say being a good mother looks like to you, based on your unique work and personal realities that are unlike anyone else’s.  Here are some of my favorite resources broadening the conversation about what it means to be a “good” mother:

• The Mama Bee Blog
• Morra Aarons-Mele at WomenandWork.com
• Joanne Bamberger at PunditMom.com
• Kami Lewis-Levin at The Fence, a Working Mom’s Blog
• Leanne Chase, CareerLifeConnection.com
• Chrysula Winegar at Work.Life.Balance

What is a Mommy Blogger? (TheMamaBee)

Earlier this week Babble came out with it’s list of the fifty best “mommy bloggers.” In a lot of ways it’s a great list — I read many of these women and have linked to some of them, notably The Mommy Blog and Silicon Valley Moms Blog. But the list also left me a little conflicted because almost none of the blogs listed were issues-oriented…And yet, I would have loved to see a blogger like Morra Aarons-Mele (Women and Work, MomsRising), Joanne Bamberger (PunditMom), Kami Lewis-Levin (The Fence, A Blog for Working Moms), Leanne Chase (Career Life Connection) or Cali Yost (Work Life Fit) make the list. All are moms, all are successful bloggers, all write about issues core to mothering — and yet, somehow, they are not in the “mom blog” space.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour: The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews: Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

Don’t you hate it when you have a really great presentation, conversation, brainstorming session and then 20 minutes later you have an epiphany that would have been perfect if only you’d had it during the event?  Yeah, me too.  Yesterday in fact.

I was on a call with community managers through The Community Roundtable and we were discussing work/life.  I was giving them the knowledge I had learned over the years and through the research I’ve done for this site:

1) Have boundaries and stick to them

2) Manage expectations

3) You cannot have it all, all at once – you will need to say “no” to things

4) Ask for help

By all accounts the call went well and a good time was had by all and I learned a lot from them.  Afterward I was talking offline with one of the participants.  He is an expectant father and is nervous about how his life will be changing soon and how he will manage his work/life.   I told him that this would all actually become much easier…because as a parent you need to do all of the above…regularly.

There it was…the epiphany that has probably been rolling around in my head for a while but just simply couldn’t manage to come out at the opportune time.

Why has it been rolling around…well this is a daily routine with me:

1) Boundaries – while I like snuggling with my little one, I also like sleep.  My pre-schooler knows mommy & daddy’s room is off limits to kids before 7am unless you are sick/in need.  It’s a hard and fast rule.  And it works really well – with the help of a digital clock.

2) Expectations – “Mommy can I have a cookie?”  “Mommy can I have an ice cream?” “Mommy can I have that toy?” How many times a day, week, month, year do I hear this?  While I am asked constantly for these things she doesn’t get them consistently.  New toys come around birthdays & holidays, treats come sparingly each day.  That is what she now knows to expect.  It won’t stop her from asking but it stops her from having a meltdown each time she doesn’t get what she has asked for.

3) Say “no” – well based on the above I say “no” a lot.  But I also do it in a more positive way.  “Mommy can I have a cookie?” “Absolutely, once we have dinner.”  “Mommy can I have a new toy?” “Not right now, but let’s put it on your birthday list.”

4) Help – There is no way I could do all of this and stay sane without my nanny, weekend babysitter, husband, extended family.  I would simply be too stressed and dysfunctional.

What happens if I don’t use these 4 constantly?  Bedlam, unhappiness, stress, tears for all.

So why wouldn’t that be true for our adult selves as well?  It doesn’t matter if you’re a community manager or a business owner or a car mechanic.  It doesn’t matter if you use a smart phone or not.  It doesn’t matter if you’re 20, 30, 40 or 80.  This is what is needed.  And I’ll be the first to admit – I’m great at parenting a pre-schooler.  Not so much at parenting myself  – because it’s not fun…and I do want it all, NOW…and let’s be honest my parents would never let me stay up this late to write a blog post.

So show of hands…who wants to be my parent?

The subject of today’s guest post seems to be on a lot of people’s minds these days.  Clearly it’s on mine as I wrote an employee pledge to employers recently.  It’s on the mind of my former boss who managed me remotely for a couple of years.  She is now working near Boston from home while her company is based in Austin.  She travels back and forth but for the most part is remote.  We were discussing how companies don’t advertise jobs as being flexible, how workers need to prove they are worthy before they are given the ability to have flexibility.  And how frustrating that is to someone who needs flexibility in order to take a job.  Her take was that too many companies have gotten screwed by employees who want to work remotely but then don’t do their work.  I think there is definitely some of that…but I also think that reality and its corresponding urban legend are very far apart.  Most remote workers I know understand that they need to work much harder to prove they are getting their work done than their in-office counterparts and take this issue very seriously.  For those remote workers here are 5 tips from Deborah Fike to help you out.

Having been a project manager at a software development firm, I have managed teams of both in-house and remote employees.  I have to admit, the workplace can be rough for offsite employees.  You can’t participate in the water cooler conversations that happen in all work environments.  You don’t get to joke with your cubicle neighbor.  And worst of all, when something goes wrong, the in-house people love to blame those “playing around at home.”

But don’t despair!  As a manager who got to know both my in-house and remote employees really well, I know that the above are often myths generated by people used to working in an office.  If you look behind these “disadvantages,” you’ll find that water cooler talks often center around last night’s football game, that you can get to know your teammates without being attached at the hip 24-7, and that people often use those whom they don’t know well as scapegoats, even if the problem is internal.

So what’s a remote employee to do?  Well, first you have to accept one thing: you are accountable for the time you work from home.  Having a flexible schedule means better work-life balance, but it comes with the price of staying connected and communicating in smart ways.   That means not only letting people know what you’re working on, but also just getting to know the personalities of your teammates back at the office.  The less you appear as a faceless robot that sends e-mails, the more likely you will be accepted and appreciated by the team, even if you can’t physically be with them.

Below are some tips and tricks I learned by working with remote employees:

• Keep track of your work output.  At a bare minimum, make sure your manager knows what you are working on every day.  If possible, let all your teammates know as well.  There are a lot of online tools out there that record employees’ work output (in fact, my husband and I are building one right now).
• Use IM as often as possible. Even if you can’t physically be at the office, you’re often working near a computer with an Internet connection.  Have your teammates install a common IM program on their machines.  Send quick links, tidbits of information, and questions over these channels as you come across them.   It will not only make it feel like you’re at the office, but you can also have more casual conversations than you can in e-mail.
• Keep a schedule (as best as you can). One of the benefits of flexible schedules is not having clear work hours.  The truth is, though, even remote employees often find themselves working at the same time each day.  Let people know the likely hours you plan on working and remind them to IM freely if they need to speak to you.
• Set up weekly phone calls or video chats. If you are too far away to go to the office at least once a week, I highly recommend weekly sync-ups with managers and other key teammates.   Schedule phone calls and video chats whether you need them or not.  In reality, there is always something work-related to talk about, even if it’s just to clarify a company e-mail.  Plus, you get the bonus of showing off your personality and just “talking shop,” which is hard to do via e-mail or even IM.
• Speak up! If your team regularly sends out group e-mails, make sure your voice is part of the conversation.  Don’t hesitate to respond with an opinion or question just because you think you don’t know the whole story.  It will not only clarify what’s happening at the office, but also allow you to digitally brainstorm with your teammates. 

Just remember the main goal: stay connected, communicate your work output, and get to know your teammates.  It’s on you to remain visible and stay accountable as you work from home!

Deborah Fike is a co-founder of Fellowstream, a Facebook-meets-collaboration tool for remote teams. She has overseen five product launches as a product manager for the Torque line of game engines.  She hopes that the next wave of online tools will help more people achieve a realistic work-life balance.

Events happening this week

Psychologically Healthy Workplace Conference – March 5-6, Washington, DC

Explore ways to position your organization for success in the economic recovery…Current issues in employee assessment and selection…New perspectives on work-life balance…Best practices in diversity and inclusion…And, back by popular demand, Employer Experience Sessions: lessons learned from award-winning companies.

In the News

Turning overworked, underpaid staffers into top performers (CFO Daily News)

Portrait of the American worker: longer hours, increased workloads, fewer resources and little to no work/life balance — all for the same paycheck.

At least that’s the picture a recent CareerBuilder survey painted.

According to the surve

A New Work/Life Balance Model: “Mass Career Customization” (Media Bistro)

Consulting and accounting firm Deloitte has scrapped its nearly 70 different “flexible work arrangements” in favor of a system it developed called “Mass Career Customization.”

The arrangement has promise for other companies—and in fact, according to Workforce, Deloitte is now pitching the concept to its clients—especially those that believe work-life balance is for more than mothers.

There’s a cute little matrix chart thingy, seen above, with four columns and six levels of commitment and other things that HR folks love, but in essence, it’s a system designed to get employees to think about how they want to contribute at what stages in their life. And it allows for people not to just say “I want less work and more time with my family” but “Please give me more responsibility, I’m interested in advancing my career.” Which is something we find sorely lacking in work-life programs.

For Physician-Scientist Couple, Success is in Balance (Science Magazine)

We made some changes in our careers specifically so we could have a work-life balance. We made a conscious decision that work is really important and family is really important. I think unless you make that conscious decision, you won’t succeed.

The study authors speculate that a greater prioritization of “work-life balance” among younger generations could be responsible for the larger decline. And that sets up American hospitals and clinics for a new paradigm, where doctors continue to spend fewer hours on the job.

Finding Work-Life Balance In Medicine (Better Health)

When you die:

A) The house of medicine will collapse, and only recover by remembering your compassion and sacrifice.

B) Patients and staff will wail in sack-cloth and ashes

C) Someone may name a procedure or drug in your honor

D) People will walk over your dead body, take your vacant day-shifts and go through your pockets for change.

The answer is D. Although I’m using some hyperbole, the point is that when you die, some people will be sad; your loved ones will miss you. But life will go on. The hospital will not close, and the sick will not stop being sick. So conduct your life with this in mind. Medicine, for all it’s wonder and value, must not be a rock on which you wreck yourself. Let it enhance, not overwhelm, your life.

Editorial: Implement telework wisely (Federal Times)

Three feet of snow within a week closed federal offices in Washington for 4½ days and cost an estimated $45 million in lost productivity. Telework advocates, including Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, say the fallout from “snowmageddon” could have been sharply reduced were more federal employees and managers more practiced and equipped for teleworking.

They are right that more must be done to promote teleworking — not just so agencies can operate through nasty blizzards, but so government can reap the many other benefits that can come with an effective teleworking workforce. Those include greater productivity, a more versatile and portable government operation, better employee morale, a better work/life balance that attracts high-caliber job candidates, lower real estate costs, fewer sick days taken by employees and less traffic congestion and energy consumption.

In the Blogs

Work Life Stories:  When the Dream Turns 180 (Work. Life. Balance)

Working from home is not as easy as it sounds.  It is one thing when you’re self-employed and an entirely different proposition when you’re with a company that works hard and plays hard – with long hours, expecting face time and trying to create a culture as well as run a profitable business. Lindsay Hepworth talks to us about how she navigated the process with an innovative software company over several major life events and how a mutually trusting relationship has been essential.

Achieving Your Career Goals and Attaining Work Life Balance (Six Figures)

Emerging from the Bubble (The Harbus)

A column dedicated to the transition from HBS back into the real world

8. What we do outside of our work might be just as important as what we do at work. Work/life balance starts now, even if you are single or married but pre-kids. Don’t ever give up the life part of the equation, because you might forget to take it back when it truly matters.

Why Workplace Flexibility Matters for the Chronically Ill (Sloan Work & Family Research Network)

The movement calling for a more flexible workplace is getting louder. We’re hearing demands from various sources, including working mothers, a “sandwiched generation” and aging boomers. The message is that a rigid, standardized work schedule makes it difficult to balance the competing needs of successful employment and a balanced, personal life.

Yet there is one group that is markedly absent from this discussion. That’s the 40% of the workforce living with a chronic illness.

Snowy Day: Debunking Work Life Balance Myth (85 Broads)

When women ask me, “how do you balance it all…business, clients, public speaking, 2 preteens, husband etc.” I usually say “I DON’T!!! It’s always messy !And anyone who says they are ” balancing” is liar!” Anyone who knows me knows I usually don’t mince words. Life’s too short not to speak the truth!

So..while I’m snowed in with “everyone” home, trying to reschedule clients, and diplomatically, fielding periodic well-disguised distractions by very cute people that all amount to ” Hey..you, the woman on the phone and keyboard! I’m bored, please pay attention to me!!” I am really struck by how messy my life and work can be.
So in the interest of leveling the playing field between all women who want it all here is the debunked myth of “life work balance” in all its graphic ugly detail

An Apple a Day Won’t Keep Burnout Away (Employee Assistance)

Most employers have the foundational elements of a healthy workplace, including health insurance, healthy cafeteria choices, and gym benefits. There are several means of building upon that foundation to truly create a healthy workplace. The basic tenets of improved employee health include employee involvement, employee growth and development, health and safety, work-life balance, and employee recognition.

Enjoying Good Health For Work and Life (Live for the Moment)

People want to take the ‘tired’ out of retired. Retirement is no longer a matter of ’stop work and start dying’. It’s now more like, as one client put it to me, “what’s for dessert? I’ve finished the main course and I’m still hungry!” Such people want to continue having an active involvement in society – preferably paid – but on their own terms rather than on an employer’s terms.

Work Life Balance (TransWorld News)

Following the theme of his newest book, Lead with Love, Mr. Czarnecki urges that everything a leader does must begin with love. “Love is the power behind any workforce that moves any company. Today, more than ever before, loving your employees means understanding their need to balance their life with their work place.”

A Parents at Work (PaW) survey shows that nearly two-thirds of respondents recently said that their work-life balance made them feel a “little stressed” with almost a quarter claiming that it made them very stressed….Mr. Czarnecki sites some additional statistics on the impact stress has on employees and our business

Five Predictions For How We’ll Work in 2010 & Beyond (Compensation Cafe)

Moving on to her next point, there’s more to life than work, as we all know.  While we all need to work to earn a living, we have other demands on our time, energy, and interests.  So yes, we should work with passion and dedication in a field that’s meaningful and satisfying, but we need to balance work with our other life demands over decades of our careers as our lives evolve.   If anything, employees are less loyal now than they were even two years ago before the recession began.  Layoffs, reductions in merit budgets, cutbacks to benefits, furloughs, and increased workloads have all contributed to a reduction in employer loyalty.  And it’s affected the family of those who were directly impacted by these practices, with our youth questioning and challenging the traditional employment relationship.

The balance in the employment relationship has to be restored in order for loyalty to return.  And that balance differs by employee in every company in America, based upon their individual experience particularly over the past few years.

Maintaining Work/Life Balance in the Always Connected Work Environment (Evolved Employer)

Over a quarter of those polled sent email during dinner? This sounds like a serious breach of work/life balance. While a company may support or even encourage flexible work situations, employees can’t be expected to be connected and online 24/7. Employees want flexible workspaces to improve work/life balance, not eliminate it!

Culture of health emerging (Benefits Canada)

Employers are coming around to the idea of improved productivity through healthy employees healthy—so much so that it is emerging as the top business objective for employer-sponsored wellness programs around the world, according to a poll.  Buck Consultants’ third annual Working Well: A Global Survey of Health Promotion and Workplace Wellness Strategies poll of more than 1,100 organizations from over 45 countries finds that the most powerful drivers for wellness strategies among Canadian employers are mental health issues: stress, work/life balance, and depression.

Press Releases

Events

The Care Summit - March 11, Washington, DC

Join the work/life dialogue along with other organizations on the cutting edge of family
caregiving issues.

Work Life Conference – March 25-26, Washington, DC

Join us on March 25–26, 2010 for our annual thought–leader conference for work life, HR, diversity and talent management professions. This year we will explore the “New Normal” in the Global Economy: What is it and what are the implications for work life and talent management?

The Work. Life. Me! Balancing Retreat for Working Mothers – March 27-28, Lewiston, NY

Unlike many other “getaway weekends” geared towards women, this retreat acknowledges the juggling act working mothers live out each day – and the extreme difficulty many have with feeling deserving of time and money investment in themselves. This is reflected not only in the affordable registration rate, but also through workshops which will give participants takeaways they can apply immediately toward more balance in their lives. Workshops include an introduction to the Law of Attraction, Organization 101, Kicking Super Mom Syndrome to the Curb, Eating for Mind Body Balance, and Finance for Women. Presenters are not only experts in their fields but working moms who bring real-life understanding to the table.

Developing an innovative workplace using flexibility – April 1, Lexington, UK Campus, ES Goodbarn

Learn how flexibility can be used as a strategy to motivate and engage employees who are having to do more with less, forego salary increases and deal with the challenges of work and life in the 21st century.

Workplace Flexibility Summit – April 7, Dallas, TX

Planning Your Post-Career Career: Work/Life Balance After Age 50 – April 14, Hartford, CT

Workplace Flexibility: Flexibility in a Multigenerational Workforce

Ann Arbor IT Zone
330 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

“Work, Life, Balance: No Excuse!” February 4 Lunch Program – Century House Hotel & Conference Center,
997 New Loudon Road – Route 9 Latham, NY 12047

A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility Research Pt 2 (Georgetown Law event)

Video

Work Life Balance (as seen from Stanford Biz School grads)

Kevin Roberts interview in Paris (amplified) < He’s the man! #branding #sorted #follow

Recently had need to drag this out of the archives so thought I would share it with you. My favourite part of this is…‘It’s not about work/life balance; it’s about work/life integration. I don’t want to balance my life, I want to blast it to the max’

Flexible Work Arrangements as described/discussed by Kathleen Greer of KGA

Kathleen Christensen, Ph.D. Discusses New Book “Workplace Flexibility” on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
Kathleen talks about workplace flexibility and the idea that the workplace structure should adapt to the changing needs of workers. She also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Career Life Connection News and Events

Creating buzz, one day at a time (Boston Globe)

Work/Life balance and the Community Manager – March 3rd – discussion for members of The Community Roundtable, led by Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection

Work Life Balance Strategies on Career Life Balance Radio featuring Leanne Chase, Founder and President of Career Life Connection.

Success: Advancement and Caregiving–Challenging Work+Life Fit Roadblocks (Fast Company)

Really challenge what a good mother looks like for you personally.  Not what your mother says it is.  Not what the media says it is.  What do you say being a good mother looks like to you, based on your unique work and personal realities that are unlike anyone else’s.  Here are some of my favorite resources broadening the conversation about what it means to be a “good” mother:

• The Mama Bee Blog
• Morra Aarons-Mele at WomenandWork.com
• Joanne Bamberger at PunditMom.com
• Kami Lewis-Levin at The Fence, a Working Mom’s Blog
• Leanne Chase, CareerLifeConnection.com
• Chrysula Winegar at Work.Life.Balance

What is a Mommy Blogger? (TheMamaBee)

Earlier this week Babble came out with it’s list of the fifty best “mommy bloggers.” In a lot of ways it’s a great list — I read many of these women and have linked to some of them, notably The Mommy Blog and Silicon Valley Moms Blog. But the list also left me a little conflicted because almost none of the blogs listed were issues-oriented…And yet, I would have loved to see a blogger like Morra Aarons-Mele (Women and Work, MomsRising), Joanne Bamberger (PunditMom), Kami Lewis-Levin (The Fence, A Blog for Working Moms), Leanne Chase (Career Life Connection) or Cali Yost (Work Life Fit) make the list. All are moms, all are successful bloggers, all write about issues core to mothering — and yet, somehow, they are not in the “mom blog” space.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour: The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews: Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

Last week I wrote a Worker’s Bill of Rights. And I’m sticking to it.  I think these are common sense rights that actually do not cost companies money but strengthen the employee/employer relationship, increase productivity and the bottom line.  To that end I think employees need to understand that while these rights may be “self-evident” they are not without obligations and responsibilities.

So here is the corporate side of things.  A pledge of allegiance to the company you are working for currently.  It is not one that is binding forever.  But if you are expecting them to treat you as an adult…you need to be an adult.  So here is what I propose the pledge to include:

We pledge to do our work well and turn it in on time

We pledge to act like adults when representing our employers

We pledge to be available when we say we will

We pledge to be flexible if we are needed extra now and then as they pledge to be flexible in slow times with giving us back some of that extra

We pledge not to abuse sick, vacation, disability policies

We pledge to work as members of a team, no matter where we physically work

We pledge to be productive employees that enhance the company’s bottom line

We pledge to discuss any complaints we may have with the company first before airing them out publicly

We pledge to treat other employees, customers, bosses as we would like to be treated

Simple enough, right?  That’s what I think.  Again feel free to add to this pledge, complain about it, berate it.  But let’s get the conversation going and hopefully we can get flexibility at work flowing!

Today’s guest post echos something I say a lot: you can have it all…just not all at once.   And I truly believe that.  I also believe that in today’s more typical two-parent working families there are choices that do need to be made for the family.  They do not have to be forever and it is probably best if they are equitable, one person sacrifices for a time, than another.   So your family and your chosen workplace need to have the flexibility to make it work.  Like Greg and his family have realized and live.

You can do anything you want in life. You just can’t do everything you want.

This sage advice was given by my father-in-law to my wife when she started medical school.  No phrase better sums up the reality of work / life choices.  Our careers and family responsibilities constantly force us to make choices on what we won’t do, in order to do the things we must or want to do.  Our progression through our careers and early family life has provided countless examples of this universal truth.

Four years ago, we felt we had reached equilibrium. Our careers were advancing, and our two boys (two and under-one at the time) seemed to be in a good routine with daycare.  We had built our dream house a year earlier, and other than lengthy commutes that made getting to daycare on time sometimes an event (though we were never late), life seemed to be moving along smoothly.  My wife was thinking of cutting back some on her work hours to spend more time with the boys, and we felt we had the financial flexibility to do so.

Then, as our eldest son was approaching his third birthday, it was becoming clear that he was not going to be ready to move to the next class in the daycare.  The local school psychologist was brought in, and what had always seemed just “developmental delay” became “autism” overnight.  Daycare was no longer an option, and we enrolled our son in an early intervention program in our public schools.

The preschool ran from 8:30 – 2:30, so we needed help after school, and cutting back that much time was not an option for my wife.  Thus, we needed to hire a nanny, an unexpected financial shock which, when combined with the costs of upcoming therapies, set back indefinitely any plans for my wife to cut back on her hours (and numerous home improvements we had planned).

After a year or so, we had recalibrated our lives and were again in a decent routine.  I took a new job at a company three hours away which required (ideally) spending a few days a week in the office.  While the travel was not ideal, it was a real growth opportunity.  Then, another of life’s little surprises came our way, as we discovered my wife was pregnant with child #3 (another boy). This unplanned event once again threw off our balance; my wife had c-sections with each child, and it would be impossible for her to watch all three boys on her own for the first few months after delivery.

So the sacrifice this time involved cutting back on my time at the office significantly, with a corresponding loss of momentum, visibility, and impact in my role.  No matter what you may hear about the growth and attractiveness of telecommuting, it is not a widely accepted practice in traditional industrial companies. Even after my wife recovered, having a house full of three boys aged five and under is not conducive to a busy travel schedule.  But we persevered, and my trips to the office settled in at an every-other-week pace.

Eventually, however, that was not enough for the company.  Times were tough, and strong, visible leadership was needed.  I was asked to spend most of my time in the office.  In return, I’d be on a rapid path to a general manager role.  The other alternative was to work out a negotiated layoff.  I only had a few days to decide in advance of the next board meeting.  While never having faced the prospect of being without a job, and knowing that my leverage in finding a new position would be slim without an existing job, I nevertheless worked out terms of my departure, as moving or spending more time away from home were not viable options given my wife’s career development and our family situation.

In the ensuring scramble to find a new position, I was fortunate to have several offers.  Knowing the realities of our work/life situation helped me keep my priorities straight.  I ended up turning down a Chief Marketing Officer role in favor of one that gave me more flexibility and a slightly shorter commute, even though the CMO position offered >50% better pay.  The deal-breaker was when I asked at the last minute for clarification of travel expectations, and was told that I’d need to spend a week per month in Europe.  While I would have loved the role, it just wasn’t viable in face of our daily realities.

In no way have I or my wife lost sight of our dreams, be it continuing to advance her academic career or running a company.  But we do know that life and careers are long, and making the right sacrifices now while continuing to build the skills, relationships, and processes we will need to be successful in the long run is the best choice we can make.  We have learned to keep “the next sacrifice” in mind, whether its on the daily decisions (who takes the sick child to the doctor) or in the face of life-changing events (a parental illness).

Greg Strosaker is a marketing executive at Mayfran International in Cleveland, Ohio.  His wife is a pediatrician at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, and they have three boys aged seven and younger, the oldest is autistic.  Between work, family, and marathon training, Greg still finds time to maintain the Constant Cogitation blog on marketing, strategy, leadership, productivity, parenting, and running.

In the News

Employees Healthier when Boss Is Flexible (MedPage Today)

The 10 studies included 16,603 participants.  Overall, the researchers found that situations that gave the employee more control over scheduling have positive effects on health and well-being, particularly with regard to blood pressure, sleep, and mental health.  One study showed improvements in mental health, sleep quality on the day shift, sleep duration on the night shift, and alertness during the night shift when employees had more control over their schedules, the researchers said.  Another study reported significant reductions in sleepiness during the night shift when workers had more choice, although it reported on the effects of multiple flex interventions, not a single one.  A third study found significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and heart rate for workers with flexible scheduling, Bambra said.

IndustryWeek’s 2010 Salary Survey: Down But Not Out (Industry Week)

“I think employers and employees might be focused more on the total value proposition,” says Griffith. The total value proposition, which includes such components as benefits, career advancement opportunities and workplace flexibility, may help offset the sting of a pay freeze or cut, she suggests. Her suggestion is backed by comments from several respondents.

Why Flexible Hours and Telecommuting Are On The Rise (Business West)

In 2003, about 4.4 million Americans were telecommuting, to some extent, instead of showing up at the office. In 2010, that number is expected to surpass 100 million. At the same time, the trend toward allowing employees to work flexible or non-traditional hours has also risen sharply in recent years. Why the surges? As it turns out, even during a recession, companies still value their best talent and are increasingly willing to let them craft a workday around their personal and professional needs. Employers say they benefit because happy workers are productive workers.

In the Blogs

Don’t forget the ‘life’ in work-life balance (MayoClinic.com)

The walls of our homes no longer protect us, however. Because we’re always “connected,” we never really leave work behind. We’re now impaled by “weisure” — being on the clock even on our leisure time. Even a paralyzing snow storm, such as the East Coast recently encountered, doesn’t close the virtual office. So much for enjoying a “snow day” from work or school….So what can we do? The answer is really very simple: We’re individuals who can make choices and, at some point, we have to say “enough is enough.” We have to carve out time to simply chill and recharge our batteries. Only then can we go back into the arena with energy, focus and commitment.

Study: Women Rock As Small Business Owners (Fox Small Business Center)

Women are proving themselves to be a powerful small-business force to be reckoned with.   Not only are women-owned firms contributing $3 million annually to the U.S. economy and accounting for 16% of all jobs, but new research shows women entrepreneurs will create 5 to 5.5 million new jobs across the U.S. by 2018 – more than half of the total new small-business jobs expected to be created during that time, and about one-third of the total new jobs anticipated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Business Impacts of Workplace Flexibility and Effectiveness (Salt Lake Chamber)

Business leaders increasingly recognize the positive effects of workplace flexibility and effectiveness on retention and other bottom line impacts. For example, McKinnon Mulherin, a local Utah company explains, “We have to provide a flexible work environment that allows all of our people to succeed both personally and professionally. Ten years ago, women were leaving the firm at a faster rate than men. Today, our retention rates for men and women are the same, thanks to our family friendly policies and flexible culture. Without question, McKinnon & Mulherin and several other progressive Utah companies’ people policies and culture are generating terrific success from both an economic and strategic perspective.”

Educational Flexibility Offers Options to Advance Careers, Maintain Life Balance (Saint Louis University)

Matthew Grawitch, Ph.D., chair of the organizational studies program at Saint Louis University’s School for Professional Studies, believes that workplace flexibility options during the past decade have been well received and continue to grow.  “Many companies have developed programs and initiatives that focus on providing greater workplace flexibility in where people work (telecommuting), when people work (flexible scheduling), how many hours people work(part-time options) and how many days people work (compressed work weeks),” Grawitch said.

Find your work/life Rhythm (Life Beyond the List)

The solution? Well, i can’t pretend to have it licked, but I’ve experimented over the last week with getting to work a full 30 minutes early. This is easier than getting up 60-90 minutes early in order to work out at the gym, believe me! And those first 30 minutes can be really productive. Often disproportionately so. Coupled with taking my own healthier lunch to work, it means i can be more focused during the day, and leave on time (when i can), to make it to the gym at a more reasonable hour. 6:30pm say, rather than 7:30 or 8:00pm. My energy level is just about still high enough, and i can work out before enjoying the rest of the evening, as well as checking in on any urgent emails.

Better work-life balance boosts the bottom line (Governance Focus)

The study, by consultancy Morgan Redwood, found that companies which actively promote good work-life balance have annual net annual earnings per employee of £32,769 compared to £26,557 for other organisations.  Needless to say, the difference arises because better work-life balance results in reduced absenteeism, improved wellbeing and thus greater productivity.

Is Work/Life Balance Your Top Priority in 2010? (SimplyHired Blog)

In January we polled visitors to SimplyHired.co.uk about their career plans for 2010 and found that work/life balance will be a major theme. Thirty-six percent of you ranked work/life balance above salary (31%) as the most important consideration when looking for a new job. Furthermore, 40% of you cite improving work/life balance as a top career resolution for 2010.

Redrow meets the needs of home-workers (Easier Property)

As more people choose to work from home every day, Redrow is offering the perfect solution for those striving to improve their work / life balance.  A selection of homes at The Glades, in the Wiltshire village of Downton, have been expertly designed to feature self-contained home office space over the garage, with a separate entrance and kitchenette. It’s a move that should help meet the needs of home workers escaping the rat race.

Moms balancing work and family (Today’s THV)

The pressure of finding that balance, especially during this tough economy can be difficult.  Employees across all demographics are feeling the pressure of doing more with less. However, sometimes this means working moms have to spend more time at work and less with their families.  With these trying economic times, they are also fearful of losing their jobs, which adds more pressure and stress.  Here are five tips to help find balance

Beyond Business as Usual: More Working Moms in Part-Time Positions (The Glass Hammer)

The global study, which was commissioned by Regus, surveyed 11,000 corporations across 15 countries and found that 44 percent of companies worldwide plan to hire more mothers for part-time jobs over the next two years. Among U.S. companies the numbers are even higher, with 46 percent reporting plans to recruit more mothers into 2012.

West Region Vice President for Regus, Sande Golgart, believed this study to be of particular interest to Regus because many of their clients are working mothers and he believes providing part-time work to women with children can assist them in managing the work/life balance issues that plague so many women. “We think that there is much work to be done in making the transition from maternity leave back to the workforce as smooth as possible. Allowing mothers to take advantage of workplace flexibility demonstrates an understanding of the challenges that they face and paves the way for them to be more productive and less stressed at work,” Golgart said. “One of the most significant factors in improving employees’ work/life balance is offering the flexibility to work remotely, either full or part-time.

Press Releases

CORPORATE VOICES TOOLKITS PROVIDE TIPS AND TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTING WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY WITH AN HOURLY AND NONEXEMPT WORKFORCE

Events

Fully Engaged:Achieving Work/Life Balance and High Performance – February 23rd, 8:30-4:30p, Kent State Stark Prof. Education and Conf. Center, North Canton, OH.

Workplace Flexibility Best Practices – February 25, 2:30-4:30 – University of Kentucky, Lexington Campus – free

Recognition Roundtable presents Shameless You! and Workplace Flexibility – Feb 24th, 12:00, Everett, WA

Shameless You! encourages employees to drop their shame so they can live, work, and play with confidence and integrity. This program helps individuals build personal strategies by identifying, acknowledging and accepting their strengths, preferences, and values. Tracy will lead us in a discussion about how a shameless workforce can lead to better alignment of personal and organizational values, one of the components of a flexible, effective workplace.

Work Life Conference – March 25-26, Washington, DC

Join us on March 25–26, 2010 for our annual thought–leader conference for work life, HR, diversity and talent management professions. This year we will explore the “New Normal” in the Global Economy: What is it and what are the implications for work life and talent management?

The Work. Life. Me! Balancing Retreat for Working Mothers – March 27-28, Lewiston, NY

Unlike many other “getaway weekends” geared towards women, this retreat acknowledges the juggling act working mothers live out each day – and the extreme difficulty many have with feeling deserving of time and money investment in themselves. This is reflected not only in the affordable registration rate, but also through workshops which will give participants takeaways they can apply immediately toward more balance in their lives. Workshops include an introduction to the Law of Attraction, Organization 101, Kicking Super Mom Syndrome to the Curb, Eating for Mind Body Balance, and Finance for Women. Presenters are not only experts in their fields but working moms who bring real-life understanding to the table.

Workplace Flexibility Summit – April 7, Dallas, TX

Planning Your Post-Career Career: Work/Life Balance After Age 50 – April 14, Hartford, CT

Workplace Flexibility: Flexibility in a Multigenerational Workforce

Ann Arbor IT Zone
330 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

“Work, Life, Balance: No Excuse!” February 4 Lunch Program – Century House Hotel & Conference Center,
997 New Loudon Road – Route 9 Latham, NY 12047

A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility Research Pt 2 (Georgetown Law event)

Video

Flexible Work Arrangements as described/discussed by Kathleen Greer of KGA

Kathleen Christensen, Ph.D. Discusses New Book “Workplace Flexibility” on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
Kathleen talks about workplace flexibility and the idea that the workplace structure should adapt to the changing needs of workers. She also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Career Life Connection News and Events

Creating buzz, one day at a time (Boston Globe)

Work/Life balance and the Community Manager – March 3rd – discussion for members of The Community Roundtable, led by Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection

Work Life Balance Strategies on Career Life Balance Radio featuring Leanne Chase, Founder and President of Career Life Connection.

Success: Advancement and Caregiving–Challenging Work+Life Fit Roadblocks (Fast Company)

Really challenge what a good mother looks like for you personally.  Not what your mother says it is.  Not what the media says it is.  What do you say being a good mother looks like to you, based on your unique work and personal realities that are unlike anyone else’s.  Here are some of my favorite resources broadening the conversation about what it means to be a “good” mother:

• The Mama Bee Blog
• Morra Aarons-Mele at WomenandWork.com
• Joanne Bamberger at PunditMom.com
• Kami Lewis-Levin at The Fence, a Working Mom’s Blog
• Leanne Chase, CareerLifeConnection.com
• Chrysula Winegar at Work.Life.Balance

What is a Mommy Blogger? (TheMamaBee)

Earlier this week Babble came out with it’s list of the fifty best “mommy bloggers.” In a lot of ways it’s a great list — I read many of these women and have linked to some of them, notably The Mommy Blog and Silicon Valley Moms Blog. But the list also left me a little conflicted because almost none of the blogs listed were issues-oriented…And yet, I would have loved to see a blogger like Morra Aarons-Mele (Women and Work, MomsRising), Joanne Bamberger (PunditMom), Kami Lewis-Levin (The Fence, A Blog for Working Moms), Leanne Chase (Career Life Connection) or Cali Yost (Work Life Fit) make the list. All are moms, all are successful bloggers, all write about issues core to mothering — and yet, somehow, they are not in the “mom blog” space.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour: The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews: Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

Apparently I am suspiciously well balanced and lack an identity according to a quiz I took recently about whether my life was happy or interesting.  And the verdict.  It is neither.  It is somewhere in the no man’s land in between.  Now I do not put much stock in these kinds of tests.  They are often too generic to give any real meaning to people…they just give people angst.  And so I wouldn’t be thinking much about this, except that the angst already exists.  And honestly this verdict feels absolutely correct to me.

You see I was brought up in an age where it was understood you would work.  No matter your gender…you worked.  And it was wonderful to know that.  I went to college, I started a career, I got a Master’s degree, my career flourished, I was interesting and often happy.  But there were also those conversations that I was having with my girlfriends.  We talked about how you can’t have it all.  How we didn’t want to be go-go career women at the expense of time with our children.  How we would make different choices than the generation of Hilary Clinton.  We would be hybrids.  Career women with children who understand something has to give.

And in theory it sounds great, doesn’t it?  We get to fly high in careers, then we get to take a step back and embrace our children.

The problem lies in the reality.  And the crash landing from a-type, goal setting to playing Candyland.

And maybe this is just simply a case of timing.  You see the Olympics are on.  And probably the most interesting career move I ever made was to produce Opening & Closing ceremonies for the 2002 winter games for TV.  It was a challenging and very frustrating gig but man it sure was interesting.  And it followed other interesting gigs like working on Red Sox games for TV, being on the field at Fenway Park when Ted Williams came out during the ‘99 All Star Game,  being a gatekeeper at the Sundance Film Festival for press pass seekers.  All super interesting, some even made me happy, others did not.

Then after all these highly interesting gigs…I took a breath and went for a trip with my husband…around the world.  Yep we took a year off, traveled the world together and we were happy and interesting.

We came home.  We settled down.  We had a baby.  And we began living the traditional American Dream.  And a few years later I’m not sure who I am anymore.  Yes I have extremely happy moments like sledding with my little one the other day in the middle of the day.  Or watching her mind work as she figures out puzzles,  or dancing in the living room with her with all my might.  And I have very interesting moments – like starting my own business and debuting it at a conference.  Like being asked to share my expertise with really smart people.   But honestly these come in fits and starts.  On a regular basis I’m not sure I’m either happy or interesting.

Because you see I’m also not a fan of getting on the floor to play cars and trucks endlessly.  And because in order to attain this hybrid life – I needed to strike out on my own and leave the corporate workforce.  So I work alone…a lot…with no companionship or collaboration.  And I’m not really sure how to think of who I am – a mom who once was a career girl who is now over-qualified for any position I may apply for, which apparently is a bad thing.

Recently I read this article about men adjusting to women being the breadwinners.  And I’ve seen many articles about whether women are happy or not.  But this is not about my gender.  This is about working and parenting and doing what is right for your family.  And I think Penelope Trunk’s original article and quiz summed it up best for me.  I have achieved a hybrid life…it’s just neither very interesting or overly happy.

Today is one of those days when I don’t have all the answers.  I have my truth and my journey.  And I’m working on it…