If it doesn’t bend, it breaks

On Thursday I will be at the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston…exhibiting, talking, and swapping stories about workplace flexibility.  When I realized I would have an extra ticket to the show, I started a contest.  And boy am I glad I did.  Today’s guest blog post comes from Carissa Caramanis O’Brien of Red Box Comunications who is juggling/struggling daily with her own business, raising a family, being a great daughter and still finding time for friends.  I have seen first hand how hard she works at it all…and am lucky enough to be included as one she makes time for.  While I said this contest wasn’t a writing contest, Carissa, ever the overachiever since the days she interned for me ‘lo those many years ago, couldn’t help herself and wrote a winner!

When I was in my 20s, I probably thought workplace flexibility had more to do with which type of project I worked on for hours-on-end than any sort of work/life balance. And at that stage of my career, I guess that mentality made sense, and even worked for me. I was able to work late nights and weekends, making my way up the corporate ladder with little more to balance than a social life.

Things are considerably different now. I’m a wife, mother of a young child, and chief household officer. I serve as a secondary caregiver to my aging father, and have more family needs to attend to than ever before in my life. Oh, and I’m a business owner. Before this year, my work didn’t have enough bend to suit my life, so I made a change before I let it break. The need for flexibility was critical in my decision.

So, what does workplace flexibility mean to me?

• It means I work where I go, not go where I work—Technology allows us to be connected virtually anywhere today, so without being tethered to a desk, I can be productive in between meetings as easily as between ballet class and lunch with my mother.
• It means not missing out on valuable networking—Being stuck in a corporate office all day (and sometimes into the night) isn’t real conducive to attending events where I’ll meet other people in the industry and connect with future colleagues or collaborators.
• It means actually staying on top of the latest trends—Without imposed priorities, I can devote time and energy to the greatest new technologies and trends that will keep me a leader in my field.
• It means focusing energy where I know it is needed most—Whether personal endeavors, new business ideas, or my passion for non-profit fundraising and cause marketing, I can actually carve out the appropriate time to tackle these because I’ve placed them on my priority list.

So, you can see that I don’t just want flexibility. I require it in order to lead the life I designed. Before I started my own business, I worked in Marketing for a global healthcare company. The workload was overwhelming, the hours demanding and the to-do list never ended. I can’t say that has changed, but what has changed is the way in which I manage it. I am my own boss, I alone determine the priorities and when I need to be in the office to tackle them. This also means when other priorities need my attention, or even when I’m just craving some special time with my 3-year-old, I can easily adjust my schedule to satisfy life’s little interruptions.

More companies are realizing the value in workplace flexibility and I hope this is a trend we see continue, despite the dogged times of this brutal economy. Because, I love my work and I’ll never want to give it up, but I love my family, friends and causes more than anything. I am determined to work to live, not live to work…and, really, isn’t that the way it should be?