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What MP Mothers & Fathers want most
By Apryl Thomas
The
results are in and an overwhelming number of working mothers have said
that more time with their families is far more important to them than
money.
Some fifty percent of
mothers expressed that they would even take a cut in pay
an even turn down a promotion to have more time for their
children. Another forty percent said that activities such as
soccer games, piano lessons, recitals, and
parent teacher interaction was far more important to them.
There are a variety of
ways to increase family time.
Working mothers...
Flexi-time, Working Voluntarily Reduced work Time Tele-working Job
Share Career Break Family Leave ….For the mother working 9-5 these
terms may or may not mean that opportunities exist for balance! Research
shows that more professionals are demanding work-friendly atmospheres.
In fact, many are transitioning to corporate jobs that are sensitive
towards their need to have balance in their lives.
So, what are some simple things that working
mothers can do to create boundaries, and, time for family?
Time
Management
Everyone has 24 hours each
day! Maximize the time spent with your family by responding to family
members with care. In your response to a love one, paraphrase at least
one thing that that person said to you during the conversation. That
let’s the person know that you were paying attention.
Set
Priorities
As a family, establish which
values you consider high priority, i.e., faith, family meals, time
together whether a movie at home or mini-vacation, and up keep of the
home. Set goals that are doable, and, prioritize family-related ones.
Realize that being everything to everyone is impossible! Be honest with
yourself and others about your availability.
Some scale back,
take paternity leave, downsize—By
Andrea Doucet
It's
not just women who are leaving Corporate America for better work-life
balance. In this economy, more men
are going, too.
As other employees, working fathers are
facing more demands from employers who are trying to get by with
fewer workers. But instead of putting
in extra time, a small but growing number of men are reacting to the
pressures by scaling back.
* Ten percent of senior human resource
executives say they are seeing a growing number of high-potential men
leave their companies or decline a promotion because of work-life
demands, according to a survey by Woodcliff Lake, N.J.-based career
management services company Lee Hecht Harrison.
*
Forty percent of working fathers indicated they would likely leave their
current jobs if their spouse earned enough money for them to live
comfortably, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey.
To
try to improve work-life balance, 24% were using a flexible work
schedule, and 18% were taking personal
days
for family reasons.
"Men
do tend to work longer hours and travel more," says Kirk Scott at
CareerBuilder. "But even in the face of
this
economy, there is a desire for balance."
*
More than 20% of male executives have downsized their career
aspirations, with family and personal life the
most
highly cited reason for the sacrifice, according to a study of
executives.
Families and Work Institute, Catalyst and the Boston College Center for
Work & Family.
More
men seek better work-life balance
It's
having a ripple effect in the workplace as major companies such as
AstraZeneca, Ikea and KPMG respond
with
programs such as paid paternity leave.
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