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Whatever Happened to After 5 p.m.
& The Seventh Day?
By Trevicia Williams, M.A., Ph.D.
Candidate
It’s
Sunday morning, but it feels like Monday already. The
competition is fierce, and, to be ahead, you’ve got to get the
next lead, have an edge on your competitor, be at the next
meeting, check and respond to emails, be mom, wife, sister,
daughter and a host of other roles —be super woman if you will!
The boundaries between work and family roles are so blurred they
look like a solid yellow line on a one-way street. That’s got to
be pretty blurred! But,
whatever
happened to the evening or day of rest?
Taking
steps to
reduce stress can
greatly improve your quality of life as well as balance across
work-life roles. Stress is often described as the result of
demands exceeding resources. Stress was once associated with
men, the primary financial support of the
family, who
experienced significant stress balancing the struggle up the
corporate ladder with the responsibility of providing for his
family.
Today, women share this ever-increasing stress-load as the world
presents them with multiple opportunities for success and
wealth. The way women respond to stressors and the environment
they create has the potential for enhancing their
competitiveness and success leverage. Peak performance is a
benefit of well managed stress.
Equally important to women’s work-life balance quest is the need
to
develop a
support system. Not all
support systems are created equally though! The key for working
women, whether they are entrepreneurs or have a corporate job,
is the need to surround themselves with people who will insist
that they take time out for themselves. A vital part of a
woman’s support system is her social capital. Having loving and
supportive friends who are able to not only see that time for
self is needed, but gently help by suggesting outlets for
balance can be crucial to the success of a work-life balance
mission.
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Back to the basics!
Our world has become so chaotic, with more options that Bell
South’s automated customer service. However, keeping things
simple can help eliminate the sense of being overwhelmed. One of
the areas important to work-life balance is the ability to
simplify
your life and focus on what you care about.
An example
that comes to mind is a woman who was challenged by the
work-life balance mission. She worked 50-60 hours a week leaving
very little time for her family. After coaching her, she
discovered ways to simplify her life and create time for her
family. One of the ways that she accomplished this was by taking
advantage of the flex-work option that her company offered. She
blocked out 3 hours for her daughter which meant that from the
time that she picked her up from daycare to the time that she
tucked her away for bed (5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) she gave her
her undivided attention. With her handy laptop, she still got
her work done; however, it was after her daughter was asleep. A
similar strategy works for entrepreneurs as well!
Professionals with and without children may have similar
concerns when it comes to work-life balance.
Some professionals don't have children,
but have caring responsibilities. Caring for a loved one other
than children requires similar balancing strategies. So, how
does one manage having multiple roles, being success driven and
caring responsibilities?
Ways to find work and family
balance:
- Since technology has almost
eliminated work/life boundaries, intentionally making time
for self and family is important. Create space for non-work
related activities by taking time out!
- With so many
places to be and things to do it's a challenge not to overly
extend one’s self. It's okay to let someone know that you
will not be able to attend an event or participate on a
particular occasion. Being upfront is better than
disappointing someone.
- Work can be
invigorating, and, at times exhilarating. Why? Because it's
challenging! Find things outside of work that motivate you,
e.g., painting or crafts, and indulge yourself!
Trevicia Williams, M.A., is President and
Founder of InnerG, Institute for Life’s Performances, a
personal, professional and business growth and development
company. She is also a human performance specialist, and,
organizational psychology doctoral candidate. Ms. Williams helps
individuals and businesses optimize their potentials through
training and development, motivation, inspiration, seminars and
conferences. Contact Trevicia Williams for your
complimentary 2007 success profile at 407.245.7314 or visit
www.innergilp.com. |
