ACHIEVING WORK-LIFE
BALANCE
AIM- IRS Conference
August 2009
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Presented by:
HMT Industry Director, Charlie Brantley
HMT Director of Field Operations West , Dave Horton
Achieving Work Life Balance
Workshop
Purpose:
To focus on how to successfully combine work, family
relationships and leisure time into a satisfying life.
Approach:
To create a skill set that enhances the ability to evaluate
priorities, focus on the big picture and use long range
planning
Use prioritizing and organizational skills to make sense
out of conflicting demands
The Work Life Balance
Work and personal world were once very
distinct.
It is harder than ever to keep up with both your
work and personal activities.
Activities and social spaces are becoming
ambiguous.
Some things people deal with
on a daily basis
Getting ahead at work
Spending quality time with your significant other
Caring for elderly parents
Doing chores at home
Taking care of children
Commuting to/from work
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The Never-Ending Work Day
There was a time when people in the IRS
reported to work Monday through Friday and
worked an 8 hour day.
The day started at 8:00AM and ended at 4:45 PM
however,
The world has changed. Some of the changes in
the work world caused a change and blurring of
the work and personal worlds.
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Changes in the Work World
Global economy
International business
Advanced communication technology
Flex-time schedules
Alternative or flexi-place work location
Changes in family structure (dual-career)
Some Facts to Consider About the
Workforce
57% of people who say they had to go into
work late or leave early did so because of
caring for elderly relatives
4% say theyve turned down a promotion
10% say they went from full-time to
part-time work
Article in Forbes Magazine- March 17, 2009
Survey Results From More Than
50,000 Employees from a Variety
of Manufacturing and Service
Organizations Found
Careers
(Source: Quintessential
article)
The lack
of balance is
2 out of every 5
due to:
employees are
Long work hours
dissatisfied with the
Changing demographics
balance between their
More time in the car
work and personal lives
Deterioration of boundaries
between work and home
So How Do You Restore
Balance to your Life?
First, remember that the work/life balance can
mean different things to different people.
It can also change and mean different things to you at
various points in your career.
You also have to be realistic.
If you set a priority (EX: advance in your career),
you have to be realistic about what that will require.
10 Tips for Getting your
Work/Life in Balance
( By Randall S. Hansen,
1.
2.
Ph.D.) Your Current Employer
Negotiate a Change with
Changes can include: flextime, job-sharing, telecommuting or
part-time employment.
Your 1st step is to research your employers policies and
methods of handling previous requests
Find a New Career
Some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming
than others.
Explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible
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10 Tips for Getting your
Work/Life in Balance (continued)
3.
Find a New Job
4.
Rather than a career change, perhaps you simply need to
take a less stressful job within your chosen career.
This may involve working with your current employer to
identify a new position
Slow Down
Life is simply too short
Take steps to stop and enjoy the things and people
around you.
Find some ways to distance yourself from the things that
are causing you the most stress
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10 Tips for Getting your
Work/Life in Balance (continued)
5.
Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid
Procrastination.
6.
For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from
simply being disorganized and procrastinating.
Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines and then
stick to them
Share the Load
Even though we may sometimes feel were the only ones
capable of doing something, it's usually not the case.
Get your partner or other family members to help you with
all your personal/family responsibilities
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10 Tips for Getting your
Work/Life in Balance (continued)
7.
Let Things Go. (Dont Sweat the Small Stuff)
Learn to let things go every once in a while
Learn to recognize the things that dont really have much
impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go
8.
then dont beat yourself up for doing so
Explore Your Options. Get Help.
In many cases you do have options; you just need to take the
time to explore them
EX: a sitter for your children, options for care of your aging
parents, counseling for yourself
Dont feel overwhelmed with your family responsibilities
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10 Tips for Getting your
Work/Life in Balance (continued)
9.
Take Charge. Set Priorities.
10.
Sometimes its easier for us to allow ourselves to feel
overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a
prioritized list of things that need to get done
Buck the trend.
Simplify
Its human nature to take on too many tasks and
responsibilities, to try to do too much and to own too
much.
Find a way to simplify your life
Change your lifestyle
Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house
and your life.
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Final Thought on the Work/Life
Balance.
In the end, the key word is balance.
Find the right balance that works for you
Celebrate your successes and dont dwell on your
failures.
Life is a process .. and so is striving for balance in
your life.
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