SmartMom

Work/Life Balance:
How to Take Control

For many working moms, the thought of having a job with ample flexibility can seem like a pipe dream. This perception is especially true when the employer is large and well-established, with layers and layers of red tape and organizational hierarchy. 

Many people don’t believe their employer will, or can help them, with their work and home/life balance issues. Usually, however, this scenario is not the case. They can help, but it’s YOU who must take some simple first steps to get what you’re seeking.

The first question to ask yourself when you’re struggling with work/life balance is, “What are the issues preventing me from feeling a sense of balance?” It is important to take responsibility for identifying your issues. Do they involve late office hours, too much travel or no flexibility with doctors’ appointments and soccer games? Articulate your balance issues as specifically as you can and write them down.

Once you’ve listed your issues, do some brainstorming on your own or with your spouse, friend or personal coach. Find the win/win solution to your issues where you and your employer benefit. Or determine what sacrifices or changes must be made to keep both the employer and employee happy. Then, identify the person or people at work who can help make these solutions a reality. Work with your boss and key individuals to make the situation a true win/win solution.

Here are 2 simple rules to remember when trying to find work and family balance:

[Rule #1:] Don’t expect to get what you don’t ask for. Your employer thinks in terms of its issues, its goals and its needs. Only YOU are the expert on YOUR issues, goals and needs. Your employer has little motivation to foresee its employees’ individual issues. Therefore, you must be your own advocate. Many of us simply don’t ask for what we want out of shyness or fear of not getting what we want, or out of a sense of duty to blindly serve. Know what you want, figure out how to make it work and ASK!

[Rule #2:]  If you keep doing what you always did, you will keep on getting what you always got. Strangely enough, many of us hope that things will somehow change, even though we keep doing the same actions over and over again. Sometimes it does change, but most often we’re left in the same unsatisfactory situation. If you want life to be better balanced, then do something. Rock the boat. Think out of the box and in terms of what works better for you and your employer.

Looking/Feeling Your Best