One of the most powerful tools for gaining more control over your life and increasing your productivity is plan your day the night before. Decide what you want/need to accomplish. Take on the Girl Scout’s motto, “Be Prepared” as a way to keep yourself on track. Planning ahead is one of the best and easiest ways to create better work/life balance.
Decide the night before exactly what you are going to accomplish during that first critical, uninterrupted hour of the day. Ask yourself, If tomorrow gets cluttered with a chain of emergencies what one task would I be thrilled to tackle? In other words, what can I do to earn my salary by 10 A.M.? Deciding the night before will give you an opportunity to think it over in your sleep and on your way to work.
By creating your to do list the night before, you can start your day running. You don’t waste your precious hour figuring out what you should do. You know exactly what you’re going to do and in what order. If you have three telephone calls to make, you would then have them organized in order of importance with phone numbers, the names of the people and all the supporting material at hand. By midmorning, you would be way ahead of most people who waste the first half of the day clearing their desk, making lists, finding the necessary paperwork—in other words, just getting to work. Try it.
An enormous amount of time is lost wondering what to do next. Without a clear plan you don’t know. The best to get your work done is to have a plan for your day or week that determines when you will do what. A to-do that not connected to a when doesn’t get done. When you plan your day you find that time stretches—you’re suddenly able to get much more done, yet you feel calmer. You can focus with confidence in the moment in the knowledge that there is a time and place for your other responsibilities. Having a plan frees you from confusion and distraction over what you should do next or anxiety about what you might be missing.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Sanity Savers for Working Moms
According to a CareerBuilder.com survey of 1,124 women, employed full-time, with children under the age of 18 living at home.
Nearly one-in-ten say they would give up ten percent or more of their salary.
Of working moms that are not the sole financial provider, nearly half (49 percent) say they would leave their job if their spouse or significant other made enough money for the family to live comfortably.
Unfortunately, moms are also missing quality time with their kids.
Thirty-two percent of working moms say they spend less than three hours per day with their kids. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) reported they have missed three or more significant events in their child's life in the last year and more than a third have missed two or more.
Working moms should keep in mind that compensation isn't the only thing that is negotiable -- you can (and should) negotiate your schedule as well.
As companies face a shrinking pool of qualified labor, retaining top talent has become a key business objective and companies are reshaping their policies. From mother's rooms to flexible work schedules to job sharing to onsite daycare, company-wide initiatives to accommodate and even encourage employees to balance work and family life are becoming commonplace.
According to the survey, nearly four-in-ten working moms say their companies offer flexible work arrangements. Of those who have taken advantage of these arrangements, the vast majority said it has not negatively impacted their career advancement.
How to present a more flexible schedule to your boss:
1. Plan ahead -- Your recommendation should be presented as a well thought out strategy that demonstrates how you'll be more productive in a flexible work situation. Come with a plan already laid out and show your boss you have thought through the process.
2. Take small steps -- Often companies implement new programs and strategies in stages -- in order to make your plan more palatable to your boss, consider a plan that will gradually work up to your goal.
3. Be prepared and practiced -- Anticipate questions/concerns your boss may raise and determine in advance how you will address these concerns. Also, be prepared to negotiate.
And while you’re implementing your new strategy here are a few tips for maximizing your time with your kids.
1. Have a date night -- Schedule dates and special activities with each of your kids. This allows you to start traditions, create fond memories and will remind your kids how important they are to you.
2. Use one calendar -- Unfortunately, it's often easier to cancel on your child than on a potential client.
Scheduling business and family obligations on the same calendar will lessen your chances of forgetting a personal commitment when you're planning work activities. It will also help you avoid over-scheduling and alert you if your commitments are unbalanced.
3. Leave the building -- When you go on vacation, go on vacation.
When you have a day off, take a day off. Many working moms feel they will lose a competitive edge if they ever truly leave the office at the office. But when you focus on other things and come back refreshed you will deliver a better work product.
Nearly one-in-ten say they would give up ten percent or more of their salary.
Of working moms that are not the sole financial provider, nearly half (49 percent) say they would leave their job if their spouse or significant other made enough money for the family to live comfortably.
Unfortunately, moms are also missing quality time with their kids.
Thirty-two percent of working moms say they spend less than three hours per day with their kids. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) reported they have missed three or more significant events in their child's life in the last year and more than a third have missed two or more.
Working moms should keep in mind that compensation isn't the only thing that is negotiable -- you can (and should) negotiate your schedule as well.
As companies face a shrinking pool of qualified labor, retaining top talent has become a key business objective and companies are reshaping their policies. From mother's rooms to flexible work schedules to job sharing to onsite daycare, company-wide initiatives to accommodate and even encourage employees to balance work and family life are becoming commonplace.
According to the survey, nearly four-in-ten working moms say their companies offer flexible work arrangements. Of those who have taken advantage of these arrangements, the vast majority said it has not negatively impacted their career advancement.
How to present a more flexible schedule to your boss:
1. Plan ahead -- Your recommendation should be presented as a well thought out strategy that demonstrates how you'll be more productive in a flexible work situation. Come with a plan already laid out and show your boss you have thought through the process.
2. Take small steps -- Often companies implement new programs and strategies in stages -- in order to make your plan more palatable to your boss, consider a plan that will gradually work up to your goal.
3. Be prepared and practiced -- Anticipate questions/concerns your boss may raise and determine in advance how you will address these concerns. Also, be prepared to negotiate.
And while you’re implementing your new strategy here are a few tips for maximizing your time with your kids.
1. Have a date night -- Schedule dates and special activities with each of your kids. This allows you to start traditions, create fond memories and will remind your kids how important they are to you.
2. Use one calendar -- Unfortunately, it's often easier to cancel on your child than on a potential client.
Scheduling business and family obligations on the same calendar will lessen your chances of forgetting a personal commitment when you're planning work activities. It will also help you avoid over-scheduling and alert you if your commitments are unbalanced.
3. Leave the building -- When you go on vacation, go on vacation.
When you have a day off, take a day off. Many working moms feel they will lose a competitive edge if they ever truly leave the office at the office. But when you focus on other things and come back refreshed you will deliver a better work product.
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