It is one of the biggest struggles for many couples and parents; How to have enough time for both work and family? First of all, if you feel torn by this question, know that you are not alone.
Millions are facing the same issue. The job hunting website Monster.com conducted a survey and found that 89 percent of the respondents indicated they look for work/life balance programs
when evaluating a new job prospect. Again, that’s 89 percent! So, it’s important to you and evidently, important to a vast majority of working Americans.
If you feel imbalance is negatively affecting your life, then how do you best deal with it? First, understand that balance is fundamental to peace. Just take a look at the weather. In my work as a television meteorologist, I noticed many years ago that when the controlling weather pattern is unbalanced, stormy weather soon develops. The more imbalance, the more chaotic the weather is. This is what I call the
Jet Stream Principle. The Jet Stream Principle works for us too. The more we’re out of balance, the more stressed we are. That’s probably why you’re reading this right now…
So how do you find more time with family while staying effective as an employee or business owner? Here’s a simple exercise for you to begin working on finding the answers. First, ask yourself these
questions:
1. Exactly how much more time do I really desire to have available for my family?
2. Why do I want more time with my family?
3. What parts of my daily schedule which I control could change to free up more time?
4. Realistically, how much time do I waste at working talking, surfing the web, on breaks, etc?
Answering these questions will do the following things…
1. Question one quantifies the time you need per day (2 hours, 3 hours, etc…) to enjoy and maintain a true quality relationship with your family. This provides you with a clear goal toward which to work. Clarity provides a target.
2. Question two reinforces the need for this time. Now you have a clearly understood reason to want this and make it a goal. Reason adds energy and determination to achieve your goal.
3. Question three makes you ask why you’re scheduling your day the way you are. This provides you with the opportunity to evaluate your schedule and ask the question, “Is there a better way for me to do this?” Evaluation opens your eyes to other possibilities to get you to your goal.
4. Finally, question four makes you think about how well you’re really using your time at the office. This provides you with the opportunity to change the way you work so that you get the most work done while at your desk. This, in turn, will add extra minutes or hours to your day to accomplish your tasks. Eliminating wasted time at work is one of the easiest ways to gain more time for home…
These are just a few suggestions to help you consider how you’re going to CHANGE the way you’re currently doing things. This is of great importance because this is guaranteed: If you don’t change
anything, nothing in your life will change. You can’t get where you want to go by doing the same things that don’t get you there. If you truly want more time with your family, you’ll have to make some changes in your daily routine. Answering these four questions will help you do just that!
copyright 2008 Charlie Neese
About the Author: Charlie Neese is an Emmy Award winning television meteorologist, public speaker and author based in Nashville, Tennessee. Along with his television career, Charlie works with professionals to successfully manage their time at work and home using the power of life balance. For more information about Charlie, visit his website at http://www.charlieneese.com or call him at 615-497-0087.
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