 (ARA)
- Gone are the days when women were expected to stay at home
to dote on
their children and husbands. Today's women have broken
through the glass ceiling
and are finding their way to corner offices around the
country. Juggling life both
inside and outside the home can be a challenge -- that's why
it's important to strike
the proper balance between work and personal lives. Luckily,
there are specific
strategies that women can implement to strike a healthier
balance. Find Work that
Works With today's struggling economy and families requiring
dual incomes, finding an employer that offers
flexibility is often the key to both a successful career and
personal life. And finding employers with this approach may
be easier than you think. For example, The HON Company, a
leading manufacturer of office
furniture, understands the importance of family and instills
a culture that enables work-life balance.
Beyond creating quality office furniture that creates a
comfortable, flexible and "home-like" work setting, HON
offers its members perks such as flexible spending accounts
to help offset the costs of daycare, local YMCA
fitness center allowances and family oriented activities.
"A member committee plans monthly outings and provides
opportunities for members to purchase discounted passes for
local family events," says Tim Heth, vice president of
member and community relations for HON. "Additionally,
members are allotted one hour of paid volunteer time each
week to utilize in any way they wish from local Habitat for
Humanity projects to their children's PTA. Each benefit
helps improve employee morale for both our female and male
members." "Make sure you go to work with someone that has
the same philosophy as you do," says Tammy Vasilatos, owner
of Tammy Vasilatos CPA, LLC, a 100 percent female accounting
firm in El Paso, Tex. Vasilatos has created a family
friendly work atmosphere by offering flexible work schedules
to her employees. She adds, "Don't give up what you want,
because you don't need to do that anymore.
The women before us had to, but we don't." "I am more
understanding of the importance of work-life balance," says
Michelle Horan, president and owner of Salka Office
Furniture, a full-service of fice dealer in Meridian, Conn.
"I am very flexible with hours and time off. I believe that
taking care of good employees and customers is what leads to
success." Set Realistic Time Schedules While work deadlines
are a necessary evil that you must complete, will anything
bad happen if the dishes don't get done or the bed isn't
made every
day? No - so don't sweat the small stuff.
Start each week with a realistic "to-do list" for both
your work and home life. Check yourself each
day to ensure that you are making progress and that your
time allowances are in check. By the end
of the work week, if you've completed enough tasks each day,
your weekend can truly be enjoyed. And
don't sweat it if you didn't get to the household chores. If
you need to, you can hire a professional
cleaning or landscaping service.
Leave Work at Work With cell phones, laptops, PDAs and
home offices, it has become blurry when the workday begins
and ends. Be sure to separate your personal time from
professional time by turning off your connections to the
working world and turning on your connections with your
family and friends.
Learn to Say No If you're a parent, you are probably a pro
at saying "no" to your kids, so learn how to respectfully
say no to projects that don't fit within your schedule.
Whether it's taking the lead on a project at work, or
coaching a soccer team, it's okay to say no
to projects that will bring you more stress than joy. As
long as you are honest with your employers,
they will most likely understand. "Don't be embarrassed or
apologetic that you want to have both a career and a
family," adds Vasilatos. "Employers just want good quality
work." Plus, if you are in over your head, you may not be
putting in your best work anyway. While striking a work-life
balance in today's fast-paced world isn't an easy task, by
following these few guidelines, it is possible. "Now is a
wondeful time to be a woman in the workforce," says
Vasilatos. "You really can have it all!" For more
information on The HON Company,
visit www.HON.com. Courtesy
of ARAcontent |
