Tag: work

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Personal Work

Balancing Work and Family

Work and family are the two most important things in our daily lives. However, the pull of these two often tears us in different directions. Finding a balance between the two is important for all parents.

Managing the professional and personal side is a source of stress for most of us.

In balancing work and family we often run into conflicting responsibilities. We juggle the roles of both parent and professional.

When the demands of the job come into direct conflict with our family life, or when the conditions of work affect us in other areas then both our work and family life suffer.

Finding the right way to balance work and family.

Balance is not constant, and you have to constantly strive for it. If you find a balance you’ll see that life flows more smoothly. Even if one part of your life breaks down you’ll have the resources to cope with it. You’ll find that you have enough time for work and family.

There isn’t only one way to find balance in your life.

Clarify your values

A value is defined as a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desired. Knowing what is important to you is one key to keeping afloat in the myriad responsibilities of work and family.

People don’t think about their values until they come into new roles.

Some of our values may be in conflict with others. You may value spending quality time with your children but also find it important to keep a strict work schedule.

When your children take your attention away from your work this can lead to a very stressful situation. If you can see the values you prioritize the most then you can ease some of that stress. Live your core values.

Set your goals

If you had planned to be the CEO by the time you are thirty then it might be time to set your goals differently. To ease the strain between your roles you might want to let go of some of your goals.

Manage your time wisely

Proper time management is the key to being sane if you have a career and a family. Even if you manage to get a few hours of free time, do you spend them worrying about the things you need to do? If you use time efficiently then you can do the things you want to do. This means you have to move towards your goals.

Let go

Being in control of your life doesn’t mean that you have to do everything yourself. Think about delegating work or giving chores to each family member.  If you understand your emotional ties to some jobs then you can effectively delegate some tasks.

Be creative

There are ways of making it work. Be open to any possibility. Use your best creative thinking to solve your tasks.

Make a move

If you are still finding it hard to find a balance between work and home it might be time for you to consider other career options. You will need to communicate clearly with your boss about the need for time off. You can cut down on your hours or ask to work from home.

Obviously balancing work and family life is different for everyone.

The important thing is knowing your own breaking point. How much are you willing to sacrifice in order to reach the top of the corporate ladder?

In many ways, you are alone on top of the high wire with your family on one side and your career on the other, you can only hope not to fall off.

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Personal

Using Cellphone at Work

Who doesn’t love the convenience of a cell phone? Anybody can reach you at any time, no matter where you are. But, a cellphone might distract you from doing your job.

Managing cell phone use at work is often a problem of productivity. If your best employees are checking their cell phone a few times per day but are still producing great results, it’s not a problem. However, when employees are on their phones all the time and there are not performing, it starts to become a problem.

Unless there are safety concerns, banning cell phones from the workplace can be perceived invasive and lead to problems. Young employees like to be connected, so having rigid cell phone use rules can cause frustration.

You have to accept cell phones as a part of work-life and establish policies for their use. You want to set boundaries for your employees.

Usually, employers issue a policy that says personal phone use needs to be limited to before and after the workday or at lunchtime and breaks except for emergencies or an occasional call. Along with the policy should be possible disciplinary actions for defaulters. Make sure employees understand clearly that a few minutes spent on a cell phone is acceptable but, hours at a time is not.

It’s important to require all employees to review and sign the policy, indicating that they understand the policy terms and the consequences of violations. If you don’t, how can you expect your employees to follow policy?

As an employer or leader, the best thing you can do to promote proper cell phone workplace etiquette is to show an example to your colleagues and employees. If you’re constantly checking your phone, replying to texts, your employees are likely to do the same. Always be the right example for your employees.

Remember, while many employers are looking for ways to get their employees off their personal cell phones at work, some are getting the opposite problem: how to get them off their cell phones doing chores and tasks while at home!

Categories
Personal Work

Why The Way You Dress Is Important at Work

What we wear to tell others who we are, and how we want to be perceived and treated. Our appearance has a huge role to play in the impressions we leave on people and the way we are perceived in life professionally and personally.

Regardless of what we think about dressing well, first impressions are everything, and we only get one chance to make a positive one. Generally, people form a negative impression about you when you do not pay attention to your appearance.

How long do you have to make a good impression? You just have a few seconds to make a good first impression based on non-verbal communication. Within a few seconds of meeting you, people will assume to know everything about you.  So, the things that help people make a good first impression are appearance, posture, and facial expression.

A nice suit with a nice hairstyle and clean shoes makes immediately people think “responsible, confident, the trusty’.  Dressing well is more than just nice clothes. How we dress has an effect on how we see ourselves. When you look confident and approachable, you become more confident and approachable.

What you wear will change the way other people see you. It will indicate if they listen or ignore you. Clothes, accessories, and footwear a person chooses to wear at work help to reinforce or diminish their qualities in the eyes of their employer, coworkers, and customers. When we look polished and professional, people are more likely to listen and trust us.

Remember, to make a good first impression it’s all about the image that you would like to create, which involves the way you dress, your body language, having good manners, and much more.