We recently did a facilitation session with a group of senior sales managers whose team leader felt they needed to revisit the issues of work-life balance, prioritisation and boundary-setting. One of the most interesting conclusions to come out of the session was a need for a new model for thinking about balance, particularly for parents.

The group commented that what is commonly meant by the ‘life’ side of the work-life balance equation is ‘family,’ specifically time spent with the kids. While several participants felt there was room for improvement here, others stated that their job and their kids were indeed getting enough time; the missing piece was actually ‘self’ time. By this the group meant time for exercise, hobbies, adult relationships, reflection, and so on. Here are some thoughts on how to strike a Work-Life-Self Balance:

Put yourself first – in the day.

For many of us, the only part of our day we can truly control is first thing in the morning. This is the time to schedule exercise, meditation, reading and reflection. Build a ritual around it. We’re big fans of Leo Babauta of Zen Habits fame, and here’s his helpful piece on How to Become an Early Riser.

Plan in small ‘Bio-breaks’ during the day.

Your body and brain naturally cycle in 90-minute intervals called ultredian rhythms, and they will force a change of activity for you, even if you haven’t overtly changed your own activity. For example, when you try to push past 90 minutes in a meeting or on a project your brain will start to wander, and your focus will falter. Your body may start to ache, asking you for a stretch, drink or change of scenery. Take advantage of this natural cycle when planning your work day, and build in little boosts for yourself every 90-minutes or so. Don’t do anything work related during these little breaks. Instead – stand up, have a stretch, take a walk down the hall, make a personal phone call, flip through a magazine, or go get a smoothie. You will then be more productive in the next work session than you would have if you’d pushed straight through. Remember – your brain will take the break regardless of whether you officially give it permission.

Establish defined working hours, and stick to them.

Decide – and communicate to your team – when you will and will not be responding to email and calls. When you’re at home, don’t turn on the computer. Scan handheld email for emergencies if you must, but don’t respond unless the company is going to shut down without your immediate intervention. When you’re at work, don’t attend to personal issues. Keep the two separate, and deal with each in turn, efficiently and effectively. Harvard has proven yet again that this ‘work less/get more done’ approach actually makes you MORE productive than the always-on lifestyle you may be living now.

Get organised.

Get better systems in place at work and at home so less time is spent on the tedious, repetitive aspects of each. Streamline, simplify, cut back, create templates and share the load. Figure out how to do everything faster and better, with less time invested. This frees up more time for everyone to focus on the top professional and personal priorities. I really should mention that we can help you with all this – just get in touch!

Love what you do.

Make sure you’re doing work you love, so it doesn’t feel like such a slog. For help with this, turn to our friends Angela and Carole at Loving Your Work.

Get some help.

Get a life coach and/or personal trainer to help you develop the habits you know will make your life better. It makes all the difference in the world to have someone keeping you accountable and pointing out the progress you’re making. We recommend Ana Scherer of NRG Coaching and Andrew Cox of Innate Fitness. Andrew’s the guy who taught us about those ultredian rhythms!

Filed under: Time Management, Work/Life Balance | No Comments »

If you manage daily life for your kids (alone or with your partner), we call you a Family CEO.

That stands for ‘Chief Everything Officer,’ and we think it’s a pretty important role to play. In fact, we think it matters more than anything else!

Great Family CEOs spend their time and energy shaping a great future for all of us – through the people their children are becoming.

Unfortunately, we find that too many parents diminish this role one way or another. Some will sheepishly tell us that they’re just a stay-at-home parent. Others carry this huge responsibility in addition to working full-time or part-time jobs – and bear all the weight alone instead of sharing the load with partners, helpers and kids. Either way, these Family CEOs can learn a lot from the way effective corporate CEOs manage the business. Here are a few tips to help you improve the way you run things at home:

Stay focused on the big picture.

Not everything is worth getting fussed over. Pick a few key areas where it will really make a difference to establish some routines, and get these working consistently.

Get good technology.

It helps to have your own computer and handheld email device so that you can keep on top of things without waiting your turn for the family computer. Learn to use electronic organising tools. We strongly recommend synchronized electronic calendars for managing multiple schedules easily. Please ask us for help with this!

Draw lines between activities.

Try to do your computer work when the kids are at school or sleeping. Then stay focused, and work efficiently. Learn to manage your email, calendar and to-do lists effectively. When you’re with the kids, be fully present – mentally as well as physically. Build in time for yourself as well as time to nurture your relationship with your partner – and then get good at protecting this time.

Delegate.

You don’t have to do everything yourself. In fact, it’s bad for your kids if you do everything for them. Find things they can manage independently, and praise them for doing so. Learn to help your helper help you better. Have a discussion with your partner about how you can share the load.

Systemise.

Look for as many things in your regular routine that you can template as possible. Examples include a rotating meal plan, a cleaning schedule, and packing checklists for weekly activities. Think it through really well once – with everyone’s input – then put the whole thing on auto-pilot.

Don’t get emotional.

I know, I know…easier said than done. But does it ever actually help? Not so much. Remember what matters. Remember that you can’t un-say anything.

Communicate effectively.

If you apply even half the techniques in this book, your relationship with your kids will improve tremendously. Shouting doesn’t work.

Develop your team.

Take classes on parenting, organising, communicating, etc. Invest time in each other. Have meaningful conversations. Set goals together and celebrate your successes. Have fun together!

Filed under: Family Organising | No Comments »

Filed under: Productivity Polls, Work/Life Balance | No Comments »

Every year since 2005,  Hong Kong’s Community Business has promoted Work-Life Balance Day in order to raise awareness of balance as a business issue to the wider business community

Organising Solutions is proud to be a participating organisation, and we encourage you to find ways for your company to become involved.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Download Work-Life Balance: the Guide, a practical guide for small, medium and large companies in Hong Kong.
• Attend a Workshop: Adopting a Strategic Approach to Work-Life Balance
• Get the results of this year’s survey at the Breakfast Seminar October 19: The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2009 Survey – A Summary of Research Findings
• Sign up as a Participating Organisation by completing a simple survey to register your company’s planned activities.
• Have a look at the Work-Life Balance Day Toolkit for ideas on how to promote the day in your company.

Filed under: HR Buzz, Team Productivity, Work/Life Balance | No Comments »

A 4-year Harvard study reveals the business benefits of forcing employees to unplug and take time off.

Here’s the data you needed; now put it into practice and enjoy the benefits!

To Work Better, Try Working Less

Filed under: HR Buzz, Work/Life Balance | No Comments »