As I was getting Hank (my 4-year old) ready for bed last night, I flicked on the TV and caught a bit of The Office, one of the few shows I watch. Hank watched for a minute and then asked if I liked the show. He paused thoughtfully after my affirmative response and then asked, "Why do you like to watch people work?"
Good question. I do like to watch people work. I am intrigued by how people interact with each other in the work world, and also by how the work world interacts with their personal lives. Even though The Office is a fictional comedy, its' storylines illustrate the fact that you cannot completely separate work from your personal life.
Yet most don't even consider their personal life when making career decisions. I love my work and part of the reason I love what I do is that it allows me to spend the time I want with my family. I spent a couple of years as a career counselor to MBA students and was surprised by the lack of consideration these young professionals gave to their personal lives. For example, many aspired to be Wall Street bankers and were surprised when I asked if they wanted to have a family some day. I suggested that they consider how they would manage having a family if they were expected to work 14 hours or more each day.
We were told when we were young that we could be whatever we wanted. But, I know that no one told me that I needed to think about where family would fit in the mix. I just assumed it would work out. I am fortunate. I pretty much stumbled into a work arrangement that works for my family. Not everyone is as fortunate. It may take a significant effort, including a career change in some cases, for some to find family friendly work.
