Time Wasters

Time management is a must-have skill for working parents. The ability to organize your life and get everything accomplished that you need to each day allows you to spend the time you want with your family.

“Time wasters” create a huge barrier for many people in managing their time. Time wasters are useless activities such as watching TV and procrastinating that can quickly rob you of valuable time. My biggest time waster? E-mail! I have to admit that I am obsessed with checking my e-mail. If I am working at my computer, I probably check-in on my e-mail 4-5 times each hour. If I am not working, I still find time to stop by my computer every hour or two to check my e-mail. Why? I have no idea. I just feel the need to see what is new, if someone wants something for me, or if I’ve received a reply to any messages I’ve sent.

I haven’t actually tracked minutes, but I’m sure I am wasting a lot of time! I know I could cut back on checking e-mail and the world would not end. In fact, I was out of town for three days without e-mail access, and no tragedies occurred. So, I am going to continue working on cutting back.

Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-hour Workweek” provides some advice on controlling your e-mail use on his blog here. I haven’t read Tim’s book yet, but it is on my list to read. From the excerpts and reviews I’ve read, looks like he has some great ideas on how to find serious work/life balance. Anyone read it yet?

Asking for Flexibility

Many parents have told me that their company doesn’t “offer” flexibility. But what amazes me is that most haven’t ever asked for a more flexible schedule. The reality is, most companies don’t offer flexible work options until they start hearing requests for it.

So if you want flexibility at work, you need to ask for it. However, have a plan before you get started. Many parents make the mistake of waiting until they are overstressed and almost ready to quit before they ask for more flexibility. If you have thought of a way you could get your work done while having more flexibility, you should propose your arrangement to your boss.

I suggest preparing a written proposal for your flexible work request. Before writing your proposal, consider how your proposed arrangement will benefit your employer. That is, in addition to increasing your motivation, loyalty and productivity, how else will your company benefit? Could your change in schedule help provide better service to your clients? Could your reduced hours or work-from-home save your company money?

A desperate plea for a change will likely only return a negative response. However, a well thought out proposal that tries to anticipate any concerns may help you get the first flexible work arrangement at your company. But first, you have to ask.

I Need a Wife

My apologies to any men that might be reading this, but I guess all I need is a wife. As pointed out in a recent story in the Boston Globe (here), wives tend to take on majority of household chores, giving men with wives (stay-at-home or working) fewer home obligations. As a result, men often can better manage work and family, because family responsibilities aren’t as time consuming.

Check out “Wifework” by Susan Maushart if you aren’t convinced that women do more around the house. While my husband Dave most likely does better than most, I still take on a bulk of the housework here. Some of the tip of scale toward me is by design. I work less (supposedly) and do have more time to do things around here. However, some is due to a difference in opinion about what needs done. For example, Dave doesn’t see the value of cleaning the bathrooms before guests come over.

Since I’m happily married to Dave, I doubt I’ll be getting a wife anytime soon. I’ve already lowered my standards on housework. I guess I just need to keep delegating more to Dave, or the kids.

Rethinking the Career Path

My career has not progressed as I thought it would. After I joined the ’real world’ following college, I assumed that I would work my way up the corporate ladder. At this point in my life (nearing 40!), I would be the manager of something with lots of people reporting to me, lots of responsibility.

Instead, I have a mish-mashed career, but one that I love! I do business consulting work on my own, teach college classes and write. I am not in a hierarchy, and am nowhere near a ladder. I work on lots of interesting projects, meet intriguing people and have constant change that I enjoy. I look forward to working and I’m sure that my kids can sense that, assuring me I’ve made the right choice. I don’t know that I would feel the same way had I stayed on the traditional career path.

Blogger Laura Vanderkam at the Huffington Post suggests that maybe we do need to re-think our career paths, particularly if we want a family (check it out here). She points out many successful career women such as mom of three Angela Braly who this summer become the only female CEO of a Fortune 50 company.

Braly is unique in that her children are school-aged. Other successful career women, such as Nancy Pelosi, only moved up the ladder after their children were grown. And so Vanderkam suggests that maybe we need to rethink the family/career path. Most women dive into their careers after college and only brake to think about a family once they’ve reached a high level position. At that point, they battle fertility and are often challenged to integrate a new baby into their successful career. And thus, many opt-out.

What if instead, young women focused on family right out of college, and raised their children as they climbed the ladder? Perhaps even taking breaks on the climb. I know I’ve thought about my decision to wait to have kids many times. If nothing else, I think I might have had a bit more energy to try to manage toddlers and a career ten years ago!

While there is nothing you or I can do differently at this point, it is an interesting thought to consider. Should we be encouraging young women to have a family first?

Summertime Work Blues

There is something about summer that just makes me not want to work. I have to really push myself to work on nice, sunny days. In fact, I usually cut back my work hours, taking my kids to the sitter’s only two days a week in the summer. I try to cut back my work obligations as much as possible and often do more work late at night.

I live in the Midwest, with its’ long, cold winters. I suppose this makes me treasure the nice days. I am curious if I would still have this problem if I lived in a warmer climate.

My kids aren’t in school yet, but I suspect that the trend of lazy summers will become even more important as they do move through their school years. I have a neighbor who works in the school system. She enjoyed her summers off while her daughters were in school. But, even now that her daughters are off to college, she still enjoys her summers off.

Thinking about my need to take it easy in the summer led me to think that a family friendly work arrangement could be one where you have seasonal variances in your work too. For example, my husband is an accountant and his busy season goes from January through April. Because the days are short, and there isn’t a lot to miss outdoors doing that period of time, he doesn’t really mind. He’d rather work 70+ hours each week during that time of the year, than work 50+ hours a week year round.

And today, I would rather play with the kids in the pool than sit in front of the computer any longer, so off I go!