Friday October 8, 2010
I have friends who are a little obsessed with time management. (In a positive, not-scary way, I promise.) So I realize that many of these time management systems are really their own little universes, complete with workbooks and raving fans and perhaps, someday, a spin-off reality television show.
For me, each of these time management systems offers some positive ideas and tricks that I can adapt for my own use -- though I have yet to find one compelling to the point of obssession. For instance, while I have yet to reach the nirvana of in-box zero, David Allen's Getting Things Done system has certainly helped me spend less time on productivity-killing email management.
Ultimately, time management boils down to priorities, as Laura Vanderkam so ably explains in 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. If you spend most of your time on high-impact activities that are important to you - whether creating a conference presentation or bonding with your children - you are managing your time well. If you spend all your time shuffling papers back and forth and attending meetings that could have run perfectly well without you, you are not a model of time management.
What are your favorite time management tips and tricks? Please share!
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Wednesday October 6, 2010
Yesterday, I heard President Barack Obama speak at the White House Summit on Community Colleges, on the urgent topic of increasing the number of college graduates in the U.S. But I have to admit, the topic that resonated most with me was his call later in the day for the business community to embrace work-life flexibility in order to ensure the economic competitiveness of the United States. At Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, Obama praised companies that embrace flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting and flextime, as well as onsite child care.
"I don't think it makes sense to label it as a woman's issue," Obama said in his speech to the Fortune summit. "Not just because plenty of men wish they had flexibility to be better fathers to their kids or better sons to their aging parents, but because we know that companies with flexible work arrangements can actually have lower turnover and absenteeism and higher productivity."
As someone who recently failed to convince a colleague that work-life balance isn't simply an issue for working moms, it was refreshing to hear this line of argument from the country's leader. I firmly believe that the workplace isn't a zero-sum game. I believe that as employers become more flexible, they'll be rewarded with more committed, productive and engaged employees. I believe that as co-workers of people working flexibly recognize that it's possible to give 110 percent without being in the office 24-7, they also will rediscover the joy of a balanced life. What about you?
You can view Obama's speech on YouTube or read his full remarks on women's advancement, education and entrepreneurship.
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Monday October 4, 2010
When I was in high school, I took a job washing dishes in the school cafeteria. To me, it was the most profitable part-time job imaginable -- my shifts were conveniently scheduled in between classes, and I didn't even have to leave campus to get to work! I enjoyed getting to know the cafeteria workers and other students who were employed in the dish room, despite the daily challenges of peanut butter-coated plates and wrinkly fingers.
Now, my perspective on what makes a profitable part-time job has changed considerably. In fact, I've turned down several recent offers that paid three times what I made each hour in the dish room. That only makes sense; I'm now an adult, with a bachelor's degree and a decade-plus of valuable work experience.
Too often, employers offering part-time work feel that you should be grateful for the same hourly wage that they pay their full-time workers, not realizing that you're working without benefits or the same expectation of advancement that those employees receive. To me, part-time jobs should actually pay more.
What's your take on the pros and cons of working part time, and how employers value part-time workers?
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Thursday September 30, 2010
I can't believe September is almost over. I'm not even ready for Halloween yet! Fortunately, this year a few stars have aligned to make this working mom's Halloween a little less scary:
- My six-year old wants to be a boy for Halloween; I can simply borrow clothes from a neighbor.
- Our daycare center has finally seen the light and will hold the Halloween parade at the end of the school day. No more squeezing the parade viewing into a long lunch break!
- Halloween falls on a weekend this year. We won't have to juggle trick-or-treating and weekday bedtime.
How is your Halloween looking? Like me, are you looking for last-minute costume advice and negotiating competing parties?
This blog post is part of the All About Parenting Blog Carnival on Halloween, hosted by Sherri Osborne, the Guide to Family Crafts. Check out the blog carnival for more great Halloween ideas!
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