Work Life Balance Nwfs Oct 2010

12/04/23 Anita Pickerden NWFS 1

Work Life Balance

Anita Pickerden


• About you– What makes you tick?

• About your work life balance – What does “work life balance” mean to you?– How do you get some?

• Tactics and strategies

• Findings from my research


Working Styles- Your work drivers

• Hurry Up

• Be Perfect

• Please People

• Try Hard

• Be Strong

Transactional Analysis – Julie Hay – Eric Berne


Hurry Up

• Work quickly• Get lots done• Think & speak fast• Look for efficiency• BUT• Make mistakes• Miss appointments• Papers left on desk


Be Perfect

• Neat and tidy• Accurate and precise• Follow the rules• Double check work

BUT• Miss deadlines• Give too much detail• High expectations


Please people

• Help others• Understanding• Considerate• Smiling, nodding

BUT• Indecisive & cautious• Won’t say no• Rescue others


Try Hard

• Enthusiastic• Volunteer for tasks• Involved• Love variety

BUT• Try but don’t succeed• Never finish tasks• Easily distracted


Be Strong

• Great in a crisis• Take control• Clear headed & calm• Reliable and steady

BUT• Won’t ask for help• Hide work• Self critical


Task

• Talk with your neighbour

• Which are your drivers?

• How does that affect the way you work?

• Example of your strongest driver

• What could you do to get the advantages and prevent the problems of your working styles?


How to get the best out of your working styles

• Hurry Up

• Be Perfect

• Please People

• Try Hard

• Be Strong


What does Work Life Balance mean to you?


Your definitions

• Trying to get an equal balance so that work does not impinge on your private life and does not take over your whole world.

• Being able to meet all your work objectives to the best of your ability and have enough time and energy to manage your home and family duties as well as some time to relax and recharge


• Equilibrium

• Being able to do other things you want to do without feeling guilty – whether its friends, family or even the shopping without guilt. Its constantly over your head.

• Being able to spend time and energy doing the things you need to do i.e. work, but also having the time and energy to be able to enjoy life outside work with family.


Poor Work Life Balance?

• Tired

• Grumpy

• Stressed

• Lose Sense of Humour

• Relationships suffer

• Poor decision making

• Place self or colleagues in danger


Myths of Work Life Balance

• “Work” and “Life” are separate spheres

• WLB is gender neutral

• WLB policies are the solution

• WLB is about your own individual choice

• WLB is just about time

• Please CHALLENGE these assumptions!


Findings

• Many people are already working longer than their contracted hours

• Hours increase with seniority (uniformed)

• Most people stay in the FRS because they love their job

• Some feel trapped by the pension

• Poor managers make things worse

• Flexible working makes things better


And

• Younger (prettier) women get given the better jobs

• Part time jobs may not be the answer

• Work load, unsocial hours, unpredictable hours, professional status, poor policy support will all increase work family conflict


And

• You are not planning for your retirement – why not?


So, what to do about it?

• Audit your work:

• What activities do you have planned for the next six months?

• Assume 5 days per week, 4 weeks per month = 20 days per month

• So six months will give you 120 work days to achieve all that you have to do.


Activity / project N D J F M A

Emails + general admin

1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Days needed in the next 6 months

24




1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Project 1 15 days 5 5 5 15


39




1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24


Training 1 day / week

4 4 4 4 4 4 24


63




1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24



4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Project 2 30 days 5 5 5 5 5 5 30


93




1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24



4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Project 2 30 days 5 5 5 5 5 5 30

Planning group activities

1 day / week

4 4 4 4 4 4 24


117




1.25 hrs per day

4 4 4 4 4 4 24



4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Project 2 30 days 5 5 5 5 5 5 30

Planning group activities

1 day / week

4 4 4 4 4 4 24

Dealing with interruptions

3 hours / day

8 8 8 8 8 8 48


165


Not enough hours?

• Work more hours?

• Move some tasks to the next six months?

• Give some tasks to someone else?

• Do it but reduce the quality?

• Try to do it all? (quality will inevitably suffer)


Stress Map

• Who causes me most stress?

• How much stress do they cause?

• Where’s that stress coming from?


Stress Map

• Who causes me most stress?

• How much stress do they cause?

• Where’s that stress coming from?

• Who am I giving stress to?

• How much stress do I cause?

• How can I reduce the stress I cause to others?


Task

• What would improve your work life balance?


So

• What actions can you take to get that?


Contact me

• [email protected]

• 0771 556 0786

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Work Life Balance Nwfs Oct 2010