how to achieve it

1. ACHIEVING WORK-LIFE BALANCE
AIM- IRS Conference
August 2009
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Presented by:
HMT Industry Director, Charlie Brantley
HMT Director of Field Operations – West , Dave Horton

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Achieving Work Life Balance Workshop
 Purpose:
 To focus on how to successfully combine work, family
relationships and leisure time into a satisfying life.
 Approach:
 To create a skill set that enhances the ability to evaluate
priorities, focus on the big picture and use long range
planning
 Use prioritizing and organizational skills to make sense
out of conflicting demands

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The Work – Life Balance
 Work and personal world were once very
distinct.
 It is harder than ever to keep up with both your
work and personal activities.
 Activities and social spaces are becoming
ambiguous.

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Some things people deal with on a daily
basis
 Getting ahead at work
 Spending quality time with your significant other
 Caring for elderly parents
 Doing chores at home
 Taking care of children
 Commuting to/from work

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The Never-Ending Work Day …
 There was a time when people in the IRS
reported to work Monday through Friday and
worked an 8 hour day.
 The day started at 8:00AM and ended at 4:45 PM
however,
 The world has changed. Some of the changes
in the work world caused a change and blurring
of the work and personal worlds.

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Changes in the Work World
 Global economy
 International business
 Advanced communication technology
 Flex-time schedules
 Alternative or flexi-place work location
 Changes in family structure (dual-career)

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Some Facts to Consider About the Workforce
 57% of people who say they had to go into
work late or leave early did so because of
caring for elderly relatives
 4% say they’ve turned down a promotion
 10% say they went from full-time to
part-time work
Article in Forbes Magazine- March 17, 2009

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Survey Results From More Than 50,000
Employees from a Variety of Manufacturing
and Service Organizations Found
(Source: Quintessential Careers article)
 2 out of every 5
employees are
dissatisfied with the
balance between their
work and personal lives
 The lack of balance is
due to:
 Long work hours
 Changing demographics
 More time in the car
 Deterioration of boundaries
between work and home

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So … How Do You Restore Balance to
your Life?
 First, remember that the work/life balance can
mean different things to different people.
 It can also change and mean different things to you at
various points in your career.
 You also have to be realistic.
 If you set a priority (EX: advance in your career),
you have to be realistic about what that will require.

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance ( By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.)
1. Negotiate a Change with Your Current Employer
 Changes can include: flextime, job-sharing, telecommuting or
part-time employment.
 Your 1st step is to research your employer’s policies and
methods of handling previous requests
2. Find a New Career
 Some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming
than others.
 Explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
3. Find a New Job
 Rather than a career change, perhaps you simply need to
take a less stressful job within your chosen career.
 This may involve working with your current employer to
identify a new position
4. Slow Down
 Life is simply too short
 Take steps to stop and enjoy the things and people
around you.
 Find some ways to distance yourself from the things that
are causing you the most stress

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
5. Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid
Procrastination.
 For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from
simply being disorganized – and procrastinating.
 Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines – and then
stick to them
6. Share the Load
 Even though we may sometimes feel we’re the only ones
capable of doing something, it's usually not the case.
 Get your partner or other family members to help you with
all your personal/family responsibilities

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
7. Let Things Go. (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff)
 Learn to let things go every once in a while
 Learn to recognize the things that don’t really have much
impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go
 … then don’t beat yourself up for doing so
8. Explore Your Options. Get Help.
 In many cases you do have options; you just need to take the
time to explore them
 EX: a sitter for your children, options for care of your aging
parents, counseling for yourself
 Don’t feel overwhelmed with your family responsibilities

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
9. Take Charge. Set Priorities.
 Sometimes it’s easier for us to allow ourselves to feel
overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a
prioritized list of things that need to get done
 Buck the trend.
10. Simplify
 It’s human nature to take on too many tasks and
responsibilities, to try to do too much and to own too
much.
 Find a way to simplify your life
 Change your lifestyle
 Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house –
and your life.

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Final Thought on the Work/Life
Balance….
 In the end, the key word is balance.
 Find the right balance that works for you
 Celebrate your successes and don’t dwell on your
failures.
 Life is a process .. and so is striving for balance in
your life.