Work-Life balance – ideas for action
Apparently 1 March is designated “Work-Life Balance” Day. Not sure it made any difference to me, but there it is…
I found the following article online at (of all places) the AccountingNet website (I think more than this is definitely possible, but this is a good start):
There are many reasons why someone might be interested in work life balance working arrangements. They benefit employees by allowing flexibility in the workplace which allows them to effectively combine work and family responsibilities as well as their personal life. The benefits to the employer are that the policies allow for better retainment and recruitment of valuable employees which can save employers from costs associated with recruitment and training of new staff. The policies should aim to facilitate equality of opportunity for men and women in the workplace.

I was recently asked to contribute to a magazine feature that focussed on helping people get the most of jobs, even when they hated doing what they did. This is a tough topic for me, as I enjoy nearly every moment of my job. I also work for myself (although the company I co-founded now has over 30 people in it). But I interact often with people who are desperate to escape. It comes with the territory when you do what we do – we show people what the future could be, and we help companies think about how to make better working environments. So, while doing some research into what others have said on the topic, I discovered some nice pearls of wisdom to add to some of what TomorrowToday.biz would say.
I was fascinated yesterday while reading through my local Caxton newspaper to see a brochure from KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) on their latest offering….oven grilled chicken. WOW!!! In a world marinated (literally) in junk foods, fast foods, flavourants and the like, this is an interesting new strategy from the colonel. What I find most interesting is that they are punting the new option as “a matter of taste”. This may be a marketing faux pas, it does imply that their other offering (deep fried, cholesterol filled, artery hardening option..) doesnt taste as good, but whatever the case this is an interesting move on their part. So what would be the reasoning:
Around the world, a growing number of organisations are starting to realise that it is a massive loss to lose women in the 30s and 40s – women who opt out of the rat race in order to focus attention on family issues, including child care and ageing parents (see previous post on the
Today is the 100th birthday of the humble cornflake. William and John Kellogg had started the sanitas Food Company to provide America with whole grained cereals in the 1800s. They stumbled across the cornflake after leaving some dough out overnight by mistake. They served the first bowl of their experimental breakfast on March 7, 1897. The Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company (later to become
The
TIM’S QUICK SUMMARY
I just had a birthday. My amazing wife bought me an iPod Video. It replaces my iPod mini that’s given me hours of amazingness. I used my iPod mini for mostly travelling by plane to escape the mind-numbing experience of airline travel. As I discovered PodCasts I spent a lot less time listening to music, and a lot more time getting some great input from the various PodCasts I subscribe to. The iPod video will enhance my experience even more. (that’s the theory)
One of the major problems of the AIDS epidemic in Africa (and soon in Asia, Russia, China and India, too), is that it hits the middle age people most (mainly because in Africa, AIDS is sexually transmitted between heterosexuals). This has the effect of removing parents from society. Its hard to write that blandly, without feeling the impact of it in your gut – especially if you live in Africa at the moment. For example,
My wife was feeling a little queasy over the past few days. After having been to India, we both decided that maybe it would be a good idea to get this checked out sooner rather than later (Malaria and Hepatitis being some of the nasties that one can pick up there) So we went off to the emergency rooms at Wilgeheuwel at 9pm at night. We arrived at the desk in the emergency are where the gent behind the desk asked us if we were on medical aid. The answer is yes and no. We are on a hospital plan with Discover for a few reasons.
The other day someone commented that they were worried about me because all I seem to do is work. I don’t see it like that at all. I think I do understand the concept and have a definite control over what I do . I do work from a virtual office and maybe that does change the hours that I work compared to others. The stage of life that I am in allows me different options that others may not have at present.
So here I am in Hawaii with my head having just arrived in Atlanta. It still has about a 9 hour trip to catch-up with the rest of me. Added trouble is that I picked-up a nasty flu type bug as I was leaving SA and which then decided to make my head its home – I guess it recognised the uncrowded environment and knew a good thing when it saw it. Now I know the logic you working on is: How can my head be in Atlanta when here I am in Hawaii with a bug which just so happens to be in my head? Yes it is perplexing but such is paradox and I will leave it there for your further exploration. Any answers would be appreciated.
Today, the pumps in New Orleans started up again. The levees are being repaired, and the USA can start pumping the water out of the 60% of New Orleans that is still under 3 to 6 feet of water. The 10,000 odd people who are refusing to leave the city are being warned about the toxic water that surrounds them. The sewers have essentially emptied into the water. Petrol (Gas) stations, and the oil and petrol in multiple abandoned cars, and chemicals in people’s sheds have all spilled into the water. Dead bodies, some human and hundreds of animals lie bloated on islands or float in the water – and that’s just what can be seen. Who knows what lies waiting when houses and buildings are opened.
A man died ‘in my arms’ this past weekend. After 20min of CPR on the beach we managed to get his pulse and breathing back momentarily – but it was shortlived. By the time the ambulance arrived, he’d been pulseless for too long. Just an hour before, a father, mother and daughter were enjoying some quality time on their boat – when it accidentally flipped and suddenly their whole world imploded. His tragic passing brought a simple truth to light for me again: Yes, life’s short (we’ve all heard that before) – but you never know just how short it’ll be … so do what matters.
The past week I learnt a lot about myself. We learnt that the final tests on our baby came out totally clean after what have been six months of anxiety and worry. What I realised, though, is that during these six months I was actually under a lot more stress than I thought. Only when I felt the immensity of the relief did I realise that I must have been under a heavy burden.
Having watched the
Today, in Durban, South Africa, 5 doctors gave themselves up to the police after warrants of arrest were issued for them (
I have been privileged in the last 2 weeks to attend two functions that have pulled at my hearts strings. First a function at GIBS where a group of interested social entrepreneurs came together to listen to the stories of two great people. The second fuction was the induction of new Ashoka members. My favourite definition of a social entrepreneur is A PERSON WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGE TO THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND MONEY IS NOT THEIR DRIVING OBJECT. What makes these people do what they do against the tide and great odds. Some leave behind careers with promise. All are great leaders and have heart space that makes the room feel their passion. What we would do for more leaders like this in the business world.They are innovative and not scared to stand on their beliefs.
In BusinessWeek on 28 March, 2005, they profiled the Digital Hospital. This is a real, working existing hospital that has just made excellent use of existing technologies. You can 
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