How to Up Your Career While Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

At any point in your career, finding a work-life balance is difficult, but when you’re trying to get ahead? Impossible! You have to work harder and stay later if you want to get noticed, right? But then how does corporate wellness fit in? Here’s how to maintain some semblance of a personal life and sense of well-being while still furthering your career.

 

Firstly, make sure you know your company. Some jobs just aren’t created with a work-life balance in mind, while others may have more appeal in this area. Before you accept the position, look into the company’s policies on working from home, taking time off, and flexi-time. This shouldn’t form the be-all and end-all on your decision – there are, after all, many factors to consider – but if you think you may, at some point, need to spend more time at home with family, it’s good to know that you have that option.

 

If you want to get the most out of your work and personal life, than communication across the board is key. Doing your job – and doing it well – is the most important aspect in your chances of promotion. Sure, working more hours won’t hurt your chances, but if you’re productive and a consistent performer, it’s likely that a little communication between you and your boss will be all you need to ensure the schedule changes you want. Moreover, you need to keep your family in the loop about your schedule, as well as the plans and after-school activities of others at home. That way, you can work together to keep the family in order when you’re at the office, and your partner and your children will better understand, and deal with, why you’re not around as often as you’d like.

 

Finally, if your supervisor gives you the go-ahead to modify your schedule, think about the most ideal situation that can accommodate your work and home needs. This may involve going in early, but making it home in time for dinner. Or you may choose to work from home for part of the week, or a combination of the two. Why not leave the office at 4 P.M. instead of 5.30, but then catch up after the kids have gone to bed by responding to emails, etc.?

Categories: career progression, Communication, Home, life, life balance, Personal Life, policies, schedule, time, work, work life, Work-Life Balance

How to Up Your Career While Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

At any point in your career, finding a work-life balance is difficult, but when you’re trying to get ahead? Impossible! You have to work harder and stay later if you want to get noticed, right? But then how does corporate wellness fit in? Here’s how to maintain some semblance of a personal life and sense of well-being while still furthering your career.

 

Firstly, make sure you know your company. Some jobs just aren’t created with a work-life balance in mind, while others may have more appeal in this area. Before you accept the position, look into the company’s policies on working from home, taking time off, and flexi-time. This shouldn’t form the be-all and end-all on your decision – there are, after all, many factors to consider – but if you think you may, at some point, need to spend more time at home with family, it’s good to know that you have that option.

 

If you want to get the most out of your work and personal life, than communication across the board is key. Doing your job – and doing it well – is the most important aspect in your chances of promotion. Sure, working more hours won’t hurt your chances, but if you’re productive and a consistent performer, it’s likely that a little communication between you and your boss will be all you need to ensure the schedule changes you want. Moreover, you need to keep your family in the loop about your schedule, as well as the plans and after-school activities of others at home. That way, you can work together to keep the family in order when you’re at the office, and your partner and your children will better understand, and deal with, why you’re not around as often as you’d like.

 

Finally, if your supervisor gives you the go-ahead to modify your schedule, think about the most ideal situation that can accommodate your work and home needs. This may involve going in early, but making it home in time for dinner. Or you may choose to work from home for part of the week, or a combination of the two. Why not leave the office at 4 P.M. instead of 5.30, but then catch up after the kids have gone to bed by responding to emails, etc.?

Categories: career progression, Communication, Home, life, life balance, Personal Life, policies, schedule, time, work, work life, Work-Life Balance

What Everybody Ought to Know About Stress at Work

In 2011/12, the Labour Force Survey reported 428,000 cases of workplace stress, which contributed to the UK losing 10.4 million working days. Clearly, stress is a significant issue to the UK workforce, especially since these statistics don’t show the unreported cases of everyday stress and anxiety. The LFS reported that these issues often involved employees feeling overwhelmed by their workload, tight deadlines, workplace bullying and poor management. Stress manifests itself in many different ways, and can affect both mental and physical health, but there are common symptoms which you can identify in yourself and in others. A particular behaviour is increased drinking of alcohol, which can escalate into alcoholism if unchecked. Other health problems that workplace stress may cause are heart palpitations and insomnia. PruHealth UK also identify the distressing issue of ‘desk rage’ and violence in the workplace. They report that these are on the rise, and include behaviours such as rudeness and swearing, aggressive gestures such as fist slamming, and employees suffering breakdowns at work.

 

These problems can be prevented in numerous ways, if behaviour is monitored and communication maintained in an open and friendly way. It is important to acknowledge your limitations when a workload feels threatening or impossible. Pride and fear can often lead to workers attempting to tackle more than they could realistically handle. Being aware of yourself and accepting that you may need help occasionally is extremely important in promoting self-esteem and managing workplace stress, so don’t hesitate to make it clear when your workload is becoming too much for you. Also keeping a realistic perspective on life is important. The office or workplace environment can sometimes seem like a microcosm, but don’t lose touch of your life outside of work. Stay in touch with friends and family, and do the things you enjoy. Taking time to look after yourself, perhaps by exercising or participating in a hobby, can reduce the stresses of the workplace by helping you realise your priorities. If you feel you need more help than this to manage your stress, or if you feel that you are reaching a crisis point, it is vital that you talk to your employers immediately, and don’t be afraid to contact your GP for help when you feel you need it.

Categories: Stress, stress management, Work-Life Balance

Right Work-Life Balance Key for Women’s Success in UAE

Women who are successful in business have usually achieved the right work-life balance. Delegates at a conference hosted by the Dubai Women Establishment were told that the most successful female entrepreneurs are those who are able to juggle work and home, while also setting aside time for themselves.

The conference attracted more than a dozen women from the Emirates who are now successful entrepreneurs in several different fields.

Their message was that women can’t neglect their home life when they are focused on their career. However, the key to getting the right work-life balance is to meet all the different demands but not at the cost of a lack of social life or diminished wellbeing.

The conference heard that Emirati men need the support of their male partners if they are to achieve their goals but this is a problem in the Emirates because of the inequality in society between men and women.

Noura Ahmad Al Noman is the director general at the executive office of Shaikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the wife of one of the rulers of the Emirates and a prominent supporter of social development in the UAE. Al Noman told delegates that too many women had to take on all of the responsibilities of the family and work at the same time while their menfolk ignored anything to do with the home.

However, the conference also heard that more businesses and organisations in the UAE are now paying attention to their female workforce with nurseries and daycare facilities now being provided at an increasing number, freeing up women to go to work knowing their children are being cared for. Hospitals, with their large numbers of female staff, are leading the way in providing childcare.

The conference heard calls for better maternity leave and increased leave for mothers to care for sick children.

Right Work-Life Balance Key for Women’s Success in UAE

Categories: al noman, conference, conference heard, female, female entrepreneurs, life, life balance, Support, Women, work, work life, Work-Life Balance