Life in the Balance

12/04/2007

Chairman's Message

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is always a pleasant period, and a good occasion for reflection as the end of year approaches.

What follows this intro holds some numbers worthy of reflection, namely the American reluctance to take time off. I always thought reluctance was personified by Lucas when it was his turn to pick up the check. But, "nay nay nay"–as far as time off goes–it is a national trait, folks.

I hope that you enjoy this month's topic and that you, in turn, become an inspiration to others.

So, I trust that you had a splendid Thanksgiving and that you will be able to engage in some well-earned rest and relaxation during the holidays (mentally, as well as physically). Be sure to read and think about what follows. Have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year!

Life In The Balance

Remember when a workday was clearly defined?

Many of you may recall going into the office around 8:00 am and returning home sometime before the nightly news. Behind the wheel or on the bus or train, you would slowly transition out of work mode, leaving work behind, and begin to anticipate the other half of your life: dinner at home, some relaxation and perhaps a hobby. Occasionally, you brought work home, but that was the exception.

How quaint! Just as CNN now provides news coverage 24 hours a day, now your job can, too. Not just 40 or 50 hours per week, but 168 to be exact. Technology has blurred the once distinct line that separated working from not working, and as a result, work is never left behind. Nor is the office itself, when you consider that BlackBerrys, laptops and other convenience devices easily go wherever you go.

In addition to never leaving the office, many Americans chronically fail to use all their vacation time. It's bad enough that the average vacation time allotted workers is 14 days per year–a mere pittance when compared to the 24 days the British take, and the 39 days the French receive. Moreover, 33% of Americans leave an average of four of those 14 days on the table–up from three the year before.

Knowing all of this, I ask why people don't take time away from their jobs to enjoy the other parts of their lives. I've gotten some interesting answers:

Richard, a director of operations for a large hospital, is the classic workaholic, who has never stayed away from the office for more than four days at a time, and that was only when he was ill with hepatitis (he still called to check in). Richard is not capable of relaxing and doesn't see the need to do so. He finds it more stressful to be away from the office, even for short periods.

"Murphy's Law is usually in full gear whenever I'm away for a day or so," he says. "Whatever can go wrong, does, and I end up with a mess to clean up, on top of all my regular work. It's easier for me to stay on the job, day in and day out."

A principal with a large healthcare consultancy, Alex, says he stays close to his email and phone so that he can respond quickly to his clients. Competition in his industry is fierce, and he feels a great deal of pressure to be available to his clients, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "I've worked so hard to win the business," Alex explains, "and I won't risk losing it because of a missed phone call."

Richard and Alex gave pretty rational reasons for putting in long hours. But when I pressed each a bit, it looked more like the pressure to work, and eschew "down time," was self-imposed.

When I asked Richard for an example of the kinds of trouble he finds after being away from the hospital for a day or two, he was somewhat embarrassed. He admitted the last time he was away, "There was a major problem with the boiler that required an overnight crew to repair it. My vice president of facilities handled the entire incident and it was well in hand by the time I got back to the hospital." He agreed that even if the boiler had given out while he was there, his VP still would have been the one to deal with it.

I asked Alex if his clients (a few of whom I know to be extremely satisfied with his work) would drop him and turn to the competition simply because they were unable to get him on the phone that instant? Like Richard, Alex saw the absurdity in this line of thinking.

Often, we are our own worst enemies.

This brought to mind a human resources executive I've known for over twenty years. Ellen, who works for an insurance company and teaches part-time at a community college, always seems to be talking about the last vacation she took or the one she and her husband are planning. Even with teaching, she is able to take time for herself. What does she know that Richard and Alex don't?

"I know that in order to lead a happy, productive and balanced life, I have to make the time to fit in life's pleasures. Travel is a way for me to spend time with my husband, see new places and give my mind the rest it needs. When I get back from a weekend away, or a two-week vacation, I am refreshed and ready to go back to the work I truly enjoy." She adds, "I'm a better employee, a better teacher, and a better human being when my life is in balance."

Ellen makes sure to:

Surround herself with capable people, trusting they will do their part in her absence.
Openly communicate with others about time availability; setting boundaries and limitations.
Plan for regular time away from the office–whether a short weekend or longer vacation. Putting it on the calendar and scheduling things around it instead of trying to "fit things in" works much better.

As we enter 2008, convince yourself once and for all that taking regular breaks from your work life is essential. Give clients, customers and co-workers reasonable limitations on your time, and give yourself the gift of self-renewal.



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