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Ask the Expert: Finding Balance Natalie Gahrmann is a success coach and owner of N-R-G Coaching Associates, a private coaching company that specializes in helping working parents achieve mastery of work and life. Her clients experience more clarity, direction and alignment while reducing stress in their busy lives.
Asking Boss for Reduced HoursDebbie writes, "I need some advice about talking to my boss about a reduced work schedule. I'd like to go from 5 days a week to 4. Even as a company director, I think I can make it work. How can I convince him of that? Are there resources that show you can be just as productive in a shorter amount of time?"Answer: Work/Life Balance Coach Natalie Gahrmann Answer: Are you looking to cut your hours or work a compressed work week? If you want to reduce your hours, your boss needs to know how the work will get accomplished and needs to be assured that nothing will fall through the cracks. Develop a plan that shows how you will handle your responsibilities. When you discuss your proposal with your boss, anticipate his/her objections and be prepared to answer each objection. Accentuate past accomplishments and focus on the anticipated benefits for your employer. If necessary, be willing to try out the part-time arrangement on a temporary basis and evaluate it's effectiveness in 3 months or so. Be willing to pitch in extra during extremely busy periods, if necessary and offer some degree of flexibility, if possible, on what day will be your day off. If on the other hand, your goal is to work a compressed work week, you'll be working the same amount of hours in fewer days. You'll still need to assure your boss that things will continue functioning effectively on the day that you do not report into the office. You'll also need to use your time productively and focus on results. The average person wastes about 5 hours per week at work socializing, making personal phone calls, searching for files, surfing the Web, etc. Work smart; be sure to make efficient use of your time. To be productive, start by looking at the way you plan your day and approach your work. Prioritize your work to get the most important tasks done while your energy level is still high. Eliminate those tasks that are not necessary and delegate those items that should be done by someone else. A good resource for creating a flexible work schedule proposal is Pat Katepoo's e-book - "Flex Success Proposal Blueprint". You can get more information on it online at http://www.workoptions.com. Julie Morgenstern wrote two terrific books that may be helpful to Organizing and Time Management: "Organizing from the Inside Out" and "Time Management from the Inside Out".
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