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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.
Too Much WorkJoyce writes, "The company I work for laid off a number of people and the workload for those who remain has drastically increased. Now I'm not getting home until 8:30, which means I miss having dinner with my family. How can I get my employer to understand that we need to cut back on the amount of tasks so that we can get a chance to be home for dinner and family time?"Answer: You are experiencing a common dilemma. Much research has been done over the years about the effects of downsizings/layoffs on the 'survivors' and few companies have taken considerable actions to insure an on-going productive and satisfied workforce. Companies take on the stance that those remaining should be grateful for their jobs and be willing to pitch in even further to keep the business afloat. According to my research while completing my Masters, layoffs greatly effect both those being let go and those staying with a company. Fact is, as a result, there are fewer people to complete the tasks at hand, so workloads quite frequently increase. Also, there is a degree of uncertainty and remorse to those remaining. Without specific details regarding your work and your role within the organization or the organization's culture, it's difficult to advise you on how to help your employer understand your needs. Findings from a recent study by the Families and Work Institute, indicate that many employees today feel overworked and overwhelmed at work because they never have enough time to get everything done; they have too many interruptions or too many tasks; they work more hours than they want to; they work long hours because their boss requires it rather than because they want to; or, they spend work time on tasks they perceive as having low value. So, you are not alone! However, if you think you can't do anything about it, think again! You have to first change your mind-set about what's possible so that you can figure out how to do something about the symptoms that cause this feeling. It's up to you to set boundaries that honor you and allow you to do your work. It's up to you to let your boss know where work redesign is needed. Work redesign involves focusing on people's goals and work. Rather than looking solely at the individual, the job and the way it's done is considered in a work redesign. It's also important to be sure that you are fully optimizing the time you spend at work. Avoid time wasters like distractions, interruptions, perfectionism, procrastination, poor planning, ineffective behaviors and over-commitment. Prioritize and organize your work. Plan out what you will accomplish each day, week, month and quarter. Establish clear goals that help you decide specifically what you want to achieve with your time. Structure your day to take advantage of your peak performance time and demonstrate an unequivocal value of your time through your words, actions and commitments. Be willing to say "no" to some requests and delegate tasks others can do for you. Often, tasks are repeated regularly without anyone questioning if it's still necessary. Years ago, in the corporate world, I was responsible for producing a number of reports on a weekly basis. Regardless of how much work I had and how late I needed to stay to get things done, I produced and delivered the reports on time each week. Suddenly, I had an inkling that no one was even looking at the report anymore and with my workload and priorities growing, I decided to stop doing the report for awhile. It took almost a year for someone to question what happened to the report. When I said I stopped doing it a year ago and asked if they needed me to continue with it, we all laughed and realized that, obviously, they didn't need that report. I share this with you because of the valuable lessons I gained. It's important to re-evaluate the importance of tasks and activities from time to time and weigh them against other responsibilities. If leaving at a reasonable time is of utmost importance to you, find a way to make it happen without jeopardizing your job. See where your colleagues stand on this issue, get clear on how you can contribute to work and still have time with your family, and, meet with your boss to discuss the issues, alternatives and solutions to this dilemma. Rather than griping, take on the attitude of cooperation, solution and efficiency.
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