Tips for Achieving Work Life Effectiveness

Work out what is important to you: e.g. regular exercise, more time with your kids, regular holidays. Identify your life goals and work backwards from there. What does this mean? What does this look like?

• Set clear and specific goals for your time at home/work. Write them down and tell your family and workmates.
• Avoid taking work home as much as possible. Limit it to two nights per week at the most.
• Make time to have dinner with your family or friends.
• Let your workplace know about your choice to have more time at home.
• In your own way, plan to make your family time positive and encouraging.
• Aim to leave work on time, at least twice a week.
• Do some exercise at lunch time.
• If you do have to take work home – have a break first.
• Learn to diarise effectively.
• Make technology work for you- don’t be a slave to it. (Turn email alerts off, turn work emails, phones and computers off at home)
• Investigate your workplace’s Family Friendly Policy (If it’s not written yet, ask for this to happen).

Some things to look out for:

• Conflict with colleagues who don’t have families or don’t value personal time highly.
• The professional pressure to climb the ladder. It’s OK to not want to climb the ladder.
• Workplaces, or work practices that do not promote balance. E.g. Lots of overtime, after-hours meetings, unplanned schedules. Lots of travel.
• When you find yourself spending more time and effort at work, because problems are brewing at home.
• Community pressure to have the latest car, house, furniture, etc – the ongoing pressure to spend more, earn more and therefore work more.

For more information regarding Work Life Effectiveness and Supporting Working Parents please contact your Relationship Manager.