Free Tips on Career Advancement

I am sure you are a very ambitious and hard working person. However have you ever paused and ask yourself if you are constantly working after hours and weekends at the office? Are you bringing work back home just that you can get more done or finish your task? Are beginning to forget what your family even looks like? Many people find themselves caught up in this predicament.

Work seems to get more and more demanding, and to stay on top of your game at work, you feel like you need to put in long hours. The flip side to this is that when you are at the office, you are away from home – away from the family dinners, play time and your kids’ sporting events or school plays. You may feel like your hands are tied – that no matter how much you want to be more involved with your family life, you have to keep working harder and harder to make sure your family is provided for. However, the truth is rather than you actually getting ahead at work you may actually be damaging both your career and your family life. Studies have shown time and again that well rested workers with well balanced lives are more productive in the time they do spend working. The best way to be a stand out worker at the office is to actually be fully involved and present when you are with your family.

But wait, you say, “I’m working practically around the clock now, and there is so much that I need to get done that aren’t getting done.” No one will deny that you are not working hard enough but you need to consider whether you are working smart enough. Just think about the way you spend your working day. Are you taking on more responsibility than you need to, instead of delegating tasks to others? Are you spending more time checking and answering your emails rather than actually getting your work done? Are you always multi-tasking throughout the day? Are you procrastinating so that you end up having to work all-nighters instead of spreading out the work? Do you constantly feel stressed and always working under pressure? Then just try this: keep a journal and log all your activities at work for a few days. You might be surprised to see how you are really spending your time and take notice what areas you could make improvements. By simply eliminating distractions, remaining focus on one task at a time till its completion and delegating effectively you could get home in time for dinner.

When you have done everything you can to makes yourself as productive as possible, it is time to turn to other ways to balance your work life and your family life. Rule number one, usually the hardest one for most people to follow – draw a clear line of distinction between work time and family time. Family time is not really family time if you are constantly on the phone making and receiving work calls or if you are on your laptop during the entire family vacation. When you are at work – work. When you are with your family – concentrate on them. The time you spend taking a breather from work will recharge your batteries and actually make you a better worker.

Next, you have to evaluate your priorities. Maybe working around the clock will help you reach your goals faster, but at what cost? Decide which is more important to you – seeing your daughter’s sporting game every week or moving up the corporate ladder quickly – and then make adjustments in your schedule appropriately. You have to determine what your priorities are, this will make scheduling easier for you. With your priorities in mind, see what work options are available to you to help you meet them. If you want more time with the kids, see if your office offers flex time or part time hours to help you meet your family commitments.

Last but not least, do not feel guilty about taking time with your family. Not only is this time important to your family, you can rest assured that the time out from the office stress will make you more productive when you return to work.