How's your work/life balance?
This isn't a question you're likely to hear from your employer in this challenging economy. "It's an employers' job market right now. There's no shortage of talented people to hire," said Peter Bourke, volunteer chairman of Crossroads Career Network and principal of The Complex Sale, a sales training firm in Atlanta. "When employers have an edge, work/life benefits are not a focus."
In 2006, 53 percent of employees believed they had a good work/life balance. Only 30 percent thought so by the first quarter of 2009, according to research by the Corporate Executive Board. One reason might be that in today's workplace companies and shareholders are expecting greater productivity with fewer employees, said Bourke. "With more than 13.7 million people unemployed and a whole lot more scared that they are going to be next, most employees are working harder than ever—more than half of those are self-professed miserable about their careers," he said.
If you're among the misemployed, overworked, financially strained and frustrated in today's work force—it's time to ask yourself the work/life question. "Finding work/life balance is up to you," he said.
After stepping back from a high-powered corporate career to find more purposeful work, Bourke offers practical tips on how to make career and life changes in his book, "A Better Way to Make a Living ... and a Life: Thriving in the New World of Work."
From employee to free agent: Manage your career
Employee/employer relationships have changed drastically in recent years, with a decrease in loyalty on both sides. No one expects to retire from the same company after 40 years with a pension, so being a slave to the organization makes no sense.
"If you think of yourself as working for Me, Inc. instead of your company, then you may work just as hard, but you'll remember that you're in charge of your career," Bourke said.
Seek your own professional development and find the job that best suits your talents. "You'll be more intentional about career and life decisions," he said.
Know your priorities: Take care of what matters most
"The fundamental root cause of dissatisfaction with work and life is that most people never take the time to look at their priorities. They don't know what's important," Bourke said. In counseling workers in transition, he often asks them to rank the following in terms of importance: children, church, civic duty, self, health, spouse/marriage, work, friends, God, finances.
"Once you get clear on your priorities, it's much easier to align your time accordingly," Bourke said. If family is tops on your list, a job that requires 90 percent travel and work on the weekends is a poor match.
Know how your work fits into a bigger picture
"It's not usually the content of work that causes dissatisfaction, but not knowing the context of it," Bourke said.
He tells the story of three bricklayers who were asked what they were doing. The first said he was laying bricks. The second said he was laying the foundation of a building. The third said he was building a cathedral. The point is that knowing where your work fits into the greater scheme of things matters.
"Human beings don't like things without purpose — we're not wired that way," he said. Jobs like nurse, firefighter and counselor aren't the highest paying, but they're always ranked tops in terms of job satisfaction. "The more you understand the purpose of work and life — the better job you can do of creating work/life balance," he said.
Aligning work with his faith, Bourke works part-time as a sales trainer, which leaves him more time to write and help others with his career ministry.
"I make a lot less, but knowing that I'm making an impact on others' lives gives me enormous fulfillment," Bourke said.
Set boundaries; set aside time to think
"Modern technology makes us accessible for work all the time," Bourke said. To achieve balance, decide when you will turn off your BlackBerry, and stick to it. Create margins in your day to think through goals and recharge from your activities. Put lunches with your wife or golf with your son (or any personal priority) on the calendar and schedule work around that.
Get control of your finances; cut debts
"One client told me he knew his spending was out of control when he figured out he owned 14 gas-powered engines (cars, boats, etc.). We can become slaves to our stuff.
"People without debt living a moderate lifestyle have an easier time making career transitions and more choices. They can afford to take a job that pays less but gives them more satisfaction."
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