Casual Dress Friday 10/26 Remember what’s important….and live accordingly.
As you may know, part of my mantra is ‘work smart, not hard’. Part of this philosophy for me is geared to having a manageable career and always making time for the things that matter most. For me that’s my wife and kids. As much as I travel for work, I try to remember that they’re why I’m doing it and I try to maximize my time with them when I’m not working. Yesterday, there was a great article in the Career Journal about a man named Matt Hutter, who literally took a career ‘timeout’ in order to spend more time with his kids and family. The article specifically addresses the perception that taking time off or going to a part-time schedule are career killers, especially for men. But that’s exactly what Matt did.
The result? According to Matt, “At home, that 15 months on a reduced income built up our confidence, showing us that we could manage financially to let Gina quit working altogether. It even improved our marriage. We argued less about dropping kids off at the sitter, and about work-life balance in general.
“And it affirmed my priorities, my own life values. I developed a tighter bond with my kids. Jack used to call my days off ‘Daddy Days.’ He and I would meet Gina for lunch at her school. And I was able to go on field trips with Maggie’s class and attend school events. I will always look back and cherish those 15 months of extra time with my daughter and son.”. If you’d like to read the rest of his story, here’s the link.
As for me, I’m going to go hug my kids. Have a great weekend!
Until next time…
The kids are alright…I think…maybe
Everywhere we turn these days we’re hearing over and over how the Baby Boomers are retiring and that Gen X and Gen Y are going have to pick up the slack in the job market. There’s going to a crisis, so get ready they say. And if you’ve read anything further on this topic, many of these people are concerned about Gen Y. They claim they’re unmotivated, spoiled, and even lazy. And perhaps some of that is true. We know they’re the most educated generation America has every produced, but they’ve also been spoiled and had much given to them. But just like what happened to all of us, reality is smacking them in the face in their post college world.
So what’s really going on with these kids. I’ve read a number of the blogs being written by Gen Y and I’ve learned the following; they want to be entrepreneurs, they want stability and security, they feel they’re working way too hard, they’re frustrated with ‘Corporate America’, they’re not motivated by money, they’d rather still be college, and they want to matter. Huh?
That’s right, they’re all over the map. Which makes total sense. While it’s easy and more convenient to label them all the same, no generation can be easily categorized because we’re all different. What motivates some, will repel others.
Take a trip with me back to your early to mid-twenties. You’ve just gotten out of college and now what? You’re feeling that enormous pressure to be an adult, get your career, and make your mark (hmm, that last one’s catchy). Everyone’s looking at you and wondering what you’re going to do with your life. And most people don’t have a clue at this point. Remember the first 30 minutes of ‘The Graduate’? Ben Braddock spends the summer after graduation laying by his parents pool contemplating what to do with his life (before he is seduced by Mrs Robinson, but I digress). Gen Y didn’t create the notion of post-college life uncertainty, it’s been with us for some time.
WTF, is swearing good for your career?
Yeah I know the answer seems obvious, but could there be something to this? This topic has been getting a lot buzz on the internet and various blogs this past week, so let’s take a look at what’s really being said and what the best practice is (hint: you probably know the answer already).
If you’ve heard of or followed the recent Isiah Thomas sexual harassment suit, you may have heard some of Thomas’ quotes around profanity in the workplace. According to Thomas “I’ve never cursed at Anucha (the accuser). I’ve cursed around Anucha.”. In yesterday’s Career Journal, Jennifer Waters took a closer look at swearing in the workplace and noted a recent UK study. “ Yehuda Baruch, a management professor at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K., and graduate student Stuart Jenkins found that “apparent misbehavior can serve an organization well.” Taboo language, they said, can manifest itself in solidarity that helps create a much more pleasurable and productive place to work.” Interesting.
