WorkLifeBalance

TrainingManual

CorporateTrainingMaterials

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ModuleOne:GettingStarted...............................................................................................................5
WorkshopObjectives................................................................................................................................5
ModuleTwo:BenefitsofaHealthyBalance.........................................................................................6
WhyItsImportant....................................................................................................................................6
IncreasedProductivity..............................................................................................................................7
ImprovedMentalandPhysicalHealth......................................................................................................8
IncreasedMorale......................................................................................................................................8
CaseStudy.................................................................................................................................................8
ModuleTwo:ReviewQuestions................................................................................................................9
ModuleThree:SignsofanImbalance.................................................................................................11
HealthRisks............................................................................................................................................11
Absenteeism...........................................................................................................................................12
Burnout...................................................................................................................................................12
Stress.......................................................................................................................................................13
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................13
ModuleThree:ReviewQuestions...........................................................................................................14
ModuleFour:EmployerResources.....................................................................................................16
OfferMoreEmployeeControl.................................................................................................................16
AskEmployeesforSuggestions...............................................................................................................17
EmployeeAssistanceProgram(EAP)......................................................................................................17
RewardYourStaff...................................................................................................................................18
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................18
ModuleFour:ReviewQuestions.............................................................................................................19

ModuleFive:TipsinTimeManagement.............................................................................................21
TheUrgent/ImportantMatrix................................................................................................................21
LearntoSayNo.......................................................................................................................................22
StayFlexible............................................................................................................................................23
80/20Rule...............................................................................................................................................23
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................23
ModuleFive:ReviewQuestions..............................................................................................................24
ModuleSix:GoalSetting....................................................................................................................26
TheThreePs............................................................................................................................................26
SMARTGoals..........................................................................................................................................27
Visualization...........................................................................................................................................27
PrioritizingYourGoals............................................................................................................................28
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................28
ModuleSix:ReviewQuestions................................................................................................................29
ModuleSeven:OptionalWaystoWork.............................................................................................31
Telecommuting.......................................................................................................................................31
JobSharing..............................................................................................................................................32
JobRedesign...........................................................................................................................................33
FlexTime.................................................................................................................................................33
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................34
ModuleSeven:ReviewQuestions...........................................................................................................35
ModuleEight:AtWork......................................................................................................................37
LeaveHomeStressatHome...................................................................................................................37
BreakupLargeTasks..............................................................................................................................38
Delegate..................................................................................................................................................38
SetAccurateGoals..................................................................................................................................39

CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................39
ModuleEight:ReviewQuestions............................................................................................................40
ModuleNine:AtHome......................................................................................................................42
LeaveWorkStressatWork.....................................................................................................................42
TurnYourPhoneOff...............................................................................................................................43
TakeSomeMeTime............................................................................................................................43
MaintainYourBoundaries......................................................................................................................43
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................44
ModuleNine:ReviewQuestions.............................................................................................................45
ModuleTen:StressManagement......................................................................................................47
Exercise...................................................................................................................................................47
EatingWell..............................................................................................................................................48
GettingEnoughSleep.............................................................................................................................48
SelfAssessment......................................................................................................................................49
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................49
ModuleTen:ReviewQuestions..............................................................................................................50
ModuleEleven:WorkinginaHomeOffice.........................................................................................52
SettingUpaHomeOffice.......................................................................................................................52
SettingBoundaries..................................................................................................................................53
DealingwithDistractions........................................................................................................................53
MakeaScheduleandSticktoIt..............................................................................................................53
CaseStudy...............................................................................................................................................54
ModuleEleven:ReviewQuestions..........................................................................................................55
ModuleTwelve:WrappingUp............................................................................................................57
WordsfromtheWise..............................................................................................................................57
LessonsLearned......................................................................................................................................57

Ive learned that you cant have everything

and do everything at the same time.
Oprah Winfrey
Module One: Getting Started
WelcometotheWorkLifeBalanceworkshop.Worklifebalance
isessentialtocombatstress,ensuringbothindividualand
companysuccess.Thestressassociatedwithunbalancedlifestyles
iscostly;itdamagesproductivityandincreasesindividualhealth
risks.Employeeswhohavethetoolstobalancetheirprofessional
andpersonallivesarehappier,healthier,andmoreproductive.
Inadditiontoimprovingperformance,manyyoungeremployees
placeahighvalueonworklifebalance.Companiesthatinclude
worklifebalanceaspartoftheirculturewillbeabletobetterattractqualifiedcandidates.

Workshop Objectives
Researchhasconsistentlydemonstratedthatwhencleargoalsareassociated
withlearning,itoccursmoreeasilyandrapidly.
Bytheendofthisworkshop,participantsshouldbeableto:

Explainthebenefitsofworklifebalance.

Recognizethesignsofanunbalancedlife.

Identifyemployerresourcesforabalancedlifestyle.

Improvetimemanagementandgoalsetting.

Usethemosteffectiveworkmethodsforyou.

Createbalanceatworkandathome.

Managestress.

Page5

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of

Balance and Order and Rhythm and
Harmony.
Thomas Merton

Module Two: Benefits of a Healthy Balance

Understandingthebenefitsofahealthybalancedlifewillmotivate
anyonetomakenecessarychanges.Balancewillimprovethelivesof
individualemployeesaswellasthecompanyculture.Learningthe
basicsofworklifebalancewillalsoincreaseemployeeproductivity,
health,andmorale.

Why Its Important

Ahealthybalancebetweenworkandhomeshouldbeapriorityforeveryone.
Implementingproperworklifebalanceoffersmanyimportantbenefits.Thereare,
however,manyhazardslinkedwithanunbalancedworkandhomelife.
Risks

Poorhealth:Workinglonghourswithouttakingtimetorelaxwilltakeitstoll
onhealth.

Unresolvedconflict:Alackofbalancecancreateconflictsatworkandathome.

Poorperformance:Takingontoomuchresponsibilitywillleadtoexhaustionandcause
performancetosuffer.

Financialloss:Theimpactonhealthandproductivitytakesafinancialtollonbothindividual
employeesandorganizations.

Benefits

Page6

Fulfillment:Peoplewhosuccessfullyimplementworklifebalanceimprovetheirsenseof
fulfillmentatworkandathome.

Health:Ahealthyworklifebalancedecreasestheriskofheartdiseaseandotherhealth
problems.

Greaterproductivity:Beingrelaxedandwellrestedincreasesproductivityandimproveswork
performance.

Strongerrelationships:Personalandprofessionalrelationshipsarestrengthenedandconflicts
areavoidedwhenthereisworklifebalance.

Increased Productivity
Whileitmayseemcounterintuitive,worklifebalancecanactuallyincrease
productivity.Whileitistruethatovertimewillinitiallyincreaseproduction,thesurge
onlylastsafewweeksbeforetakingadestructivetollonproductivity.Infact,
workinglonghoursforanextendedtimeperiodwillleadtoexhaustionand
unhealthyhabitsthatdecreaseproductivity.
Shorterworkhourswillactuallyincreaseproductivityinthelongterm.Additionally,studiesshowthat
peoplewhotakeshort,frequentbreaksaremoreproductivethanpeoplewhoonlytakeasinglebreak
orworkallday.Mostpeoplerecommendtakingafewminuteseachhourtoregroup.
Waystoincreaseproductivity:

Takehealthybreaks:Youshouldtaketimetorefreshyourself.Trystretching,walking,or
meditatingthroughouttheday.Thiswillalsoimproveyourhealthandoverallwellbeing.

Takeenjoyablebreaks:ArecentstudybyDonJ.Q.ChenandVivienK.GLimoftheNational
UniversityofSingaporediscoveredthattakingafewmomentstosurftheinternetandmentally
changegearsactuallyincreasesproductivity.Thisfunactivityincreasesproductivitybynine
percent.

Taketimeoff:Workingtothepointofburnoutisnotproductiveorhealthy.Donotlose
vacationdays,evenifyouhavetospreadthemout.Studiesshowthatpeoplewhotaketheir
vacationsaremuchmoreproductivethanthosewhodonot.

Page7

Improved Mental and Physical Health

Itiscommonknowledgethatstressisdirectlylinkedtodifferentdiseases.
Numeroussurveyshavediscoveredthatworkisaleadingcauseofstressrelated
illnessandinjury,suchasstroke,heartdisease,andmentalbreakdowns.Abalanced
lifewillimprovebothphysicalandmentalhealth.
HowtoImproveHealth

Awareness:Abalancedlifestyleincreasespersonalawareness,allowindividualstoidentify
potentialhealthproblemsearly.

Lifestyle:Abalancedlifestyleautomaticallyimproveshealth.Itencourageshealthychoicesand
helpsdevelopthebodyandthemind.

Increased Morale
Worklifebalanceisaneffectivetooltoincreasemoraleandimprovecompany
culture.Employeesseekoutcompaniesthatsupporthealthyworklifebalance.
Theonlyfactormoreimportantthanbalancetojobseekersiscompensation.
Accordingtoseveralsurveys,worklifebalanceimproveshappinessandoverall
jobsatisfaction.Additionally,employeesaremoreinvestedincompaniesthat
supporttheirworklifebalance.Worklifebalancetypicallytranslatesto
employeeswhoworkharderandaremoreproductive.

Case Study
BobwastheCEOofasmallbutgrowingorganization.Heworkedlonghours,but
neverseemedtoaccomplishanything.Tomakemattersworsehefeltlikeafailure
becauseneitherhisworknorpersonallifewasmeetinghisexpectations.Hereacted
bysleepinglessandtakingtimeawayfromhishobbies,butthisdidnotsolve
anything.Stressedoutandexhausted,Bobhadaheartattackatwork.Hisdoctortold
himtotakemoretimeforhimself,butBobsaidhedidnothavethetime.

Page8

Module Two: Review Questions

1. Whatisnotariskofnotimplementingworklifemanagement?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Financialloss
Poorhealth
Unresolvedconflict
Productivity

2. Whatisnotabenefitofworklifebalance?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Increasedproductivity
Betterhealth
Conflicts
Strongerrelationships

3. Whatcaninternetbreaksaccomplish?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Decreaseproductivity9percent
Increaseproductivity9percent
Increaseproductivity9percent
Increaseproductivity6percent

4. Howoftenshouldyoutakeaminibreak?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Everyhour
Everyday
Twiceaday
Everythreehours

5. _______increasestheriskofinjuryorillness.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Balance
Work
Stress
Mentalbreakdown

6. Worklifebalanceencouragesa(n)_______
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page9

Indulgence
Healthylifestyle
Unhealthylifestyle
Dangerousbehavior

7. Whatistheonefactorthatrankshigherthanworklifebalanceforemployees?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Compensation
Benefits
Location
Companyvalues

8. Worklifebalancewillimprovemoraleand_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Turnover
Absenteeism
Profits
Companyculture

9. WhatdidBobcutoutofhisschedule?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Workmeetings
Inspections
Sleep
Unimportanttasks

10. WhatwastheresultofBobshecticschedule?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Burnout
Heartattack
Stroke
Nervousbreakdown

Page10

It must be a balance in everything we do, not too

much of everything...
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Module Three: Signs of an Imbalance

Thesignsofimbalanceareunmistakable.Weseepeoplesufferingfrom
poorhealth,burnout,andstresseveryday.Forcompanies,this
increasescostsintheformofabsenteeism,healthcosts,andturnover.
Ifyourecognizethesesignsinyourlifeoryourorganization,take
actionimmediatelyandfocusonworklifebalance.

Health Risks
Imbalancepromotespoorhealth.Overtime,thiscanleadtodevastating,and
possiblylifechangingconsequences.
EffectsonHealth:

Obesity:Nottakingthetimetoexerciseoreatwellcanincreaseobesity,
whichisconnectedtoheartdiseaseandnumerousotherhealthrisks.

Exhaustion:Sleepingwellcanaddyearstoapersonslife.Sacrificingsleepforworkwillhave
negativeeffectsonhealthandincreasethechancesofgettingsick.

Emotionalproblems:Stressandexhaustionwillwreakhavoconemotionalwellbeing.Thiswill
affectrelationshipsandpersonalidentity.

Morecompaniesaretakinganinterestinthehealthandfitnessoftheiremployees.Itisnowinan
organizationsbestinteresttodoso.Healthyemployeesareproductive,absentless,andtheirhealth
carecostsless.

Page11

Absenteeism
Poorhealthincreasesemployeeabsenteeismandthusisacostlyproblemfor
employers.Therearehiddenanddirectcoststhatmustbepaidwhenan
employeeisabsentfromwork.
Costofabsenteeism:

Sickpay:Employeeswithsickdaysarestillpaid,whichisadirectcost.

Lossofproductivity:Evenwithsomeonetoworkthepositionofthesickemployee,the
employeefamiliarwiththejobwillbemoreproductive.Thisisanindirectcostofsickdays.

Whilemostpeoplewhotaketimeoffarelegitimatelysick,stressedemployeeswilltakedaysofftocatch
upwithpersonalobligations,andtheyusuallyfeeljustifieddoingso.

Burnout
Mostpeopleknowthatoverworkedemployeeseventuallyburnout.Burnoutisthe
physicalandpsychologicalresponsetolongtermstress.
SignsofBurnout:

Lossofinterest:Burnedoutemployeescannotmakethemselvescare
abouttheirwork,whichisthesourceoftheirstress.

Lackofemotion:Emotionalresponsesareabnormalwhensomeoneisburnedout.

Lossofmotivation:Formermotivatorsnolongerareeffective.

Possibledepression:Burnoutiscloselylinkedtodepression.

Burnoutharmscompaniesbyincreasingturnover.Considerthefollowing:

Wheneverythingisaddedtogether,150percentofanemployeesannualsalaryisthecostof
turnover.

Thisnumberis200to250percentformembersofmanagement.

Page12

Stress
WorkisthemainsourceofstressformostAmericans.Stressconnectiontoobesity
forworkersinsedentaryjobsismoresignificantthandiet,accordingtoresearch
publishedintheJournalofOccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine.Theeffects
stressonhearthealthcanbedeadly.
SignsofStress:

Overemotional:Peopleunderstresscanfinditdifficulttocontroltheir
emotions.

Lethargy:Thephysiologicalimpactofstresscancauselethargy.

Restlessness:Stresscanmakeitdifficulttofocus,causinghyperactivityandrestlessness.

Anxiety:Prolongedstresscancauseanxietydisorders.

Case Study
Themanagerofaproductioncompanywasrecognizedforthewrongreason,his
highturnover.Hisratewas35percentandgrowing.Sinceheknewthatnoone
wouldstayforlong,hepushedhisemployeeshardertogetthemostoutofthem
whilehecould.Atexitinterviews,peoplealwayssaidthattheysimplylostinterest
anddidnotthinkthatthejobwasworthit.
Threatenedwithhisjob,themanagerwasforcedtochange.Hereducedhisdemandsonemployees,
whichhethoughtwouldbedisastrous.Hewassurprisedwhenhisturnoverdropped10percentthat
quarter.

Page13

Module Three: Review Questions

1. Whatwilladdyearstoapersonslife?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Coffee
Tea
Sleep
Diet

2. Theriskof____riseswhentimeisnotgiventoexerciseandeatingwell.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Anorexia
Sleep
Exhaustion
Obesity

3. Whatisasickday?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Directcost
Negligiblecost
Hiddencost
Insuredcost

4. Whatisahiddencost?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Personaldays
Lossofproductivity
Vacation
Sickdays

5. Whatisoftentheresultofburnout?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Vacations
Turnover
Absenteeism
Promotion

6. Whatistheaveragecostofturnover?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page14

200percentannualsalary
100percentannualsalary
150percentannualsalary
50percentannualsalary

7. _____istheresultofprolongedstress.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Anxiety
Turnover
Exercise
Interest

8. Whatismoreinfluentialincausingobesity?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Experience
Exercise
Diet
Stress

9. Whatwasthemanagersinitialturnover?
a)
b)
c)
d)

15percent
10percent
35percent
50percent

10. Theturnoverdroppedbyhowmuch?
a)
b)
c)
d)

15percent
10percent
35percent
50percent

Page15

Control is never achieved when sought after

directly. It is the surprising outcome of
letting go.
James Arthur Ra

Module Four: Employer Resources

Employershavetheopportunitytoimproveworklifebalance
fortheiremployeesandincreaseproductivityatthesame
time.Usingtheresourcesthatemployershaveattheir
disposaltochangeworkconditionsmayseem
counterproductive,buttheyareeffective.

Offer More Employee Control

Traditionally,employerssetalloftheparametersconcerningjobs.Keepingallof
thecontrol,however,augmentsstressonemployees.Simplyofferingemployees
morecontrolovertheirlivesandestablishingbetterworklifebalancewillhelp
alleviatethisstress.Studiesshowthatemployeecontrolactuallyincreasesloyalty
andproductivity.Therearemanywaystoofferemployeescontrol,andwewillgo
oversomeofthemindetailinalatermodule.
Waystooffercontrol:

Flextime
Jobsharing
Telecommuting
Jobsharing

Thesearejustafewexamplesofemployeecontrol.Anythingthatempowersanemployeetotake
chargeofhisorherlifeoffersemployeecontrol.

Page16

Ask Employees for Suggestions

Employeeshavesomeofthebestideasonhowtoimprovetheirjobsandthe
companyasawhole.Theseideas,however,arenotalwayscommunicated.Many
employeesdonotfeelthatpeopleinmanagementcareandmostmanagersdonot
havethetimetositdownwitheachemployee.Thebestwaytohearaboutnew,
innovativeideasistocreateanemployeesuggestionprogram.
Tips:

Makeitsimple:Createasimpleprocessforgivingsuggestions;complicatedrulesdonot
encouragecreativity.

Respond:Letemployeesknowthatyouhavetheirsuggestionsandwillconsiderthem.

Thank:Thankeachemployeewhogivesasuggestion,eveniftheyaresuggestionsyoudonot
use.

Reward:Employeeswhocomeupwithusefulsuggestionsneedtoberewarded.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Giventheunavoidablestressoflife,mostpeoplefacetimeswhentheyneed
assistance.EAPsprovideemployeesaccesstocounselingandotherservices.Without
theaidofEAPcounselors,theeffectsofstresscanspiraloutofcontrol.Employee
assistanceprogramsgiveindividualstheopportunitytoseekhelpandlearntheskills
necessarytoimprovetheirworklifebalance.
TypicalEAPTopics:

Personalcrisis
Workstress
Finances
Substances

EAPsareusefulinvestmentsbecausetheypreventturnoverandreduceabsencesastheteachstrategies
forworklifebalance.

Page17

Reward Your Staff

Thismayseembasic,butrewardingyourstaffisaneffectivemethodforpromoting
worklifebalance.Employeeswhofeelappreciatedaremoreconfident,andrewards
reinforcethebehavioryouwanttoseerepeated.Rewardscanalsoprovidebreaks
thatreducestress.Rewardsdonothavetobreakthebank.Therearesimplewaysto
thankyouremployeesfortheirservice.
UsefulRewards:

Publicacknowledgementofservice

Extratimeoff

Awards

Promotions

Parties

Case Study
TheCEOofalargeretailerlistenedtothesuggestionsfromemployeeswho
wantedhimtocreatehoursthatweremoreflexible.Theplanwasimplemented
onatrialbasisandwouldbereviewedperiodically.Atthefirstreview,
productivityincreasedby8percent.Bythesecondreview,itimprovedanother5
percent.Moralewasupandturnoverwasdown,sotheCEOdecidedtokeepthe
flexiblehoursandlookintootheremployeesuggestions.

Page18

Module Four: Review Questions

1. Flextimeoffers_____?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Companycontrol
Employeecontrol
Employercontrol
Familycontrol

2. Employeecontrolincreases_______?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Profits
Turnover
Loyalty
Stress

3. Whydomostmanagersnotseekoutemployeesuggestions?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Time
EmployeeCode
Theydontcare
Money

4. Whatshouldprovidecuestoyourcommunication?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Yourownfeelings
Feelingsofothers
Thetoneofvoice
Thetruth

5. Whatisthefirstthingyoushoulddoafterreceivingemployeesuggestions?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Thankemployees
Rewardemployees
Makeadecision
Respondtoemployees

6. WhattypesofservicesdoEAPstypicallyprovide?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page19

Medical
Dental
Counseling
Vision

7. Appreciatedemployeesaremore_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Confident
Likelytoleave
Nervous
Ambitious

8. Whatreinforcesgoodbehavior?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Demands
Discipline
Expectations
Rewards

9. Howmuchdidproductivityimprovebythefirstreview?
a)
b)
c)
d)

5percent
15percent
8percent
13percent

10. Whatwentupbesidesproductivity?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page20

Turnover
Morale
Injuries
Absences

Time is what we want most, but what we use

worst.
William Penn
Module Five: Tips in Time Management
Mostpeoplecomplainthattheydonothaveenoughtime.
Thetruthis,however,thatmostpeopledonotknowhowto
managetimewisely.Timemanagementiscrucialtoan
effectiveworklifebalance.Effectivelyimplementingtime
managementwillreducestressandhelpbringbalancetolife
inandoutoftheoffice.

The Urgent/Important Matrix

Manypeopleconfusetheurgentwiththeimportant.Urgenttasksdoneedtobedone
quickly,butthatdoesnotmakethemimportant.Weareoftenstuckcompleting
urgenttasksattheexpenseoftheimportantones.Importanttasksaretheonesthat
helpusmeetgoals.Often,urgenttasks,suchasfixingthecopymachine,are
distractionsfromwhatisimportant.Learningthedifferencebetweenurgentand
importantwillbetteranyonestimemanagementskills.

Page21

TheUrgent/ImportantMatrix

Urgentand
Important

Important,But
NotUrgent

Crisis
Problems
Deadlines

Opportunities
Progress
Highvalue
Longterm

Urgent,ButNot
Important

NotUrgentand
NotImportant

Maintenance
Routinetasks

Trivia

Learn to Say No
Managingtimerequiresthatpeoplelearntosayno.Thismayseemcruel,butitis
notpossibletomeeteveryonesneeds.Youmustlearntosaynokindlybutfirmly.
Donotallowpeopletotalkyouintourgenttasks.Youneedtostickwithaschedule
andplanofaction.Donotdeviateunlessitisatrueemergency.Forexample,
proofingacolleaguesletterisnotanemergencythatyoumustcompleteatonce.
Completeyourimportanttasksfirst.

Page22

Stay Flexible
Flexibilityisanimportantskill.Lifecannotbepredicted,andinflexiblepeoplefallto
pieceswhenchangebeyondtheircontrolcomes.Beingflexiblesimplymeansthat
youarenotresistingtheinevitablechangesoflife.Flexibilityisnotpassivity.Itis
beingabletoembracechange.Thiswillreducestressandimproveworklifebalance.
Forexample,cartroublewillthrowoffyourschedule,sodonottrytokeepupwith
yourtasksthatday.

80/20 Rule
Accordingtothe80/20rule,80percentofoursuccessistheresultofonly20
percentofouractions.Theruleimpliesthatweshouldplaceourfocusonthe
20percentofactivitiesthatarethemostsuccessful.Thisrequiresthatwe
prioritizegoals.Whenthisisdone,concentrateonthe20percentofactivities
thataggressivelymoveyoutowardsthosegoals.Givemostofyourattentionto
this20percent.

Case Study
Markalwayshadthebestintentionswhenhewenttowork,buthealwayshadto
staylate.Hespentmostofhistimefixingotherpeoplesproblems.Hemade
copiesforhissecretarywhenthemachinewasactingup.Hetrainedhispartners
mentee,andhemetwithangryclients.Healwayssaidyeswhenaskedtohelp.
Hisaverageworkweekwas60hoursandhewasnowherenearhispersonalgoals.
Hehadtodosomething.

Page23

Module Five: Review Questions

1. Importanttasksarerelatedto_______.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Work
Goals
Emergencies
Family

2. Whatdistractsfromourgoals?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Importanttasks
Emergencies
Urgenttasks
Family

3. Whatisproofingafriendsletter?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Emergency
Important
Valuable
Urgent

4. Howshouldyousayno?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Sweetly
Firmly
Passively
Gently

5. Whenlifeisunexpected,youneed______?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Aplan
Flexibility
Tosayno
Firmness

6. Whatdoesflexibilityaccomplish?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page24

Increaseconfidence
Improvegoal
Reducestress
Createstress

7. Whatisnecessaryforthe80/20rule?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Priorities
Calculator
Time
Flexibility

8. Whatactivitiesshouldyoufocuson?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Allofthem
Workactivities
Familyactivities
Thosethatmovetowardgoals

9. HowmanyhoursaweekdoesMarkwork?
a)
b)
c)
d)

40
55
60
80

10. WhatdoesMarkneversay?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Icandoit
No
Illhelp
Yes

Page25

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a

goal, not people or things.
Albert Einstein
Module Six: Goal Setting
Inordertoeffectivelymanagetimeandliveabalancelife,youmust
beawareofyourgoals.Itisimportantthatyouhavegoalsbecause
theyprovidedirection.Workingtowardsagoalwillhelpfocus
energyandreducethestressthatcomeswithnothavingapurpose.

The Three Ps
TherearethreePsthatwillhelpyouachievegoals.Approachingyourgoals
incorrectlywillonlyresultinfailure.ThethreePswillmotivateyouandhelpkeep
youfrombecomingdiscouraged.Whensettinggoals:youmustmakesurethatthey
arepositive,personal,andpresent.
Ps

Positive:Goalsshouldbephrasedpositively,sotheyhelpyoufeelgoodaboutyourselfandwhat
you'retryingtoaccomplish.Abetteralternativemightbethis:"EnrollinprelawclassessoIcan
helppeoplewithlegalproblemssomeday."

Personal:Goalsmustbepersonal.Theymustreflectyourowndreamsandvalues,notthoseof
friends,family,orthemedia.Whencraftingyourgoalstatement,alwaysusethewordIinthe
sentencetobranditasyourown.Whenyourgoalsarepersonal,you'llbemoremotivatedto
succeedandtakegreaterprideinyouraccomplishments.

Possible:Whensettinggoals,besuretoconsiderwhat'spossibleandwithinyourcontrol.
GettingintoanIvyLeagueuniversitymaybepossibleifyouareearninggoodgradesbut
unrealisticifyou'restruggling.Inthelattercase,amorereasonablegoalmightbetoattenda
universityortradeschoolthatofferscoursesrelatedtoyourchosencareer.Youmightalso
pursuevolunteerworkthatwouldstrengthenyourcollegeapplications.

Page26

SMART Goals
Goalscannotbeachievediftheyareimpossible.SMARTgoalsmakeiteasierto
achievesuccessbecauseyouknowthatsuccessiswithinreach.
AspectsofSMARTgoals:

Specific:Goalsmustbespecific.Anexampleofaspecificgoalis:workout30
minutesaday.

Measurable:Measurablegoalsletyouknowwhenyouaresuccessful.Forexample,lose5
poundsismeasurable.

Attainable:Allgoals,particularlyshorttermgoals,needtobeattainable.Forexample,
promotingthreetimesinsixmonthsisnotattainable.

Relevant:Goalsmustberelevanttothesituation.Agoaltofindamentorisnotrelevantto
someonewhoisestablishedinhisorherfield.

Timely:Goalsrequirespecifictimeframes.Forexample,lose5poundsthismonthisboth
measurableandtimely.

Visualization
Visualizationmeanscomingupwithamentalpictureofagoalandthenbelieving
thatthegoalwillhappen.Manysuccessfulpeopleusevisualizationtechniques.The
processofvisualizationmayseemlikeawasteoftimetosome,butvisualizingagoal
helpsthemindtoviewthatgoalasatangiblepossibilityratherthansomeindistinct
desire.
Steps:

Chooseagoal:Visualizationmustbespecific.Chooseasinglegoaltovisualize.Itiseasierto
startsmall.

Relax:Carveoutthetimetorelaxandfocusonvisualizingthegoal.

Visualize:Picturethegoalasachievedingreatdetail.Seeithappeninginthepresent.

Accept:Believethatthegoalwillcometrue,andaffirmittoyourself.Affirmationsareuseful
toolsthathelpwinacceptance.

Page27

Prioritizing Your Goals

Allgoalsneedtobeprioritized,soyouknowhowtofocusyourenergy.Inorderto
dothis,youmustconsiderhowSMARTgoalsalignwithyourpersonalvisionand
valuesinlife.Agoalthatdoesnotmeetpersonalvaluesislesslikelytobereached.
UsethesecriteriatorankSMARTgoals.Itisimportantthatyoubalancegoalswithin
differentareasofyourlife.
Prioritizing
Goals

Earnabonusthisquarter.

Learnanewlanguagethisyear.
Finishaprojectearly.

Completetheschedule.

Sleep8hoursanight.

Priorities
B
C
C
A
A

Case Study
Samhadgoalsbutheneverseemedtoreachthem.Hisdreamofowninghisown
businessfeltlikeitwasslippingaway.Hegrewdiscouragedanddiscusseditwithhis
mentor.Samlearnedthathewasneverabletoreachhisgoalsbecausetheywere
unattainable.Theywereallvaguelongtermgoals.SamcreatedSMARTgoals.Aftera
fewmonths,hewasencouragedbyhissuccessandfeltlikehewasontrackfor
owninghisownbusiness.

Page28

Module Six: Review Questions

1. Goalsshouldnotbe_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Positive
Personal
Present
Performed

2. Goalsshouldspeaktoyou________.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Professionally
Privately
Personally
Easily

3. Whataspectofagoalletsyouknowwhenyouhavebeensuccessful?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Measurable
Attainable
Specific
Timely

4. Whatmakesthegoalpossibletoachieve?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Measurable
Attainable
Specific
Timely

5. Visualizegoalsinthe______.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Past
Present
Future
Predeterminedtime

6. Howmanygoalsshouldyouvisualizeatonce
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page29

1
2
3
4

7. _____makesalastingimpression.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Bodylanguage
Words
Appearance
Clothing

8. Bodylanguagecancommunicate_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Experience
Estimation
Expectations
Deception

9. WhatwasSamsgoal?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Earnapromotion
Getmarried
Ownabusiness
Saveforretirement

10. WhatSambeginsusingtofeelmoresuccessful?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page30

3Ps
Smartgoals
Visualization
Prioritizing

What we hope ever to do with ease, we must

learn first to do with diligence.
Samuel Johnson

Module Seven: Optional Ways to Work

Thetraditionalmethodsofworkmayincreasestress
andimbalanceinlife.Eachpersonisunique,and
providingdifferentworkoptionswillallowpeopleto
choosethemethodthathelpsthembetheirmost
productiveandmaintaintheirbalance.Whileitmaynot
bepossibletoprovideeveryoption,allowingfor
differentworkstyleswillimprovecompanycultureand
promotebalance.Eachoptioncomeswithitsownpros
andcons,soexaminethemcarefullybeforechoosinga
newwaytowork.

Telecommuting
Giventhewayweusetechnology,telecommutingisapopularworkoption.This
allowspeopletoworkfromhomeandsendtheirprojectsinwhentheyaredue.
Pros:

Cost:Companiescanreduceoverheadandothercostsbyallowing
employeestoworkfromhome.

Productivity:Peoplewhoworkfromhomeareoftenmoreproductive.

Lowersstress:Manyemployeesbenefitfromlosingmorningcommutesanddistractingoffice
mates.

Personalcontrol:Employeeswhoworkfromhomeareabletotakeresponsibilityfortheirown
schedules.

Cons:

Communication:Whenallcommunicationiselectronic,employeesmaynotcommunicateas
wellastheycanfacetoface.Additionally,alackofsocialinteractioncanisolateemployeesand
stuntcompanyculture.

Page31

Motivation:Peoplewhoarenotselfdrivenarenotsuccessfulneedmoreaccountabilitythan
telecommutingoffers.

Longerhours:Somepeopleworklongerhourswhentheytelecommutebecausethereisno
distinctionbetweenworkandhome.

Job Sharing
Jobsharingisapopularoptionthatallowsemployeestobalancetheirworkand
homelives.Thistechniqueallowstwopeopletoshareajob,witheachone
workingparttimehours.
Pros:

Betterattendance:Whenpeoplehavethetimetohandlepersonal
matters,theyarelesslikelytomisswork.

Continuity:Withtwopeoplesharingajob,thereisalwayssomeonetocomeinandcoverfora
sickemployee.

Morale:Employeeswhoareabletofindworklifebalancehavebettermoraleandproductivity.

Cons:

Conflict:Peoplewhowanttobeincontrolmaynotenjoyhavinganequalsharetheir
responsibilities.Thiscancauseconflictsbetweenjobsharers.

Inequality:Ifoneemployeeismoreeffectivethantheother,thatemployeemayshouldertoo
muchresponsibility.

Morepaperwork:Employershavetodoublethepaperworkforsharedjobs.

Page32

Job Redesign
Sometimesitisnecessarytoredesignapositiontoalleviatestress.Thisrequires
analyzingandchangingthescopeandresponsibilitiesofapositioninawaythatwill
motivateemployeesandimprovetheirworklifebalance.
Themethod:

Content:Discoverwhatinformationcontentleadstoproblemsatwork.

Information:Analyzejobinformationtofindinconsistencies.

Elements:Changetheelementsofthejob.

Description:Rewritethejobdescription.

Responsibilities:Refocusresponsibilitiesbasedonthedescription.

Flex Time
Flextimedoesnotalterthenumberofhoursemployeeswork,butitdoesgive
themtheflexibilitytochoosewhentheywork.Forexample,anemployeemay
choosetocomeat7:00amandleaveat4:00pmtospendtimewithfamily.
Pros

Productivity:Peoplearemoreproductivewhentheyknowthattheywillbeabletotakecareof
theirotherobligations.

Morale:Everyonesinternalclockisdifferent.Peoplearehappierwhentheycanworkattheir
optimaltimes.

Cons

Difficulttomanage:Managersmayhavetroublecoordinatingmeetingswheneveryoneworks
differenthours.

Miscommunications:Itiseasytoforgettocommunicateideaswithpeoplewhohavealready
leftfortheday.

Page33

Case Study
Asmallbusinessownerhadtroublewithemployeeabsenteeism.Manyofhis
workersweretakingtimeofftohandlefamilyresponsibilities.Whilehecouldnot
faultpeopleforleavingtopickupsickchildren,productivitywasdown.Aftercareful
consideration,heofferedhisemployeestheopportunitytotelecommute.Aftersix
months,productivityimprovedby20percent.Additionally,hisoverheadcost
droppeddramatically.Hebeganlookingintootheroptionstohisemployees.

Page34

Module Seven: Review Questions

1. Howdoestelecommutingfinanciallybenefitcompanies?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Improvesales
Increaseturnover
Reduceturnover
Reducecost

2. Littlecommunicationcanincreaseasenseof_________.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Aggression
Bitterness
Isolation
Interest

3. Whatisaconofjobsharing?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Conflict
Attendance
Continuity
Morale

4. Whatisaproofjobsharing?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Conflict
Attendance
Inequality
Paperwork

5. Whatisthefocusofredesign?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Productivity
Worklifebalance
Cost
Attendance

6. Thedescriptionshouldberewrittentoremove____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page35

Responsibilities
Cost
Inconsistencies
Objections

7. Whatchangeswithflextime?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Whenhoursareworked
Numberofhoursworked
Location
Policies

8. Whatisaconofflextime?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Morale
Productivity
Worklifebalance
Miscommunication

9. Whatoptionwasintroduced?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Flextime
Jobsharing
Telecommuting
Jobredesign

10. Howmuchdidproductivityimprove?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page36

10percent
20percent
30percent
50percent

People who cannot find time for recreation are

obliged sooner or later to find time for illness.
John Wanamaker

Module Eight: At Work

Keepingbalancewhenatworkisdifficult.Outsideinfluencesalways
trytocreepinanddestroyproductivity.Becomingsidetracked,
however,simplycreatesjobrelatedstressthatfurtherincreasesthe
levelofimbalanceyouexperience.Fortunately,thereareafew
usefultipsthatwillhelpyouregainyoursenseofbalancewhileat
work.

Leave Home Stress at Home

Everyonehaspersonalproblemsthatcreatestressandhinderjobperformance.If
theseissuesaresevere,itmaybenecessarytotakealeaveofabsence.Inmost
cases,however,therearebetterstrategiestohelpleavethehomestressathome.
Strategies:

Getupearly:Getupearlyenoughtotakeafewminutesandprepareforanewday.Focuson
whatisaheadandnotthepast.

Takeadvantageofthecommute:Viewthecommuteasachancetoenteryourworkzone.
Thatis,mentallygearupfortheworkday.

Communicateappropriately:Discussyourproblemswithafriendorconfidantoutsideofwork.
Donotventabouthomestresstoyourcoworkers.

Findoutlets:Discoverusefulwaystoalleviatestress,suchasexercise.Thiswillhelpkeepyou
focusedthroughouttheworkday.

Page37

Break up Large Tasks

Projectsanddeadlinescanbeoverwhelming.Ifyouhavealargetaskaheadofyou,
youmightbetemptedtoprocrastinate.Thiswillonlycreatemorestress.Abetter
solutionisbreakingupthetask.
Tips:

Listthestepsthatarenecessarytocompletethetask.

Scheduletimeforeachstep.

Completetheeasieststepfirst,andthenmoveontothenexteasiest.Thiswillgiveyouasense
ofaccomplishment.

Donotlookahead.Focusonthetaskathand.

Delegate
Peoplecanavoidstressbysimplydelegatingresponsibility.Thissoundssimple,
butmanypeople,particularlythoseinmanagement,haveproblemsdelegating
authority.Theydonottrustotherstodothejob.Thereareafewtipsthatwill
helpanyonefeelmoreconfidentaboutdelegating.
Steps:

Choosetaskstodelegate:Donotdelegatesensitiveordifficulttasks.

Choosepeopletohelp:Findresponsiblepeopleyoutrusttohandlethetasksforyou.

Giveinstructions:Makesurethatyoucommunicateclearinstructionswithdeadlines.

Beavailable:Letpeopleknowthattheycancometoyouwithquestions,butdonothoverover
them.

Page38

Set Accurate Goals

Accurategoalsdecreasestress.Thisinvolvesestimatingthetimethatitwilltake
tocompletesomething.Thereareafewstepsthatwillhelpyousetaccurate
goals.
Steps:

Familiarizeyourselfwiththerequirements.

Listtheactionsthatneedtohappen.

Estimatethetimenecessaryforeachactionyouneedtotake.

Estimatethetotaltimenecessaryforatask.

Case Study
TheCEOofathrivingsmallbusinesswasoverworked.Hewasaccusedofbeinga
micromanager,buthedidnottrustotherpeopletomanagehiscompanyfor
him.Thisslowedproductivitybecausehehadtopersonallyapproveeverything.
Finally,afamilyweddingforcedhimtotaketimeoff.Hedelegatedmanyofhis
responsibilitiestotheVPandotheremployees.Whenhereturned,heexpected
tofindamess,buthediscoveredthatproductivityimproved25percentwhenhedidnotmakepeople
cometohimwitheverydecision.

Page39

Module Eight: Review Questions

1. Whoshouldyouavoidventingtoabouthomestress?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Friend
Counselor
Family
Coworker

2. Whatshouldyoufocusoninthemorning?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Past
Stressors
Future
Loss

3. Whatarewetemptedtodowhenoverwhelmed?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Procrastinate
Focus
Workquickly
Slowdown

4. Whatshouldyouavoiddoingwhenbreakinguptasks?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Focusing
Lookingahead
Settingaschedule
Dividingthetask

5. Whatshouldbedelegated?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Complextasks
Simpletasks
Sensitivetasks
Personalerrands

6. Whatshouldyouneverdoafterdelegatingatask?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page40

Beavailable
Help
Hover
Answerquestions

7. Whatisthefirststeptoaccurategoals?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Befamiliarwiththerequirements
Listthedifferentactions
Makeindividualestimates
Makethetotalestimate

8. Accurategoalsarefocusedon_______.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Challenges
Steps
Changes
Time

9. WhydidtheCEOfinallydelegate?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Health
EmployeeComplaints
Familywedding
Conference

10. Howmuchdidproductivityimprove?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page41

15percent
25percent
10percent
20percent

A man who suffers or stresses before it is

necessary, suffers more than is necessary.
Seneca

Module Nine: At Home

Weshouldbeabletorelaxathomeandunwindafteraharddayat
work.Unfortunately,thisdoesnotalwayshappen.Homehasstress
ofitsown,anditseemslikethestressfromworkisconstantly
waitingtospilloverintoourhomelives.Tohaveworklifebalance,it
isimportanttolearnhowtoeffectivelymanagethestressand
obligationsathome.

Leave Work Stress at Work

Bringingthestressofworkhomewillruinyourfamilylife.Additionally,notbeing
abletoseparatefromworkwilldestroyyourbalance,increasingyourstresslevel.
Luckily,thereareafewstrategiesthatwillhelpkeepworkseparate.
Strategies:

Stoponthewayhome:Onparticularlystressfuldays,youmaywanttostop
somewhereforafewminutesanddecompress.

Ventinthecarortoafriend:Usethedailytrafficjamasachancetoexpressyourfrustrations
toyourselfinsteadofrantingaboutthemtoyourfamily.

Enjoyyourfamily:Donotfocusonthedownsideoffamilylife.Findwaystospendtime
togetherthateveryoneenjoys.

Findoutlets:Discoverusefulwaystoalleviateworkstress,suchasexerciseormeditation.
Practicingthesewillhelpyoufocusonthepresent.

Page42

Turn Your Phone Off

Cellphoneshavemadeitnearlyimpossibletoescapethepressuresoflife.Nowthere
isalwaysawayforsomeonetoreachus.Notonlyareweinundatedwithphonecalls,
wehaveemailsandsocialnetworkstoworryabout.Thereisonlyonewaytofixthe
problemandalleviatestress:TURNOFFTHEPHONE.Itisacceptableandhealthyto
occasionallydisconnect.Silencingthephonedoesnotcountasdisconnecting.Itdoes
notmatterwhenyoudisconnect,justthatyoudo.

Take Some Me Time

Metimeisessentialtoapersonshealthandwellbeing.Often,peoplethinkthat
metimeisadayatthespaorsomethingelseextravagantthattheycannotaffordto
do.Actually,metimeismuchsimpler.Itisanythingthatyoudojustforyourself.
Thereisnosetexpenseortimeframethatyouhavetofollowwhentakingmetime.
Itcanbeassimpleastakingawalk.Theonlyimperativeconcerningmetimeisthat
youactuallytakeit.

Maintain Your Boundaries

Boundariesareimportantineveryaspectoflife.Withoutthem,peoplewill
constantlypullourattentionawayfromwhatisimportant.Inordertoachievework
lifebalance,itisnecessarytoestablishboundariesbetweenworkandhome.This
willrequireyoutodeterminewhatthoseboundariesareandcommunicatethem.
Forexample,youmaysetaboundarythatsaysyoudonottakecallsafter7:00pm.
Eachpersonsboundarieswillbedifferent,sothinkaboutwhatworksforyou.
Onceyousetyourboundariesandcommunicatethem,youneedtomaintainthem.Peoplenaturally
pushboundaries,andtheywilltestyou.Youneedtostaystrong.Forexample,letacallgotovoicemail
andonlyreturnitifthematteristrulyanemergencythatcannotwait.Oddsarethatitisnot.After
sometime,otherpeoplewilllearntorespectyourboundaries.

Page43

Case Study
Astoremanagerwasoverworked.Itseemedlikeeverytimeshehadadayoffshewas
floodedwithphonecalls.Thefrustratingpartwasthatmostofthecallswerenot
important.Theywerequestionslikewhereistheordersheet?Finally,shetoldhis
employeesthatshewouldnolongeranswerherphoneondaysoff.Theycouldleave
amessage,andshewouldcallbackifitwereimportant.Overtime,thenumberof
callsshereceiveddiminisheddrastically.Shewasmorerelaxedandproductivewhen
shewasabletokeepworkoutofherhomelife.

Page44

Module Nine: Review Questions

1. Whatwillhelpkeepworkstressoutofthehomeonparticularlydifficultdays?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Venttofamily
Stopsomewhere
Worklate
Takethebus

2. Whatisaninappropriatewaytoventaboutwork?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Toafriend
Inthecar
Tofamily
Toyourself

3. Whatisnotaccessiblebycellphone?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Downtime
Calls
Email
Socialnetwork

4. Whatistheonlywaytodisconnect?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Keepthephonebythebed
Turnoffthephone
Silencethephone
Carrythephone

5. Whatistrueofmetime?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Itrequiresafullday
Youmusttakeit
Itiscostly
Itisoptional

6. Whatisnotanexampleofmetime?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page45

Walk
Spaday
Workcalls
Coffeebreak

7. Boundarieschangewith_______.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Eachperson
Eachjob
Timeofday
Culture

8. Whatistrueofboundaries?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Theyarenotimportant
Theyareuniversal
Peoplealwaysrespectthem
Peoplewillpushthem

9. Whywasthemanagerfrustrated?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Notenoughphonecall
Poorcommunication
Toomanyphonecalls
Notenoughemployees

10. Whatstrategydidheimplement?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page46

Metime
Boundaries
Delegate
Accurategoals

Tension is who you think you should be.

Relaxation is who you are
Chinese Proverb

Module Ten: Stress Management

Itisimpossibletoexperienceworklifebalancewithout
stressmanagement.Stressisunavoidable.Ifwedonot
handleitwellitcancauselastingphysicalandpsychological
damage.Ontheotherhand,managingstresscancombatits
negativeeffects.Fortunately,stressmanagementisnottoo
complicated;anyonecanlearnhowtomanagestress.

Exercise
Everyoneknowsthatexerciseisanimportantpartofahealthylifestyle,butitis
alsoakeyaspecttomanagingstress.Exerciseaffectspeoplementallyaswellas
physically.Itproducesendorphinsthatwillimproveyourmoodandprevent
depression.Inordertoreapthebenefitsofexercise,however,youmustbe
consistentwithit.
TipsforSuccess:

Chooseanexerciseyouenjoy:Youwillnotrepeatanactivitythatyouhatedoing.

Startslowly:Ifyouoverdoit,youwillsimplybecometiredanddiscouraged.

Scheduleit:Exercisemustbeapriorityoryouwillnevergettoit.

Page47

Eating Well
Diethasastrongimpactonouremotionsandthewaythatwehandlestress.Eating
wellisanimportantfactorinstressmanagement.Unfortunately,ourbodiescrave
fatty,saltyfoodsintimesofstress.Ratherthangivingintofastfoodcravings,focus
ongettinghealthy.
Tips:

Avoidsugarandcaffeine:Theirhighsmaygiveyoumoreenergy,butonceyoucrash,youare
leftmoreexhaustedthanbefore.

Focusonnutrition:Besuretoincludewholegrains,leanprotein,andleafygreeninyourdiet.

Eatfrequently:Increaseyourfocusbyeatingsmallhealthysnacksthroughouttheday.Thiswill
balancebloodsugarandincreaseenergy.

Getting Enough Sleep

Manypeoplearesleepdeprived.Expertsrecommendsleepingbetweensevenand
ninehoursanight.Sleepdeprivationincreasesstress,weakenstheimmune
system,andraisestheriskofhavinganaccident.Giventheimportantrolethat
sleepsplaysinphysicalandmentalhealth,itonlymakessensetodoeverythingin
yourpowertoimprovesleep.
WaystoImproveSleep

Avoidelectronicsbeforebed:Studiesshowthatthelightofthetelevision,phone,orcomputer
maymakefallingasleepdifficult.

Relax:Unwindwitharelaxingroutinebeforebed.

Exercise:Exercisewillmakeiteasiertofallasleep.

Haveabedtime:Aregularbedtimewilltrainyourbodysinternalclockandhelpyoufallasleep.

Page48

SelfAssessment
Wearenotalwaysawareofhowmuchstressisaffectingourlives.Itispossibleto
believethatyouareeffectivelymanagingyourstresswhen,inreality,stressis
managingyou.Thisiswhyitisimportanttostepbackandassessyourstresslevel.
Theresultsoftheassessmentwillrevealanychangesthatyouneedtomakeinorder
toimproveyourstressmanagement.Youcanusetheresultsoftheassessmentto
makethenecessarychangestoyourdiet,exercise,andsleeproutines.

Case Study
Sheliaworkedfulltimeandattendednightclasses.Tofiteverythingintoher
schedule,shesleptlessandquitgoingtothegym.Soon,shebegantoeatmore
fastfood.Shecametocraveit.Tomakemattersworse,shefeltlikeshewas
failingasbothanemployeeandastudent.ShewasbarelyaCstudent.
Acounselorsuggestedthatshefocusoneatingright,exercising,andgetting
moresleep.Sheilaresistedatfirst,butshefinallygavein.Aftergoingbacktothegym,sherealizedthat
shewassleepingbetterandabletofocus.Thedietwasdifficult,butshesoonlostherjunkfood
cravings.Afterasemesterofhealthyliving,shehadaBaverage.

Page49

Module Ten: Review Questions

1. Whatdoesexerciseproducethatfightsstress?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Concurrent
Compatible
Revised
Endorphins

2. Exercisemustbe______tobeeffective?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Difficult
Strenuous
Consistent
Sporadic

3. Whatdopeoplecraveintimesofstress?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Leafygreens
Protein
Fattyfood
Grains

4. Whatisthedrawbacktocaffeine?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Energy
Crash
High
Taste

5. Howmanyhoursshouldpeoplegeteachnight?
a)
b)
c)
d)

6
8
5
10

6. Whatisnotaneffectofsleepdeprivation?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Page50

IncreasedStress
Weakimmunesystem
Increasedimmunefunction
Accidents

7. Howdoyoudeterminehowwellyouaremanagingstress?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Selfassessment
Hoursslept
Commentsfromfriends
Commentsfromfamily

8. Whatwillnotneedtochangetoimprovestressmanagement?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Diet
Exercise
Sleep
Doctor

9. Whatwashergradewhenstressed?
a)
b)
c)
d)

A
B
C
D

10. Whatwashergradeafterlearningtomanageherstress?
a)
b)
c)
d)

A
B
C
D

Page51

I am free because I know that I alone am

morally responsible for everything I do.
Robert A. Heinlein

Module Eleven: Working in a Home Office

Workingfromhomehasitsadvantagesanddisadvantages.Working
inahomeofficeandmaintainingworklifebalancerequires
preparationandregularevaluationofyourworkpractices.Ifyouare
notcareful,yourhomeofficecantakeoveryourlife.Byfollowinga
fewguidelines,youcanavoidburnoutasyoutakeadvantageof
workingathome.

Setting Up a Home Office

Itisimportanttosetupthehomeofficeproperlyinthebeginning.Apoorwork
environmentwillonlyharmproductivity.So,makesurethatyouarecomfortableand
haveallofthetoolsthatyouneedtodoyourjobwell.
TheSetUp:

Location:Chooseaseparateroomoralocationthatisoutoftheway.Thiswillhelpprevent
distractionsandcreateaprofessionalworkenvironment.Youalsoneedtomakesurethatitis
welllit.

Equipment:Makesurethatyourequipmentisfunctionalandthatyouhaveeverythingyou
need.

Clearouttheoffice:Removeitemsfromtheofficethatarenotworkrelated.Itisnotastorage
shed.

Organize:Organizesuppliessothattheyareaccessible,easytouse,andfunctional.

Makeitaworkspace:Limittheofficeuseforwork.Itisnotaplayarea.

Page52

Setting Boundaries
Itisdifficulttoestablishboundariesinahomeoffice;peopledonotviewahome
thesamewaytheyseetheworkoffice.Becauseyoudonothavecompanypolicies
topreventdistractions,youneedtocreateyourownboundaries.Youcanbase
theseboundariesontherulesandboundariesofyouroldworkplace.Forexample,
donottakepersonalcallswhileyouareworking.Justlikeotherboundaries,expect
peopletochallengethem.Youmuststicktoyourboundaries,however,inorderto
beeffectiveatyourjobandkeepyourworklifeinbalance.

Dealing with Distractions

Itiseasytobecomedistractedwhileworkingfromhome.Thereisnooneto
supervise,andyourfamilycaneasilyforgetthatyouareworking.Fortunately,afew
safeguardswillhelpyouavoiddistractions.
AvoidingDistractions:

Limitaccess:Askyourfamilytostayoutoftheofficewhileyouareworking.
Family,childrenespecially,canbeverydistracting.

Useatimer:Schedulebreaksforactivitieslikesocialnetworking.Donotconstantlysurfthe
internet.

Turnoffthetelevision:Evenifyouneedatelevisionforwork,itdoesnothavetobeonallthe
time.Turnitofftoavoiddistractions.

Setasidetimetotalkonthephone:Youcannotallowyourselftobedistractedbyeveryphone
call.

Make a Schedule and Stick to It

Workingfromhomegivesyouthechancetocreateyourownschedule,butyoudo
needtocreateit.Ifnot,youwillhavetroubleaccomplishingtasksontime.Most
peoplefindaschedulethatsetstasksforeachhourhelpful,butyoumayuseany
formatortimeblockyoulike.
Example:

8:00amBreakfast

8:30amReturnemails

Page53

9:00amCallclients

10:00amResearch

Nomatterhowyoucreateyourschedule,youmuststickwithit.Itistooeasyignoringyourschedule
whennooneismonitoringyourperformance.

Case Study
Sarahwasexcitedabouttheopportunitytoworkfromhome.Shewassureshewould
behappierandmoreproductive.Aftersixmonths,however,shewasmiserable.She
wasconstantlyrunningbehind.Thephoneneverstoppedringing,andshecouldnot
keeppeopleoutofheroffice.Tokeepup,shestayeduplatetoworkafterthechildren
wenttosleep,shefeltlikesheneverstopped.Shedidnotevenhavethetimetoputon
clothesinthemorning.
Finally,sheaskedforhelp.Acounselorexplainedtheimportanceofboundariesand
schedulestoher.Implementingthesetoolswasnoteasybecauseherfamilywasusedtoherworking
aroundtheirschedules.Theypushedatherboundariesconstantly.Afteramonthofperseverance,
however,Sarahnoticedachange.Shewasworkingintheday,andherproductivitysoared.Gonewere
themonthsofworkingatnight.

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Module Eleven: Review Questions

1. Ahomeofficeshouldbe_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Dark
Accessible
Usedformorethanonepurpose
Welllit

2. Whereshouldahomeofficebeideally?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Inthemidstofactivity
Inthekitchen
Aseparateroom
Inthebedroom

3. Youmaybasehomeofficeboundarieson_______.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Workplacerules
Goals
Familyinput
Familyschedule

4. Whatistrueofhomeofficeboundaries?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Theyareeasytokeep
Peoplewillpushthem
Theyarerecognizedbymostpeople
Peoplerespectthem

5. Avoidallowing______intheofficetopreventdistractions?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Books
Family
Equipment
Timers

6. Whenshouldyousurftheinternet?
a)
b)
c)
d)

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Whenbored
Never
Atscheduledbreaks
Afterwork

7. _____maketheschedulewhenyouworkfromhome.
a)
b)
c)
d)

You
Thecompany
Clients
Yourchildren

8. Mostpeoplescheduletasksforeach_____.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Month
Week
Day
Hour

9. Howdidherfamilyreacttoherboundaries?
a)
b)
c)
d)

Theyweresupportive
Theyapproved
Theypushedthem
Theywereangry

10. HowlongdidittakethefamilytoadjusttoSarahsscheduleandboundaries?
a)
b)
c)
d)

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2weeks
1month
3months
6months

It's not the time you put in, but what you put in
the time.

Burges Philosophy
Module Twelve: Wrapping Up
Althoughthisworkshopiscomingtoaclose,wehopethatyour
journeytoimproveyourworklifebalanceskillsisjustbeginning.
Pleasetakeamomenttoreviewandupdateyouractionplan.This
willbeakeytooltoguideyourprogressinthedays,weeks,months,
andyearstocome.Wewishyouthebestofluckontherestofyour
travels!

Words from the Wise

Includesomequotestowrapuptheday.

CatherinePulsifer:Itisbalance;weneedit.Thesadpartisthatsomepeople
paymoreattentiontotheircreditthantheydototheirownbalanceinlife!

StevenR.Covey:Wisdomisyourperspectiveonlife,yoursenseofbalance,
yourunderstandingofhowthevariouspartsandprinciplesapplyandrelate
toeachother

BetsyJacobson:Balanceisnotbettertimemanagement,butbetter
boundarymanagement.Balancemeansmakingchoicesandenjoyingthosechoices.

Lessons Learned

Definedworklifebalance.

Exploredtherisksofanunbalancedlife.

Introducedemployerresourcesforabalancedlifestyle.

Improvedtimemanagementandgoalsetting.

Createdbalanceatworkandathome.

Managedstressathomeandwork

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