Archives for Work/Life Fit
Bring Back the 40-Hour Work Week? Can We Noodle on That?
In the third debate, the President’s history lesson -“we don’t use bayonets and horses”- prompted big buzz, smiles and controversy. But, although billed as a last resort, bayonets still do play a part in military arms, just not a significant one. Another idea - a killer idea - also steeped in history moves toward a […]
Money Does Buy Happiness: Here’s How Much Moolah You Need and Why
In the pursuit of happiness, how many times have we asked ourselves, “How much money is enough?” only to quickly realize we have no idea. Finally, we have the answer. According to the latest research, once you have about $75,000 a year, earning more doesn’t really help. Not surprisingly, people with a comfortable living standard […]
On Extended Travel, Career Breaks & Sabbaticals: Lose Your ‘Tude, America
If you’ve been lucky enough to travel internationally, you probably met other travelers along your way. And you may have noticed: travelers from countries outside the United States usually travel for longer periods of time than Americans do. How many Americans have you met recently who have vacationed for longer than a week? Right. Even […]
A Gen Y’er’s Career Longevity – Whether You Want It or Not
Hey ho, Gen Y. Are you watching your parents grapple with late-in-life work issues such as staying on top of their game in a youth-obsessed world, pensions, retirement and 2nd career issues? Your parents aren’t the only ones who will face these issues. You’ll have your chance too. The difference is you might be facing […]
The Rules of Woo: Wow Customers, Create Success and Live the Life You Want
Aspiring, newly minted and experienced entrepreneurs rejoice! This week I happily devoured a second smart and engaging book to help us lead the life we want. In my last post, I ditched Tony Robbins for Chris Guillebeau. (That was so easy!) Gurgling about the inspirational messages in Guillebeau’s book, “The ART of Non-Conformity: Set Your, Own Rules, Live the Life You Want and […]
Becoming Remarkable: Follow Chris Guillebeau - At Any Age
AARP would do well to pay Chris Guillebeau big bucks to be a spokesperson for their 50-something crowd. Chris won’t be eligible to join AARP for about 20 years, but so what? His writing is sharp, his message has guts, and his passion is contagious. Chris Guillebeau has strong opinions about life, work and travel. […]
Is Your Brain Wired to the Office? Here’s a Sure Fire Way to Disconnect.
Yesterday, I tested out one of the recommendations on how to detach from the office suggested in the Wall Street Journal article, Why Relaxing is Hard Work, June 15, 2020. “Try something new,” was the first suggestion for how to make sure your time away from the office is truly time detached from work. Try something new. Learning something […]
There is Only One Life You Can Call Your Own
Last month I spent a week on a walking tour in the Northern Lakes District of England with poet, David Whyte. In community with 21 others, I experienced the pastures and mountains, villages, locals, cuisine, pubs and sheep (lots of sheep) of the region. The treks were challenging; so is life. No matter your age, title, or size of […]
Multitudes Sing “Take This Job and Shove It.” Then What?
Johnny Paycheck’s 1977 hit went platinum. Don’t know what tune you’re humming, but the research tells us that Paycheck’s song is on the lips of many: Better not try to stand in my way, As I’m walking out the door. Take this job and shove it. I ain’t working here no more. In February, the number of […]
Rethinking Retirement
Post-recession demographics are not only showing that baby boomers plan on working longer to recoup from the financial collapse. What’s also now clear is the way they intend to work in the future - and that has major consequences for talent managers, who must rethink their policies to support the new workplace realty that is […]
Eat, Pray, Love and Julia: Her Teeth and Her Perpetual Happiness
Julia Roberts grew up in Smyrna, Georgia. Since I was part of the school system that raised her (I was a middle school counselor for 10 years), I can say that she never knew a moneyed lifestyle. There was no affluent side of Smyrna at that time (and I don’t think there is now.) Watching […]
Boomer Executives Dealing With Elderly Parents Need Sabbaticals
This past weekend, my mother moved her 95-year-old father from Ohio to Pensacola, Florida, and into an assisted living facility a couple of miles up the road from her house. She had two siblings helping her, but this was still a time-consuming, logistical ordeal. Have you ever prepared an almost-centurion to get through TSA? Have […]
Tim Ferriss’s Definition of Work Makes You Not Want to Work - Ever.
When it comes to defining “work,” Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek (Expanded and Updated, 2010) offers this definition to Max Chafkin, senior writer at Inc. Magazine (March, 2010): Work is an activity that is financially driven or one that you’d like to do less of. I confess, on certain days, my work falls […]
Bored Stiff by Boomers? Tough. And No, Gen Y, We Will Not Retire
An afternoon visit to a Gen Y blog site has me looking for an antacid. Why? Smoldering resentment from the younger generation about Boomers. “Couldn’t they just please retire so we can get some real work done.” “God, they think they are always right.” “And then he told this story about something that happened in […]
Can Moms Have Sabbaticals Too?
Moms of the world, this post’s for you. Whether you work full time, part time or devote all of your energy to your family, are sabbaticals for you? Alina Tugend, a New York Times reporter broaches this subject at the end of her recent column, “The Best Time To Ask For a Sabbatical Could Be […]
You're No Outlier So Maybe You Should Re-Think Success
Gladwell’s manifesto, The Outliers, begins with hockey players and their birth dates. You should check yours because I’m pretty sure you are in the column of “born too late” when it comes to individual greatness. But, let’s keep going anyway and look at the other prerequisites. Exceptional achievement equals being born at the right time […]
When Recession says "Gotcha" to Your Stupid Plan A
Underneath everything - the daily headlines of massive layoffs and bank failures, the squawking of bad news, and your unopened 40l(k) statements - there’s an internal dialogue of worry. Not the worry that this Plan A you are living will be over. You’re pretty sure it will be. The static in your head is because you […]
Slow is Old: Still, A New Lens for Your Life?
The new feeling is s-l-o-w. It’s certainly not positive when it comes to the economy, but other than that, perhaps your work life and life in general are not currently moving as fast as they once were. Do you like slow? Or do you miss fast? How comfortable are you with slow? Is too much […]
Recession Outcome: An Acquired Taste for Free Time?
While some organizations excitedly complete the final design of their first Sabbatical Program, McDonald’s could literally yawn. Their sabbatical program is more than 40 years old. While there is nothing quite like debriefing with a person who’s just returned from their first career break imagine how intrigued we are to interview employees of two other […]
Ferriss' 4-Hour Work Week Inspires Sabbatical Mindset
The 4-Hour Work Week inspires sabbatical mindset
How Will Going Fishing Make Me Better at Work? You'd Be Surprised.
Employers and even individuals can sometimes view a sabbatical as having benefits that are pretty one sided…and slim. The sabbatical taker returns refreshed and rejuvenated. Whoopee! Why not just buy Starwood’s SweetSleeper Bed, pull that downy comforter over your head and get some sleep? When individuals choose to do something on their sabbatical time with […]
Are You Building Your Life with Dots or Lines?
In an interview last week, Elizabeth talked with a man who had taken a 3-month sabbatical - an eye-popping, continent-hopping adventure with family and friends. Right before I was ready to glow blue-green with envy (blue for the two oceans he crossed; green for the amount of money this adventure must have cost), I tripped […]
A Life Lesson Today
Peggy Noonan’s Declarations column in the Wall Street Journal stays pretty political, but yesterday (6/21-22/2008) she tackled the sadness felt at the death of American television journalist, Tim Russert. While the media coverage on Tim Russert was extensive, the messages were also extremely consistent. For four days, we were told how to live a well-lived […]