tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56460926308663607102024-03-05T02:50:08.182-08:00Mums At WorkEmma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-59573583955649582372016-04-05T08:02:00.000-07:002016-04-05T08:02:08.104-07:00Tips for single working mums <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />Single parent families are now the single fastest growing family type in Australia. It has been predicted that over the next 20 years, the numbers of one-parent families will soar by up to 70%. Single parents face different (not necessarily more) challenges to coupled parents. Their needs are unique. One of our working parents recently asked for some support in this area.<br /><br />Here are some resources and tools offered by one of the single parents on our team…<br /><br /><img src="http://parentsatwork.com.au/blog/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Talk to other solo parents</span></h4>
<br />These conversations can be a treasure trove for what works and what doesn’t but mostly it offers some solace when we feel overwhelmed or like we’re not managing well. This Australian website for single mothers has a community forum you can interact with other mums on <a href="http://singlemum.com.au/blogs/">Single Mum</a>. This <a href="http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/single-parent">list of solo parent bloggers</a> may also offer some support.<div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Employ help</span></h4>
<br />How much help you seek will be dependant on your financial situation however you can make this work whatever your budget. For example, I get a cleaner in once a month. My place needs cleaning more often than that but I really need to only do a top up/wipe over every week rather than a full on scrub and glisten. You could also get a baby sister for a couple of hours every so often or once a week to hold the fort while you run around and get errands done (say on a Saturday morning if you work full time). That way you don’t have to drag the kids around and it will probably take 1/4 of the time which leaves more quality time with your kids.<div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Reduce extra-curricular and social activities</span></h4>
<br />With 3 children - if each of them are doing an activity outside of school/childcare it’s going to be a full time job in itself. If the kids are upset about reducing their activities you could talk through some alternatives with them - would they be willing to go with a friend’s parents? Would they be open to taking turns i.e. one child does ballet one term, the other does soccer the next? This can be a tricky one to negotiate but ultimately remember your stress levels are a priority and will effect their wellbeing as well. If we are fully present and stress-free your kids will reap the benefits of that - more than any sport or activity could provide.</div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Utilise your network</span></h4>
<br />Exchange pick-up and drop of responsibilities with another parent or ask for favours from friends. It has surprised me how open and willing child-less friends have been to this. Obviously not everyone is up for the challenge (I have had a no… but this was because they didn’t feel confident in their abilities to care for a small child) however generally my experience is that most relish in the idea that you entrust them with your offspring. I like to remind myself that it takes a village to raise a child - which isn’t relinquishing responsibility - our kids really do learn from each adult they spend time with. Allowing this support has helped me see the real value in in this.<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Prepare your manager</span></h4>
<br />Prepare your manager for how life is going to change for you so he/she has some insight and understanding when issues arise.<br /><br />Discuss flexible work options with them also. These could be anything from starting later and finishing earlier, working from home for some of the day (perhaps in the evening when the kids are in bed). Let yourself imagine the best possible work-life balance scenario – it may just be possible but you won’t know unless you ask. As they say, shy bears get no sweets. Have a few ideas up your sleeve about how you will manage emergency situations i.e. supports you can call in or a ‘making up time’ arrangement with your manager.<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Simplify your routine</span></h4>
<br />The small things like prepping and freezing meals on weekends ready for the week ahead, getting the kids to lay out their clothes and packing school bags the night before etc all help. With any challenge you face ask yourself: what is the simplest way to do this? (as apposed to easiest or best as these imply there is a right way to do things when really we’re after what feels most supportive).<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Be consistent and open with your child/ren</span></h4>
<br />Your kids may push you at times (not always consciously) especially when the other parent is absent. If what they are presenting doesn’t feel good to you stand your ground but keep it consistent and keep communication open. Explain to them the real reason why or why not you made that decision. Yes, a tantrum or argument may ensue still but if we discuss it afterwards there’s a foundation of understanding for the next round the disagreement or reaction comes up. The outcome can be significantly different.<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Accept the To-Do list will never be done</span></h4>
<br />And some days the house doesn’t look and feel as harmonious as you’d like. Letting go of being it all and doing it all can give you the space to really enjoy this time as a sole parent. You and the kids have a great opportunity to work (and play) together which - amongst any sacrifice or chaos - can lead to a time of great growth for you all.<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Make self care a priority</span></h4>
<br />This should really be at the top because if we don’t look after ourselves how can we truly look after another. How do you find the time with 3 kids and a job? It’s a combination of utilising the above points, making the small moments count (like when you’re applying make up - really being present with yourself) and scheduling in some me-time. Me-time gives you a chance to steady yourself amongst the busyness of life. Even 5 minutes can do wonders if it is solely focused on reconnecting to yourself. The <a href="http://www.unimedliving.com/self-care/self-care-tips#sthash.a8eWXNVK.dpuf">Unimed Living website</a> is excellent for self care tips. Here is a link to <a href="http://www.unimedliving.com/meditation/free">ten free 5-15 minute meditations</a> you can do before bed.<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Appreciate all that you are</span></h4>
<br />Take moments regularly to appreciate all that you are able to do to support yourself and your family. Despite what you think at time it's highly likely you are doing an amazing job… you’re not perfect and things aren’t always smooth sailing but you’re doing the best you can with what you’ve got most of the time. The power in appreciating yourself can, in itself, alleviate a lot of stress, guilt and worry.</div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-2783521944326011882016-03-24T16:00:00.001-07:002016-03-24T16:01:29.884-07:00Working Smarter in 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Almost everything in society is telling us to work harder, be better and strive for more. What if this actually creates the opposite effect of what we truly want – to feel great about ourselves and to feel purpose in our lives? If we feel good it makes sense that our work will reflect that – whatever job we do. But what if we don’t feel vital and alive most of the time? How does that affect our work and which comes first the chicken or the egg - work hard, feel bad or feel bad, work hard?<br />
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Consider this: “77% of workers have a chronic health condition: depression, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma and heart attack, that is costing business $84 billion in lost productivity.” Gallup, 2013. And this: “There is a significant cost of work-related stress, depression and anxiety which is over 13 million days a year.” Annual surveys of sickness absence CBI (CIPD/AXA 2012)<br />
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Working hard is clearly taking its toll on us but it needn’t be.</div>
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Being busy and working hard aren’t the same as being effective yet most of us subscribe to these notions. But, why? And what works if ‘hard’ and ‘busy’ don’t?<br />
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<a href="http://parentsandwork.com.au/">Parents@Work</a> recently hosted the teleconference event: Working Smarter in 2016 in an effort to support working carers to address these issues. <a href="http://parentsandwork.com.au/Our-team">Emma Walsh</a>, founder of Parents@Work, interviewed experienced Career Coach and Author – <a href="http://parentsandcarersevents.i-events.info/pub/pubType/EV/pubID/zzzz56bc79156756b240/nc/zzzz56c25f56a8b6d943/interface.html">Rebecca Harper</a> – to discuss ways we can address working smarter not harder.</div>
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The interaction and personal sharing’s of Rebecca, Emma and the working parents on the call provided a space to learn from each other around working smarter as an employee with caring responsibilities. Below are some key points covered:<br />
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<li>Work-life interference is on the increase - we spend 30% of our waking time at work and women are still doing the majority of house and caring work. Mental Health issues are on the increase and they are leading to more people feeling wired/manic and depressed.</li>
<li>We have grown up in a society that values ‘work hard by throwing everything into it – blood sweat and tears’. This is what many believe brings success. This is changing as people focus more on ‘work-life balance’ that suits their individual needs and values health and wellbeing.</li>
<li>Research has found that technology has – in many areas - actually done the opposite of what it was originally intended for – to save time and energy.</li>
<li>It’s very common for people not to use holiday time for down time.</li>
<li>Main ingredients for working smarter are: self-awareness, a known vision and known values.</li>
<li>We constantly feel in conflict if our activities are not in line with our values.</li>
<li>It’s easer to self-manage when you know your strengths and weaknesses. You can then ask for extra support with your weaknesses.</li>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><br />Tips on how to work smarter </span></h3>
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<li>Define what success looks like overall for you – go beyond a few goals. Remember there are many ways of getting to the end game so it’s ok if the path isn’t linear. Focus on your intent not on societies pressure to fit someone else’s picture of success</li>
<li>Be decisive about what you do and know why you are doing it</li>
<li>Only check emails at certain times and if notifications are distracting you turn them off. This helps you focus on one thing at a time.</li>
<li>Limit time suckers - if what you are doing doesn’t help you achieve your work-life goals put it aside</li>
<li>Set an alarm to go to sleep to avoid wasting time on things like scrolling Facebook as entertainment relief for a busy day.</li>
<li>Book a holiday – set aside time for deliberate down time</li>
<li>Out all irrelevant tasks/activities that don’t serve your work/life goals</li>
<li>Implement the 80/20 rule. If some jobs are 80% done well that’s ok. We don’t need to do everything, or everything perfectly.</li>
<li>Bring in extra help.</li>
<li>Find time to do the things that energise you - like exercise and meditation. These stop moments (from work and caring responsibilities) have a huge roll-on effect to your overall wellbeing.</li>
<li>Ask yourself “what can I change or move rather than ‘just get on with it’</li>
<li>Appreciate how valuable your time is - what effect does ‘giving your time away freely’ have on your family?</li>
<li>Create a plan as a family so that you can do it as a unit to support one another to get there. It’s easier to feel committed and to prioritise if you are able to articulate what you want.</li>
<li>Ask: how aligned are my goals with my values? If it feels like you are ‘in flow’ you are well aligned with your values. If not you simply have an opportunity to change your goals.</li>
<li>Be focused and present.</li>
<li>Keep goals small. The more goals we set the less likely we are to achieve them. Realistic goals will increase your level of satisfaction and sense of achievement.</li>
<li>Set priorities each day.</li>
<li>Limit meetings you don’t need to go to.</li>
<li>Have realistic expectation on your self and others.</li>
<li>Constantly review what is working well and what isn’t.Request a Recording</li>
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And finally – THE BIG TIP – Celebrate what you have done not what is yet to be done. Praise yourself and those around you. It does wonders for your sense of wellbeing and outlook on life – even amongst the chaos.</div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Request a recording</span></h3>
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For a recording of this special event email <a href="http://parentsandwork.com.au/Contact">bookings@parentsatwork.com.au</a>.<br />
Special events are complimentary to attend via teleconference with a parents@work membership - <a href="http://parentsandwork.com.au/Contact">contact us now</a> to subscribe.</div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-88198546708933812972016-03-07T16:14:00.000-08:002016-03-07T16:14:25.801-08:00How To Decide How Connected You Want To Be On Maternity Leave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />You might want to check in, or maybe you're looking forward to completely unplugging, but you'll probably end up somewhere in the middle.<br /><br />The two ends of the spectrum on maternity leave are what I like to call "full blackout" (whereby you’re completely offline and unreachable except in case of true, dire emergency) and staying 100% online (plugged in to your office via the various devices you rely on).<br /><br />As for the plugged-in approach: One woman told me matter-of-factly that she worked during her entire maternity leave(s), albeit remotely. "I wanted to stay on top of the projects I cared about," she said. She was also reluctant to completely turn over her work to junior team members because she wanted to be able to seamlessly ramp up again—even though her company and managers would have been fine with her disengaging for a few months. She never even put up an out-of-office message.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">The Partial-Engagement Plan </span></h3>
<br />The truth, though, is that for the majority of high-achieving, career-oriented women, maternity leave falls somewhere in between these two extremes. A partner in a venture capital firm had a "partial blackout" plan, which gave her six weeks of uninterrupted, unplugged time with the baby, and then six more weeks in which she was partially engaged, participating in weekly conference calls and keeping up with email. Unfortunately, just two weeks postpartum, one of her portfolio companies hit upon a true, dire emergency—so she held a board meeting in her kitchen while her mother took care of the baby upstairs. Ever focused, she kept it to two hours to fit between breast-feeding sessions.<br /><br />Many women opted for the partial-engagement side of her plan. Given that the idea of coming back to thousands of unread email messages can be panic-inducing, many occasionally logged on to delete or archive the things that didn’t require their response. Others did scheduled check-ins, or in some cases stopped by the office."Most likely, there are better solutions for your coworkers than having to depend on an underslept new mother, whether it’s an emergency or not."<br /><br />With my second child, when we were a year and a half into running <a href="http://www.weespring.com/">weeSpring</a>, it simply wasn’t an option for me to disengage. I offloaded as much as I could, and then I put up a vague out-of-office message saying I was offline because I’d just had a baby. I was unspecific about a return date, and I directed any urgent questions to my cofounder. The truth, though, was that I checked email regularly, at least a couple of times a day, even in the very beginning. But that out-of-office reply gave me cover on the nonessential emails, allowing me to simply ignore them without being rude.<br /><br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Managing Expectations</span></h3>
<br />Be sure to manage expectations—both those of your colleagues and your own. The first months after having a baby are "a tiring time for your brain," as one woman described. "Most likely, there are better solutions for your coworkers than having to depend on an underslept new mother, whether it’s an emergency or not."<br /><br />If you quarterback your duties and projects thoroughly during your pregnancy, you can pull off a "real" maternity leave without even needing an out-of-office auto response.<br /><br />Early on in her pregnancy, Sara Holoubek, CEO of <a href="http://www.luminary-labs.com/">Luminary Labs</a>, introduced her clients and contacts to the person who’d be taking the reins while she was out, so they had plenty of time to build the relationship. Her team kept a running Google Doc of what was going on so she could stay apprised (on her own schedule), and in their emails to her they utilized subject-line hashtags like #FWYAB (for when you are back) and #IMPT. She could review her email from home without delving into the rabbit hole of things that weren’t urgent, and simply forwarded unanticipated external emails for a colleague to reply to on her behalf.<br /><br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Getting Paid for the Time You Work</span></h3>
<br />A couple of savvy women tracked and were compensated for the time they spent working in the months they were technically out on leave. A partner at a global communications firm used the billable hours she logged during her leave to take Fridays off after she returned to work full time. Laura Walsh Boone, an attorney in West Virginia, said, "I think a lot of employers would be willing to do this if women just knew to ask." And one woman who didn’t get paid leave negotiated a consulting deal for the time she was out of the office.<br /><br />Margo Buchanan leads alternative energy investments for a private company. Since no one else there could shoulder all her responsibilities, her company designated someone to take on her responsibilities under the guidance of Margo’s roughly five-hours-a-week coaching. She loved it: "I wound up managing my old job, but from a higher level. I was happy to take those calls and have a chance to think about something other than nappies or sleep."<br /><br />And she structured the deal smartly; the first five hours were at a very high hourly rate, because she wanted them to think twice about calling her—and if she was going to take time away from the baby, she needed to be well compensated for it. That rate dropped as she accrued more hours over the week, which kept her from pricing herself out of her job as she progressed further along in her leave.<br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br />Full Work Blackout</span></h3>
<br />But full blackout is doable for some. Fran Hauser unplugged completely during her first maternity leave. Prior to leaving she reviewed every major project, assigning it to someone on her team and defining what success looked like. She invested upfront in preparing her direct reports for her absence, and also put together "a massive spreadsheet" for her boss so he’d know who was handling what. Everyone knew how to reach her while she was gone, but no one needed to.<br /><br />What makes this all the more remarkable is that Fran adopted her children, so she didn’t even know that she might be leaving until six weeks prior to her departure. "When you’re pregnant, you have 10 months to plan. When you’re adopting, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s a very vulnerable and tenuous situation." Reluctant to share any news before it looked like the adoption was rock solid (or as rock solid as adoption can be), she waited until two weeks before the birth mother’s due date to tell her colleagues.Everyone knew how to reach her while she was gone, but no one needed to.<br /><br />But in the weeks prior to that announcement, she was quietly getting organized, reflecting on the major things that would happen while she was gone. "I wanted to set everyone up for success," she told me, so she developed spreadsheets with clear deliverables and goals. With all of those lists and outlines ready before her announcement, when she shared her news, she used her time together with the group to ask them to pull together their own assessments of what was critical. Then, when she met individually with her direct reports, she used her notes to add to what they had prepared. Ultimately, everyone was left with a clear sense of what their three-month goals were.<br /><br />In her meeting with her boss, she handed over a document that listed each major initiative (like a product launch or companies they were looking to acquire), along with the person who would own that initiative in her absence. She was also open and transparent about her concerns, calling his attention to the two or three areas in which she thought he might need to get involved; she credits some of her success to being candid about these trouble spots.<br /><br />Her best advice applies to most women planning leave: "The more you can put down on paper for your boss and your direct reports, the more likely you’ll be able to disconnect."<br /><br /><br />Excerpted from <a href="http://herestheplanbook.com/">Here’s the Plan: Your Practical, Tactical Guide to Advancing Your Career During Pregnancy and Parenthood</a>, by Allyson Downey. Published by Seal Press, members of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2016</div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-8839730423099551092016-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-04T11:21:27.142-08:00Going on Parental Leave? 6 Tips To Make It a Success for You—and Your Boss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Parental leave is one of the hottest topics of late among certain cutting-edge employers racing to offer more and more weeks of fully paid leave. But time and pay aren’t the only factors at play when it comes to a successful maternity leave.<br />
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Here are six key issues employees and their employers should consider when creating a successful parental paid leave policy.<br />
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<b>Hire a freelancer to fill in while you’re away.</b> With replacement help (if you and/or your company can swing it), your colleagues will be less likely (even subconsciously) to resent your leave and more likely to celebrate your expanding family. Too often, a new parent’s job responsibilities are divvied up among colleagues, resulting in multiple points of contact for your turnover and return. This can make the transition period disjointed.<br />
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<b>Spend at least two weeks (if possible) with your freelancer shadowing you, pre- and post-leave. </b>The more you make the fill-in a part of the team, the better. Upon your return, this overlap period can be a great opportunity for you to work part-time and transition back slowly. (This is especially helpful if you’re sleep deprived!)<br />
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<b>Be prepared—well ahead of time.</b> A month before your due date, prepare a detailed-yet-concise turnover report with all contacts, deadlines and other important info. Likewise, your fill-in should prepare a turnover report for your return.<br />
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<b>Have your fill-in ping you every month or so</b> to keep you posted on company updates and big wins. This will help you to feel more connected to your team while avoiding the nitty-gritty details and stress of smaller challenges. (That’s what the fill-in is there for!)<br />
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<b>When you return to work, welcome the “newness” of your job. </b>Rather than imagining the fill-in is a threat to your job security, opt to learn from her/him instead. Did the fill-in implement a new process your team now loves? Be open to it and all changes this period will bring, in both your professional and family life.<br />
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Finally, give yourself a vote of confidence. You’ve joined an amazing sisterhood of working mums—and we’re glad to have you on board!<br />
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By: Michelle Meyer <br />
Source: <a href="http://www.workingmother.com/parental-leave-6-best-practices-make-success-you-and-boss">Working Mother </a>Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-15022785587883005912016-01-04T16:33:00.001-08:002016-01-04T16:33:22.954-08:003 Resolutions You're Going to Break—and What You Should Resolve to Do Instead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The first day of the new year is always the same. You start off strong, a long list of resolutions planned, ready to conquer your career goals. And you do—for a week, maybe two, or even a few months if you’re on a roll. <br /><br />Then, something throws you off track. The culprit may just be a seemingly insignificant workplace annoyance, but it has the power to affect your motivation in a big way. <br /><br />It’s easy to become discouraged and frustrated when resolutions don’t go as planned. If, for example, you made it a goal to <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/8-fast-and-easy-hacks-to-organize-your-desk-and-give-the-impression-youre-on-top-of-your-game">organize your desk</a> every morning, but are called into an unscheduled, impromptu meeting first thing one day, it’s natural to think, “Well, I missed today,” letting yourself off the hook. The problem is you forget the next day and for weeks after that. Soon enough, you abandon your goal to get more organized altogether. And such begins the cycle of self-doubt and frustration that ultimately leads to you dropping your resolutions completely. <br /><br />There are a few basic reasons these ambitious goals flop, including overcommitting and attempting to change too much too quickly. Bad habits are hard to break, but it’s even harder to establish new ones. Trying to undo behaviors that have become second-nature is like trying to rewire your brain. <br /><br />In order to help you avoid the usual pitfalls and see your goals to fruition this year, here are three career-related new year’s resolutions you should avoid—and three better goals to aim for instead.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Goal #1: Get a Promotion or Raise</span></h3>
<br />It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and make half-hearted resolutions that you’re not really serious about. At a loss for a better idea or because of pressure from friends and family, you might land on getting a raise or promotion. After all, everyone wants to make more money or have more responsibility, so why not resolve to do so?<br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Why it Will Fail</span></h4>
<br />If the above scenario sounds like you, you probably won’t be working toward this resolution long. Why? Because you likely lack the personal motivation to accomplish it. Goals made because you feel pressured to make them are destined to fail because the commitment just doesn’t exist. While the thought of <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/13-ways-to-show-your-boss-youre-ready-for-the-big-promotion">getting a promotion</a> is intriguing, you may not be ready to take the steps required to make it a reality. You have to be steadfast in your decision and prepared for the longer hours and larger workloads that may accompany it. <br /><br />This plan is also inherently flawed because it depends heavily upon someone else’s judgment. You may be deserving of the raise, but ultimately, higher authorities must sign off. Goals that rely too much on factors beyond your control can be easily derailed, no matter how hard you try to see them through. <br /><br />A resolution centered on earning a raise or promotion also suffers from the problem of the “arrival fallacy:” when we fixate so intensely on a reward that when it arrives, it does not produce the anticipated response. It’s easy to think, “I’ll be happy when…” about a promotion, but this isn’t always the case. Instead of feeling accomplished, for example, you might feel unchanged or even disappointed because you realize the promotion or raise didn’t actually amount to much. Yes, you may get paid more or have more responsibilities, but your work life won’t suddenly be perfect, and your career won’t peak overnight.<br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">The Upgraded Resolution</span></h4>
<br />To make this resolution attainable, shift from aiming for a promotion to focusing on continual improvement. You should be concerned with becoming the type of employee worthy of a raise or promotion. That means zoning in on the skills, traits, and attributes that, if mastered, would make you into a high-value member of your team. Consider speaking with your supervisor about what qualities your company looks for in candidates for promotion, then work toward those specific milestones.<br /><br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Goal #2: Attend More Networking Events</span></h3>
<br />This is a common one because the connection between networking and career success is a much-talked-about phenomenon. You’ve probably heard people say, “It’s all about who you know,” or maybe you’ve seen this philosophy at work in your office.<br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Why it Will Fail</span></h4>
<br />The difficulty with this resolution, admirable as it may be, is that you’re likely forgetting to account for the time it will take to accomplish. Networking means dedicating time to social events, attending conferences, or joining a professional organization. How will these added commitments fit into your already busy schedule?<br /><br />The answer is, they probably won’t. If you’re struggling to keep up with your current responsibilities, trying to add a goal like this one will almost certainly fail. <br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">The Upgraded Resolution</span></h4>
<br />Just because you can’t fit this into your schedule this very second doesn’t mean you should toss it in the trash. If it’s important to you and your professional development, it’s worth taking stock of your responsibilities and making <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/2-little-words-that-will-up-your-networking-game">networking</a> a priority. <br /><br />Start by making a “to-don’t list.” Identify which of your current commitments are most important, and eliminate the rest. No one likes to feel like they’re letting someone down or going back on promises, so saying no to or ending a commitment can be difficult. But, if you’re serious about achieving your goals, then you have to be dedicated to eliminating anything that doesn’t directly contribute to your success. If, for example, you have been helping a co-worker run a subcommittee that isn’t part of your job description, it may be time to pull back in order to free up time for more networking. <br /><br /><h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Goal #3: Be More Assertive</span></h3>
<br />Whether you want to work on your <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-10-rules-of-successful-delegation">delegation skills</a>, say no to additional responsibilities more often, or establish better <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/your-guide-to-setting-boundaries-at-workwithout-making-anyone-resent-you">work-life boundaries</a>, one of the most common workplace resolutions is a declaration to be more assertive. Developing self-assuredness is a worthy goal, especially since passivity can make you feel out of control and may even lead to co-workers treating you like a pushover. Unfortunately, though, simply vowing to do this probably won’t have the impact you want it to.<br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Why it Will Fail</span></h4>
<br />The issue is that it’s far too open-ended. It’s not specific or measureable; thus, it’s far too easy to break. There are no set guidelines for what achieving “assertiveness” means or looks like, no steps for you to take or milestones to work toward. Without those metrics, you’re likely to lose sight of your goal or become frustrated with your lack of improvement before you even give it a chance.<br /><br /><h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">The Upgraded Resolution</span></h4>
<br />In order to make this achievable, narrow the scope. In what specific ways do you want to be <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-be-more-assertive-at-work-without-being-a-jerk">more assertive</a>? How do you plan to operationalize your goal into small, actionable steps that you can complete over time? These answers will be different for everyone, so you’ll need to customize your plan to suit your particular goals. <br /><br />If you’re concerned you don’t speak up enough at work, focus on seizing opportunities to contribute ideas during meeting. Establish a routine of brainstorming 10 ideas for new projects to present in staff meetings. Or, take a public speaking or improv class to get used to talking in front of a group.<br /><br />If you’re a people pleaser, you’ll want to include goals that deal with refusing to take on too many responsibilities. Practice setting expectations with your boss, and establish guidelines for politely turning others down. Saying “no” flat out might be too harsh, but it’s completely acceptable to negotiate a new timeline that fits your busy schedule. <br /><br /><br />While the new year is a great time to reflect upon your career, workplace achievements, and areas in which you would like to improve, there’s absolutely no reason for you to place so much pressure of progress on a single date. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Success at anything is the result of time, practice, and the development of good habits. Self-evaluate and adjust your goals year-round—not just on January 1, 2016. If you slip up every now and then it’s OK! Think of your missteps as an opportunity to reflect, pivot, and keep working toward your dreams.<br /><br /><br />By: Melody Wilding<br />Source: <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-resolutions-youre-going-to-breakand-what-you-should-resolve-to-do-instead" target="_blank">The Muse</a><br /><div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-28809800427851685252015-12-01T17:55:00.000-08:002015-12-01T17:55:00.069-08:005 wise tips to build a successful career<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We’ve all had the thought “If I’d only known what I know now when I was in my 20’s”. It’s now an old cliché. Given the wisdom we accumulate with age is not new and was certainly available when I was in my 20’s (see quotes below), I think a more apt statement is “If only I’d listened”. I know that in my 20’s I thought I knew better than everyone else and consequently, didn’t search out the wisdom available to me and didn’t listen to it when others tried to contribute their wisdom. So it’s taken me 56 years to accumulate what I know now, some of which required that amount of time, and a lot that didn’t.<br />
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So having forewarned you, here are 5 lessons I’ve learnt along the way that work for me and are foundational in the work that I do with my clients.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75;">1. Take on the journey of self-awareness</span></b></h3>
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Find a mentor, not someone who will tell you what to do, but someone who will help you ask the right questions about yourself. The more you know and understand yourself, the more you can create beyond your boundaries.<br />
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<b><i>“The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">2. Determine what is important to you (your values)</span></h3>
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Now live consistent with those values. To begin with, it will require some evolution as you sort out what is, and what is not important, but you will sort it out. Values are the signposts that guide you and provide the pathway required to fulfil on your purpose in life. </div>
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<b><i>“Your values become your destiny” – Mahatma Gandhi</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">3. Walk the talk</span></h3>
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Do what you say you are going to do, keep your promises and commitments, turn up on time! Nothing builds trust and credibility more effectively and without these attributes, you will never achieve what you are capable of achieving. </div>
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<b><i>“Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall” - Proverbs 28:18</i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">4. Don’t be a victim </span></h3>
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I.e. don't blame something other than yourself for your circumstances. It robs you of the power to deal powerfully with what life dishes out. Always start with how you have contributed to why it is the way it is before you start to point the finger. This is a responsible perspective and will have you be proactive, not reactive. </div>
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<b><i>“The price of greatness is responsibility.” Winston S. Churchill</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">5. Value your relationships </span></h3>
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And manage the quality of your relationships over time. Your career will be a function of the relationships you create and manage over time. Ensure that you provide value as well as receive value and don’t be afraid to ask people “What’s important to you in this relationship?’ because you will then know how to provide value for them.</div>
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<b><i>“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.” African Proverb</i></b><br />
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Reading the above 5 points will make no difference in your career unless you act on them in some way. So my parting piece of wisdom is to translate your thoughts into actions, any action to start with will make a bigger difference than no action. </div>
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<b>What actions can you take based on the 5 points outlined above?</b></div>
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By: Joe Watkins</div>
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Source: <a href="http://community.hrdaily.com.au/profiles/blogs/5-things-you-should-do-to-build-a-successful-career?xg_source=activity" target="_blank">HR Daily</a></div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-38189671940659582712015-11-02T18:24:00.000-08:002015-11-02T18:24:00.406-08:00How to Be a Career-Loving Parent: Know Your Work-Life Options<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eryc-eyl/how-to-be-a-careerloving-_b_8130480.html">The first installment of this series</a> introduced the idea that "working parent" is a phrase of resignation. With that choice of words, we give up the idea that we can be passionate about both work and family. We resign ourselves to a life in which we can only really be good at one thing. Instead, if we choose to think of ourselves as "career-loving parents," we open up whole new worlds of possibilities for our families, for our careers, and for ourselves. In this installment, we'll look at the many work-life options available to today's career-loving parents.<br /><br />Before we jump into work options, let's have a quick review of what it takes to be a career-loving parent -- a term I stole from Sheryl Sandberg, who stole it from Caroline O'Connor. While simply changing the words we use makes a big difference in the possibilities we perceive, it also helps to take some concrete steps to integrate our lives as parents with our lives as workers. Here are those steps:<br /><ul>
<li><b><span style="color: purple;">Know your work-life style.</span></b> Do you like to integrate work with the rest of your life, separate work from the rest of your life, or do you like to switch focus back and forth as needed? We covered this in the second article, so <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eryc-eyl/how-to-be-a-careerloving-_1_b_8176516.html">jump over to that one</a> if you haven't read it yet.</li>
<li><b><span style="color: purple;">Know your work-life options.</span></b> In today's world of work, there are more choices than just working outside the home or staying home with the family.</li>
<li><span style="color: purple;"><b>Get smart.</b> </span>Regardless of your work-life style and your particular work arrangement, you can make the most of your circumstances with a few simple tricks.</li>
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Know your options for when, where, and how you work</span></b></h3>
Today's world of work is filled with more options than ever before. Thanks to evolving technology, shifting expectations, and research that proves great work can be done in a host of times, places, and styles, anyone with reliable access to a computer, the internet, and a strong work ethic (don't forget that one) can design a career to fit his life -- and a life to fit his career.<br /><br />Of course, each option has its advantages and disadvantages. You might trade stability of income for flexibility of schedule, or time with family for benefits that take care of them. Whichever option you choose, make it consciously. Consult with both your family and your coworkers. Weigh the tradeoffs mindfully. If you're having trouble figuring out which option is best, though, see if you can arrange some controlled experiments.<br /><br />If you're having trouble figuring out which option is best, though, see if you can arrange some controlled experiments. Maybe your current full-time, out-of-the-house job is willing to try one work-from-home day weekly. Or maybe you can try working on your home-based business from a co-working space while the kids are at school. Don't fall into the trap of believing that these are your only options -- or that you can only choose one. Instead, think of the table below as a palette from which you can choose one, two, or many colors for your portrait of the ideal career-loving parent. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-10-04-1443983620-2910677-TodaysWorkOptions.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDHEIehYptnBmWRwZeJzN0IzRR5FSwy25lg8XBnGtslmQypTsQX7DpTfSiB4HgXnQ36T1xOfCw3Eq0YGurNe9wb6b4lEGr_o6f1fq_KKaL1xfkWu60moCSAB2H77BmvYwH1vbOT54ol8F/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-10-13+at+2.20.18+pm.png" width="306" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-10-04-1443983620-2910677-TodaysWorkOptions.jpg" target="_blank">Huffington Post Image</a></td></tr>
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<br />Are there more options than you thought? Are you already thinking of ways you can creatively combine or experiment with these options to design a meaningful, fun, and fulfilling life? Share your story of being -- or aspiring to be -- a career-loving parent in the comments below. Other readers would love to hear from you!<br /><br />Oh, and come on back next week when we'll dive into the "get smart" step of becoming a career-loving parent, in which we refine what we've learned from the first two steps for the difference that makes a difference.<br /><br />Dig new ideas about how to integrate your work into a meaningful, fun, and fulfilling life? Trying to keep your head and your heart while keeping your job? You might enjoy my weekly updates. <div>
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By: Eryc Eyl</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eryc-eyl/how-to-be-a-careerloving-_2_b_8241118.html?ir=Australia" target="_blank">Huffington Post Australia</a></div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-86569256213058124342015-10-01T20:27:00.002-07:002015-10-01T20:27:11.029-07:00When to return to work? This might help you decide - The cost comparison of childcare and schooling <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a question every new mum faces: Do I return to paid work and, if so, when? There are so many factors at play (childcare availability, personal desire to work, child's health, work opportunities etc) but perhaps one of the most considered and impactful factors is whether it is a financially viable option to (or not to) work. This simple to digest article about Australian childcare costs gives you an idea of what you need to plan for, in terms of childcare costs, when returning to work as well as when your child starts primary school. It's a learned read!<br />
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Child care accounts for 20% overall education costs and is the steepest annual riser</h2>
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Parents pay the equivalent of, or more than, private school fees for their children's child care, accounting for around a fifth of their child's total education expenses. Even if you're not even contemplating private schooling for your child, you're likely to have paid the equivalent of a few year's private school fees before they even reach the local Kindergarten.<br /><br />And while independent private school fees are slowly increasing, child care outstrips their increases by far, rising by 8.1 per cent each year over the past five years. Private school fees have risen between 3-5%, still greater than inflation (2.3%).<br /><br />As an example, a well-known independent private school for girls in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs charges between $20,940 (day school) fees for Kindergarten, up to $30,720 for Year 12, and between $14,000, and $18,800 for their Early Learning Centre (pre-school and child care facility).<br /><br />A child care centre down the road, run by the local council, costs between $90-100 per day (depending on the child's age), an average of $475 for a 5-day week, the equivalent of $24,700 per year! It's also just as exclusive and harder to get into!<br /><br />However, most families in Australia are eligible to receive the child care rebate (at 50% up to $7500 per year), even if they do not receive child care benefit, so this cost would decrease to around $17,000 pa, which still falls within the parameters of private primary school fees and depending on how many years your child goes to child care, this could be around 5 years of school fees before your child even starts school, even if you choose to go to the public system for their actual schooling! A scary thought.<br /><br />Child care services are generally open from 8-6, a lot longer than your average junior school day and so by the hour, they are probably less expensive to a degree, but it's still a massive expense you need to plan in to your finances, even if you've no intention of going private for their "schooling".<br /><br />A recent article by Alexandra Cain in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) published some research and interviews on the growing costs of educating our children, which confirms that the cost of child care is rising at a substantially faster rate than the cost of primary, secondary or tertiary education.<br /><br />The article said that AMP and the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling figures indicate a 48 per cent rise in the cost of early childhood education over the past five years.<br /><br />Reported in the AFR article, AMP financial adviser Andrew Heaven said the cost of educating older children is five times as expensive as the cost to educate younger kids.<br /><br />"The cost to educate children between zero and four makes up 20 per cent of the overall cost of educating a child," he explains.<br /><br />"But when you look at the bigger picture, it's actually most expensive to send kids to university, assuming they will be financially dependent on the parents over that time. This also takes into account that kids are now financially dependent on their parents for longer than they were in the past."<br /><br />AMP's 2012 Cost of Raising Children in Australia report, produced two years ago by University of Canberra in conjunction with AMP, looked into the cost of educating our children. Ben Phillips, the lead researcher on the project said that one of the reasons the cost of education increases as a child develops is because some parents send their children to a public primary school and then go private in high school.<br /><br />Of course there are also all sorts of "extras" when you get to school that increase in cost as they get older - things like school day trips, away weeks at activity centres, music tuition, overseas trips for history or language purposes, more expensive books and extra tuition.<br /><br />In fact, according to the report, families with an income of $1160 per week spend $86 on babies and toddlers but almost $500 per week on offspring over 18 years.<br /><br />Then University cost of living as well as fees - assuming of course they don't pay for this themselves by (horror of horrors) getting a job!<br /><br />Yes, with or without the private school fees, if you want to and need to work, it's an expensive thing having a child, and probably why over the last five years there has been a 13.54 per cent national rise in one-child families!<br /><br />To get the average cost of child care in your area <a href="https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-costs">click here</a><br /><br /><br />Source: <a href="https://www.careforkids.com.au/newsletter/2015/september/23/child-care-costs.html">Care for Kids </a>Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-43704204097153268832015-09-14T21:12:00.000-07:002015-09-14T21:12:19.093-07:0010 Tips for Managing Expectations Before Going on Parental Leave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before going on maternity or extended parental leave, it’s important to establish realistic expectations with your clients (if you deal directly with them), your manager, and your team. This is particularly important if you plan on returning to the same role when you come back to work.<br />
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Consider how you would like to ‘stay connected’ whilst you are on parental leave. Communicate your intentions both verbally and in a written format (for example, via email) to all relevant parties to ensure they are informed.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">10 Tips for Managing Client and Team Expectations</span></h3>
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The following tips will ensure your transition to parental leave is as smooth as possible. <br />
<ol>
<li>Determine what work will be performed differently or undertaken by others during your pregnancy or leave, and discuss this with your manager.</li>
<li>Decide when you will commence your parental leave and how much leave you would like to take.</li>
<li>Communicate any changes to your normal role and/or responsibilities to your colleagues, clients and any direct reports. </li>
<li>Work with your manager to ascertain if your position will need to be performed by another person(s) during your parental leave and plan to allow for a sufficient hand-over period.</li>
<li>Document the key aspects of your role, including processes, contacts, relationship management details and histories. Ensure this documentation is easily accessible for relevant colleagues in your absence.</li>
<li>Prepare for and conduct a thorough hand-over session with the relevant people handling your workload during your parental leave. </li>
<li>Provide your ‘on leave’ contact details (if appropriate) and indicate how frequently you will be checking emails and voicemail.</li>
<li>Contact your key clients prior to going on leave to explain when you plan to go on leave. Assure them of the plans that are in place to ensure continued delivery of service. Provide them with new contact details.</li>
<li>If someone is looking after your role while you are on leave, consider having them as your key contact. </li>
<li>Update your ‘Out of Office’ message (or similar) with the agreed contact details and timeframe of your absence.</li>
</ol>
You could add to this list any company / job role / team specific tasks you also need to complete.</div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-63201301549866224982015-09-01T18:36:00.000-07:002015-09-01T18:36:00.717-07:00Working from home – the pros and cons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
Working from home is becoming ever more popular and far easier to do for a range of workers. <br />
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Thanks to rapidly growing advances in high speed internet availability, wireless technology, easy teleconferencing software like Go to Webinar, Skype for Business and Microsoft Lync, and the falling cost of office hardware such as personal computers, printers and phones, many people can now make a business case for working from home.<br />
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They can show their employer that the organisation will not be financially disadvantaged by having them work from home.<br />
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In fact, an employer might make a cost saving, by spending less on things like heating, cooling, lighting, phones, printing, office space and travel-related expenses.<br />
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Working from home is an arrangement that suits many working carers. By giving them more autonomy about how they work their core hours, it enables them to effectively juggle their work and caring duties. This in turn may reduce their stress and potentially give them back several ‘lost’ hours each day – time that is usually wasted in getting ready for work, and travelling to and from work, whether on public transport or by personal car.<br />
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It also means that they may have the flexibility to do some work in the evening, when their caring duties are less, as their loved one has been settled for the night. That also buys back those precious hours and more evenly spreads their workload over a longer time period each day, but with less intensity.<br />
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All of these factors may add up to a considerable cost saving for the employee, as their public transport costs, or petrol costs and car running costs, will be reduced. Other savings can be made by there being less pressure to buy new work clothes, the ability to make low cost and more nutritious meals at home, the ability to have the time to shop smart and take advantage of specials, and having more at-home daylight hours in which to do domestic chores instead of having to pay for extra help.<br />
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Working from home may also benefit the health and wellbeing of both the person being cared for, and the worker themselves.<br />
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For example there can be more control and timely intervention when medical needs arise – medications can be given correctly and on time; dressings can be changed regularly; visits to the doctor can be more easily arranged; accidents can be avoided as there is better supervision; mental health might be improved as there is less stress generated by not having strangers coming into the house to help with care duties.<br />
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The carer, too, may potentially enjoy better health as they may have far less stress, be able to get out into the fresh air and sunshine more frequently, and feel happier and calmer as they have more control over their life.<br />
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That is not to say working from home benefits every working carer. Each situation is unique and needs to be assessed on its individual merits and the personality and needs of all involved.<br />
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Some working carers thrive on getting away from the house and having a separate life outside their caring role – they feel it is a break away from their caring duties. For them, working from home might be their worst nightmare.<br />
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On the ‘con’ side of working from home, working carers may feel that their time is never their own; that they can’t get any separation between their work and home life; that the caring becomes a relentless burden; or that they lose their social support and connection with colleagues. They may also feel that their employer does not see them as committed to their role and that they may be overlooked for special projects and promotions.<br />
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Taking genuine sick days may feel awkward, too, as the perception may be that they are already ‘at home’ so they should be able to continue to work. All of these may be very valid reasons for not working from home.<br />
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There is no right or wrong answer. A working carer who is considering working from home should consider a three-month trial to see if working from home is practical and delivers the benefits they are expecting.<br />
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Even a mix of working say two days at home and three in the office might be a good start for both the employee and the employer, to smooth out any issues in the transition and to still have the flexibility to go back to office-based work if the need arises.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.workingcarers.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1736:working-from-home-the-pros-and-cons&catid=75:work&Itemid=157" target="_blank">Working Carers Gateway</a>Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-17999331398568941062015-08-03T18:00:00.000-07:002015-08-03T18:00:01.832-07:00The truth about when your kids need you the most<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRBIPdFf-rOtwtA3a4z4PORdKwsdXKe7AdeXLzPVBOxdq4T-zsVQWsrp1M7Jo2urYHbvtGFDTin_kJIwv1SNmX980hc2SppaXVSn7s2svRFAB3K6KdKgJBXpUgNHKWqgubgkZgC21IgBo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-14+at+2.00.18+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRBIPdFf-rOtwtA3a4z4PORdKwsdXKe7AdeXLzPVBOxdq4T-zsVQWsrp1M7Jo2urYHbvtGFDTin_kJIwv1SNmX980hc2SppaXVSn7s2svRFAB3K6KdKgJBXpUgNHKWqgubgkZgC21IgBo/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-07-14+at+2.00.18+pm.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />I have a confession. I never loved staying at home when my <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/parenting/what-no-one-tells-you-about-motherhood/201401083401#.VZ9Gjl-qpBc">children were young</a>. Sleepless nights were followed by the drudge of never ending <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/opinions/note-to-advertisers-women-have-value-beyond-the-laundry/201505065707">laundry</a>, steaming and mashing food, breast feeding (painful, it never got easier) interspersed with the occasional joy of giggles and cuddles. Every day seemed to me like ground hog day and there was no appreciation by them for all the hard slog that was done. To the contrary, it all had to be done over and over again.<br /><br />I realised this pretty early on and once <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/the-daily-juggle/when-your-home-life-makes-you-cry-at-work/201311183217#.VZ9I_1-qpBc">regular sleep ensued</a> I went back to work, albeit part time. The <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/the-daily-juggle/the-joy-of-juggling-work-and-family/201405073974#.VZ9IBF-qpBc">relief of stepping out the door</a> leaving baby responsibilities to someone else so I could attend to adult work was palpable. I cared not a whit that my entire salary was devoted to paying for someone to care for my child. I looked upon it as a fair exchange: I was paying someone to complete tasks I loathed leaving me the opportunity to complete tasks that I enjoyed. My husband supported my decision. I was happier and more fulfilled combining work and motherhood.<br /><br />This fair exchange continued for a number of years. I had three children, took a few months <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/parenting/misconceptions-about-motherhood-start-with-the-leave-in-maternity-leave/201401123416">maternity leave</a> for each and then continued to work part-time firstly as a political adviser and then as a lawyer. I found a niche area in law in which to practice and worked for a firm that was flexible and fair. The children went to crèche for a few days, and then school and I arranged for some home help too.<br /><br />And then things changed. The balance shifted and <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/the-daily-juggle/why-teenagers-need-more-supervision-than-toddlers/20120910601#.VZ9IPl-qpBc">the demands of the children became greater</a>. Sound counter-intuitive? Not really when you think about it. As they grew older the children were no longer satisfied with a nanny or their grandmother picking them up from school and spending the rest of the afternoon with them. They wanted a parent to decompress with and not at a time convenient to me. If something important happened at school they wanted to discuss it immediately.<br /><br />They wanted a parent who was switched on to <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/parenting/how-can-you-help-your-teenagers-survive-high-school/201308282803#.VZ9IV1-qpBc">their needs</a> instantly. I was coming home tired, wanting a hot shower, some dinner, a quick chat with them and then some me time. Long, involved discussions about friendship groups, kids behaving badly and how to handle it or helping with homework were not tasks or conversations I wanted delve into at the end of a day in court or a protracted negotiation. By the time I had recovered (probably on the weekend) and was prepared to assist with an English essay or ready for a conversation about annoying peers, the opportunity had passed, the work was already done and the discussion had moved on.<br /><br />My children were turning into young adults with complex emotions and I was missing out. The <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/top-stories/juggling-work-and-school-holidays-mission-impossible-for-many/201504075558">juggle of work and home responsibilities</a> was not one I was comfortable with any longer. So after considerable reflection I quit. I didn't know what I was going to do next in my working capacity but a stressful career in the law (even a part time one) was no longer fitting the bill.<br /><br />I spoke to many people about what to do next. I was unemployed for two weeks. And they were two weeks filled with relief of leaving behind my stressful job combined with uncertainty veering on panic as to what I would do next. My identity was wrapped up in my working life and not knowing what lay ahead was challenging and disconcerting.<br /><br />In the end I fell into my subsequent job. A chance interaction with a woman I vaguely knew at gym led me to taking over her job as a program manager at one of my children's schools. I'm not practicing as a lawyer any longer so I'm remunerated at about 25% of what I was used to being paid. I work a similar number of hours but it's generally stress free. I got rid of the home help and now pick up my children from school each day. They now battle each other who can get in first with the details of their day. And I'm switched on, ready to embrace the intricacies of friendships and research projects.<br /><br />Am I as challenged in my day job? Mostly not. Have I taken a considerable pay cut? Definitely. Am I more content with the balance? Without doubt. I've learnt priorities change as circumstances change. And once my children finish school, no doubt my priorities will change once more. I've retained my practicing certificate although a return to the law seems daunting and not particularly inviting. I also offer my time to organisations whose work I find meaningful. But it's the space I've found for my children that offers me the most meaning of all.<div>
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By: Liora Miller</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/parenting/the-truth-about-when-your-kids-need-you-the-most/201507106008?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=e98cad58ce-Women_s_Agenda_daily_07_11_201402&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-e98cad58ce-30657165#.VaRhz2AzcXM" target="_blank">Women's Agenda</a></div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-7363941481647025282015-07-01T16:26:00.000-07:002015-07-01T16:26:00.187-07:007 things you need to know about returning to work after children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jumping back into work can be a daunting prospect when you've had a substantial break, but there is little to fear.<br />
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There is absolutely no reason why you can't have a <a href="http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers">fulfilling career</a> and a family. Things just might take a little more tweaking than before.<br />
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With a little bit of preparation and a few tips, you'll be free to drink a cup of tea or coffee whilst it's still hot in no time.<br />
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<b>Here's a few ideas to help you make the leap:</b><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">1. Reconnect with the working version of yourself</span></h4>
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When you have been embedded in the land of sippy cups and <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/peppa-pig-and-piers-ackerman-did-i-miss-something/201312133351#.VYIAzvmqpBc">Peppa Pig</a>, it's easy to become disconnected from the <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/opinions/why-mums-make-great-employees/201501145140">version of you</a> that trotted off to work, pre-kids.<br />
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Fears that you won't remember what to do can knock your <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/health/8-ways-to-rebuild-lost-confidence/201506045845">confidence</a>. <br />
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Dropping by your old work place, catching up with your former colleagues, reading through any training literature, or previous work appraisals that you have held onto will all help you to remember your professional qualities and expertise.<br />
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"When I returned to work after my first daughter, I hadn't had much contact with my work associates during my absence, and jumping back in was a real culture shock. After having my son, I made sure to stay connected and it really made a huge difference for me coming back. I still felt like the 'working me' existed even while I was away." Natalie - HR Recruitment Officer, Sydney.<br />
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<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">2. Never let your 'plans' get in the way of an opportunity</span></h4>
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Be flexible with your 'plans' on returning. You might have ideas about when you will be ready rejoin the work force, but things can change. You might not feel ready at that time, or perhaps an opportunity might be presented to you before that time is up. Either situation deserves <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/career-agenda/leaders/how-to-talk-to-women-about-their-pregnancy-parental-leave-and-return-to-work/201404073854#.VYICEfmqpBc">serious consideration</a>. <br />
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If an opportunity presents itself that is not exactly ideal in terms of hours, or conditions, it might be worth giving it a try anyway. Once you have established that you are the right person for the position, you will be in a stronger position to negotiate the flexibility you need.<br />
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"I was putting the feelers out to my old boss about returning to work in a part-time capacity sometime in the near future, when she immediately offered me a full-time position beginning in three days. My initial reaction was 'No way!', but after some careful thought and a few phone calls to childcare centres, I decided to give it a try - knowing that it was OK if it didn't work out. Since then I have negotiated a four day roster and I'm so glad that I took the gamble." Danielle – High School Teacher, Gold Coast.<br />
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<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">3. Network, network, network</span></h4>
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Opportunities can arise from the least expected places. Recognise the people in your circles who have a functioning work/life balance, and pick their brains. Their tips and advice might prove <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/career-agenda/builders/10-steps-to-becoming-a-powerful-face-to-face-networker/201412024984">invaluable</a>, as will their contacts. <br />
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<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">4. Don't be timid about asking for flexibility</span></h4>
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If you're thinking that asking for <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/want-flexible-work-don-t-rely-on-your-employer/201411244950">flexibility</a> is going to put you straight in the 'difficult' basket – think again. It's not just return to work mums that need flexibility, there's all manner of reasons that a person would need a bit of freedom in their work agreements, and that includes <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/top-stories/meet-the-five-men-challenging-themselves-to-work-flexibly/201504285668">employers</a> as well. <br />
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Terms you could negotiate might include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Start and finish times that accommodate school drop and pick-up.</li>
<li>Working from home on some, or all, of your days.</li>
<li>Job sharing.</li>
<li>Compressing your hours so you work longer hours on fewer days.</li>
<li>Signing short contracts for particular projects, and negotiating new terms each time.</li>
<li>Days in lieu for school days such as sports carnivals.</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">5. Get familiar with your workplace rights</span></h4>
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There is no guarantee that your potential employer is on top of the <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/top-stories/one-in-two-australian-women-experience-discrimination-in-the-workplace-during-pregnancy/201404073848">current laws in regards to maternity leave, pregnancy, or working parents</a>. Check the laws in your state, that way you will be able to deal with any uncertain situations as they arise. The Human Rights Commission is a great place to begin.<br />
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If you find any documentation that you feel might be pertinent to your particular situation, have it on hand so that you and your new employer can start on the same page.<br />
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<h4>
<span style="color: #351c75;">6. Acknowledge and use your new skill set</span></h4>
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Parenting has armed you with a <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/the-best-way-to-become-an-expert-negotiator-give-birth/201501085107#.VYIDbfmqpBc">whole new skill set</a>, you just need to know how to sell them, and it all has to do with translating your everyday tasks into 'work-speak'. <br />
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There's a good bet you can add some of the following under your 'skills' heading these days:<br />
<ul>
<li>Time management.</li>
<li>Sound, working knowledge of social media and communication.</li>
<li>Finely tuned research & decision making skills.</li>
<li>Ability to work in a team environment.</li>
<li>Conflict resolution.</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">7. Get up to speed</span></h4>
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If you are worried that your skills are a bit outdated, or perhaps don't suit the new path you are heading down – don't be. It's never been easier to get back up to speed, you don't even need to leave the house!<br />
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Studying online is a flexible and affordable option and definitely worth your time to look into.<br />
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<b>Do you feel like you're ready to take the plunge back into work?</b><br />
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By: Rebel Wylie</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/career-agenda/leaders/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-returning-to-work-after-children/201506175904?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=d1d7fffde3-Women_s_Agenda_daily_07_11_201402&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-d1d7fffde3-30657165#.VYiUn2AzcXN" target="_blank">Women's Agenda </a></div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-55976278887042304532015-06-07T18:04:00.000-07:002015-06-29T19:44:21.195-07:00Two careers, a family and a marriage: How to make it all work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Imagine it is Christmas or Easter or some family event which has entailed a fair amount of preparation. You have various family members staying so you have made beds and tidied the house accordingly. There were groceries to be bought and meals planned to feed a small tribe for a few days. Presents were arranged for the various children. Tables have been set. Schedules were managed to meet the interests of as many family members as possible. You have done all that leg work single-handedly and it is now time to start cooking for the main event.<br />
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Now imagine your husband walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge. Thank god, you think to yourself. He’s getting the turkey out to start basting. Except he’s not. He grabs a beer and says he’s about to watch the football.<br />
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That exact scene played out in US journalist Brigid Schulte’s home on Thanksgiving a few years ago.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
“I just about died,” Schulte explains. “Are you kidding me? I was profoundly livid but on the other hand I was profoundly sad. How did we get from the point of being equal partners to here? I realised in that moment <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/the-to-do-list-will-never-end-my-interview-with-brigid-schulte-that-was-like-therapy/201503065410">I wasn’t having it all, I was doing it all.</a> I was doing everything as well as working fulltime.”<br />
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Realising that her and Tom had succumbed to the traditional roles they had once been adamant they would avoid was the lowest ebb of their marriage, but it wasn’t the end. It was the beginning of a process that has created a much more enjoyable marriage. <br />
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“I am much happier,” the author of <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/guilt-free-zone/health/how-to-balance-work-love-and-play-when-no-one-has-the-time/201408174472">Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time</a>says. “The anger and resentment is gone.”<br />
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So how did they navigate from the brink of recognising their marriage wasn’t working, to a relationship that is working better than ever before? How have they created an equal marriage?<br />
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It’s something of a trillion dollar question for modern couples.<br />
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“We are in new territory,” Schulte says. “It’s understandable that it’s confusing because what we are living and what we want to be living is at odd with cultural assumptions and expectations and workplaces. It’s a tumultuous time because [dual-career] couples are pioneers who are figuring it out as we go. There aren’t a lot of role models for couples doing it this way.”<br />
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<br /><span style="color: #351c75;">Brigid’s top tips for building and sustaining an equal relationship</span></h4>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Housework isn’t trivial </span></h4>
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“We don’t talk about the division of labour much, we just roll our eyes,” Schulte says. “It’s still a taboo but that’s one of the reasons I wanted to write about. Women instigate most divorces and one of the things women are most cross about is how unfair housework and childcare is. It’s not a small matter.”<br />
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Brigid was previously in charge of basically everything that went on in their home – despite the fact they both worked fulltime. “Tom did stuff when I asked him but that was exhausting because it required my mental energy.” If she raised it their conversations about who did what around the house inevitably descended into a tit-for-tat that, in hindsight, wasn’t productive. After that fateful Thanksgiving, Brigid and Tom went through a very forensic analysis of everything that needed to be done in their family and home and began dividing it up fairly. This subject matter isn’t trivial: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/why-should-we-put-a-dollar-value-on-the-unpaid-work-women-do-because-it-comes-at-a-cost/201504095571">marriages can be lost and found over this.</a> <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/why-should-we-put-a-dollar-value-on-the-unpaid-work-women-do-because-it-comes-at-a-cost/201504095571"><br /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Set up a system</span></h4>
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After you have recognised the entirety of what needs to be done at home, set up a system that covers the standard expected for each task and the repercussions for not completing it. “It means you don’t have to have the conversation over and over,” Schulte says. For example, if the common standard is the floors being mopped and swept once a week, anything above that is a personal choice.<br />
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“If you want it a certain way, for example clean enough that heart surgery could take place on them, it’s on you. You can’t be mad that you don’t have time to read a book because that becomes a choice.” The same goes for what comprises an evening meal or a “made bed”. Agree on the standard and there is no need for constant negotiations. <br />
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If someone doesn’t do their job, don’t rescue them. “If you continually rescue your partner – they’ll never change. Build consequences into the system.”<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Maternal gate-keeping be gone!</span></h4>
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During some very long conversations, in which Brigid effectively interviewed her husband Tom, it became clear that their equal relationship started to go askew upon the arrival of their first baby. “Things changed the minute we brought our son home. When it was just two of us we shared things more equally but when the baby came home, things changed,” Schulte explains.<br />
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This is not at all uncommon: it’s a pivotal moment and the “good mother” image that is so deeply engrained in our collective psyche sets up certain expectations. Being a “good mother” is physically demanding, you’re the mom so you just do it. <br />
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“In a sense one of the things I had to learn was to back off,” Schulte says. “I had the movies playing in my head that I should do everything and be everything. I put my husband at arm’s length. We set it up so that I would be the default and primary carer.”<br />
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A key revelation in writing her book was that there is no such thing as maternal instinct.<br />
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“It’s very interesting because countries that encourage men to take parental leave – and not just mowing the lawn but actually caring –are just as capable and wired for nurturing as women,” she says.<br />
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The determining factor is not being a certain gender, but rather spending time with a baby to develop the same competence and confidence.<br />
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As powerful as the stories in our heads might be, it’s critical that new mothers allow their partners to develop that competence and confidence. <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Talk about this. Often</span></h4>
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Brigid’s advice to young couples – particularly who are bringing a new baby home – is to talk about how they envisage their roles playing out. “In an ideal world – what would you share? What do you want? It’s easy to assume we know what the other person wants. But be clear and then help each other. The old movies are powerful and pose easy traps to fall into it.”<br />
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Managing work, a family and a marriage isn’t always smooth sailing. Brigid says the closest thing you will find to a silver bullet is communicating often.<br />
“It really requires constant checking in with each other which is hard to do because with work and kids you’re busy. Time studies show the first thing to go when you’re busy is finding time for yourself and the second thing is finding time for your spouse.”<br />
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Both of those things very legitimately require the time regardless.<br />
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“It’s not selfish - it’s self-preservation! We call it cocktail minute because we don’talways have an hour. It’s finding corners of time to continually check in with one another.”<br />
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By: Georgina Dent</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/two-careers-a-family-and-a-marriage-how-to-make-it-all-work/201505255797?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=1b374f201e-Women_s_Agenda_daily_07_11_201402&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-1b374f201e-30657165#.VWuaX2AzcXN" target="_blank">Women's Agenda</a></div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-33439136709219350982015-05-17T20:15:00.001-07:002015-05-17T20:15:36.625-07:00New Harvard research: Children benefit from having a working mum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Here’s some heartening news for working mothers worried about the future of their children.<br /><br />Women whose mothers worked outside the home are more likely to have jobs themselves, are more likely to hold supervisory responsibility at those jobs, and earn higher wages than women whose mothers stayed home full time, according to a new study. Men raised by working mothers are more likely to contribute to household chores and spend more time caring for family members.<br /><br />The findings are stark, and they hold true across 24 countries.<div>
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<a name='more'></a>“There are very few things, that we know of, that have such a clear effect on gender inequality as being raised by a working mother,” says Kathleen L. McGinn, the Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, who conducted the study with Mayra Ruiz Castro, a researcher at HBS, and Elizabeth Long Lingo, an embedded practitioner at Mt. Holyoke College.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #351c75;">“THERE ARE VERY FEW THINGS...THAT HAVE SUCH A CLEAR EFFECT ON GENDER INEQUALITY AS BEING RAISED BY A WORKING MOTHER.” </span></div>
<br /><a href="http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/7036.html">McGinn’s previous research</a>, with Katherine Milkman of Wharton Business School, found that female attorneys are more likely to rise through the ranks of a firm (and less likely to leave) when they have female partners as mentors and role models. McGinn, Castro, and Lingo wondered how nontraditional role models influenced gender inequality at home—both in terms of professional opportunities and household responsibilities.<br /><br />“The link between home and the workplace is becoming more and more critical as we have two-wage-earning families,” McGinn says. “We tend to talk more about inequality in the workplace, and yet the inequality in the home is really stuck.”<br /><br />In developed countries, employed women in two-parent households report that they spend an average of 17.7 hours per week caring for family members, while employed men report devoting about 9, according to the researchers. At the same time, women report spending an average of 17.8 hours per week on housework, while men report an average of 8.8 hours.<br /><br />To gauge the global effect of working moms, the researchers dug into data from the <a href="http://www.issp.org/page.php?pageId=150">International Social Survey Programme</a>, a global consortium of organizations that conduct social science research, and studied 2002 and 2012 responses to a survey called “Family and Changing Gender Roles.” They supplemented these data with data on employment opportunities and gender inequality across countries.<br /><br />The survey included several pages of questions related to gender attitudes, home life, and career path. The researchers were primarily interested in the answer to one key question: Did your mother ever work for pay, after you were born and before you were 14?<br /><br />“It didn’t matter to us if she worked for a few months one year, or worked 60 hours per week during your whole childhood,” McGinn says. “We weren’t interested in whether your mom was an intense professional, but rather whether you had a role model who showed you that women work both inside and outside the home. We wanted to see how that played out.”<br /><br />The research team aimed to find out whether growing up with a working mom influenced several factors, including employment, supervisory responsibility, earnings, allocation of household work, and care for family members.<br /><br />Survey respondents included 13,326 women and 18,152 men from 24 developed nations. The researchers based their analyses on responses collected from the 2002 and 2012 surveys. They categorized the countries by their attitudes toward gender equality, both at home and in the workplace.<br /><br />“Liberalizing Egalitarians” were those countries where respondents’ attitudes toward gender were already egalitarian in 2002 and became even more so over the following decade (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, and Slovenia). "Stagnating Moderates" leaned slightly egalitarian in 2002 and remained stagnant in the following decade (Israel, the United States, Great Britain, Spain, Australia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, and Taiwan). "Stagnating Conservatives" started off with conservative attitudes toward gender roles in 2002 and stayed that way (Chile, Latvia, Mexico, Philippines, and Russia.)<br /><br />Men tended to report more conservative gender attitudes than women—with the exception of Mexico, where women were more conservative than men, McGinn says.<br /><br />The researchers controlled for factors including: age; marital status; religion; years of education; urban versus rural dwelling; average Female Labor Force participation in the respondent’s home country during the years the respondent was 0 to 14 years old; Economic Freedom Index in the respondent’s home country during the survey year; Gender Inequality Index in the respondent’s home country; and Gross Domestic Product in the respondent’s home country. Stripping those things away, they focused on the effects of being raised by a mother who worked outside the home. “The direct effects are significant across the board,” McGinn says.<br /><br />The data showed that, while being raised by a working mother had no apparent effect on men’s relative wages, women raised by working moms had higher incomes than women whose moms stayed at home full time. The one exception: women who reported conservative attitudes toward gender equality. “It’s only for earnings that having conservative gender attitudes reduces the effect of a working mom,” McGinn says. “For all of the rest of them, having had a non-traditional role model at home has a direct effect on the outcomes, regardless of attitudes.”<br /><br />The data also showed that men were just as likely to hold supervisory jobs whether or not their moms had worked outside the home. But women raised by working mothers were more likely to supervise others at work.<br /><br />As for men whose moms ever worked outside the home, they were more likely to contribute to household chores and spent more time caring for family members. “Growing up, what was being modeled for sons was the idea that you share the work at home,” McGinn says.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #351c75;">“WORKING BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME GIVES YOUR KIDS A SIGNAL THAT CONTRIBUTIONS AT HOME AND AT WORK ARE EQUALLY VALUABLE.”</span></div>
<br />Women spent about the same amount of time caring for family members, regardless of whether their moms worked outside the home. However, “When we segmented just for people who have children at home, we found that women who are raised by a working mom actually spend more time with their kids,” McGinn says, adding that this includes women who grew up to become working moms themselves.<br /><br />“There’s a lot of parental guilt about having both parents working outside the home,” McGinn says. “But what this research says to us is that not only are you helping your family economically—and helping yourself professionally and emotionally if you have a job you love—but you’re also helping your kids. So I think for both mothers and for fathers, working both inside and outside the home gives your kids a signal that contributions at home and at work are equally valuable, for both men and women. In short, it’s good for your kids.”<br /><br />By: Carmen Nobel<div>
Source: <a href="http://www.hbs.edu/news/articles/Pages/mcginn-working-mom.aspx" target="_blank">Harvard Business School</a><br /><div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-16441832265690155712015-05-13T18:30:00.000-07:002015-05-17T20:17:42.219-07:00Part-time power: Can you be part-time at the top?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a familiar stereotype. The part-time worker (usually a woman) who has compromised on career and salary to bring up children.<br />
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Not for her the world of her full-time counterpart (usually a man) in a high-powered job, with not enough hours in the day, let alone days in the week, to respond to the e-mails, phone calls and meeting requests coming at him from all corners of the globe.<br />
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But a decade and a half into the 21st Century there are signs of a work pattern emerging that fits neither stereotype. And it isn't only for the benefit of frustrated working mothers. <br />
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It's being forged by men and women who, for whatever reason - whether it's children, elderly parents, or the pursuit of that elusive thing called work-life balance, don't want to work full-time, but are determined to do more than just "keep their hand in".<br />
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"I still feel ambitious. I want to have influence. There's an assumption that when you ask for part-time work, all those other things that made you professionally have gone out of the window, and that's just not true," says Karen Mattison, the co-founder of Timewise, which promotes flexible working. <br />
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"You're the same person inside, that's why the stigma around part-time work matters, it's the lens you might be looked at through."<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Power list</span></h3>
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Ms Mattison got tired of being told by businesses that part-time working was only possible in more junior roles but not in any more senior role that involved managing a team or dealing with clients. <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">"You're expected to make yourself available when the need arises" </span></h4>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Andrew Whittaker, Lloyds Banking Group</span></div>
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She looked at government figures for 2012 and found there were 650,000 people in the higher tax bracket working part-time. She sought out and interviewed 300 of them<br />
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Typically they told her that while they were indeed working part-time they weren't shouting about it for fear of being perceived as unambitious. <br />
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Or, Ms Mattison reports, a manager might have said to them: "Look you know what, you're really good, I'll do it for you, but I don't want the floodgates opening, I don't want everyone asking me for it."<br />
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In November 2012 Ms Mattison launched the first part-time power list in order to address this lack of fanfare around senior part-time roles and to encourage employers to be more open about the opportunities for it.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.timewisejobs.co.uk/staticpages/11000/the-power-part-time-list-2014/">2014 list</a> includes a top civil servant, the chief engineer of an oil and gas business and the head of HR at Camelot, the lottery operator.<br />
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But working at this level is not part-time work with predictable hours and days. </div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Workload management</span></h3>
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Andrew Whittaker, the group general counsel (chief lawyer) for Lloyds Banking Group prefers to call it flexible working. He is formally employed for three days a week, while his deputy, Kate Cheetham, is full-time.<br />
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He is clear about the quid pro quo that goes with reduced hours. <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">"We have to rethink part-time"</span></h4>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Mara Swan, ManpowerGroup</span></div>
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"In practice it's very flexible both as to what the days are and working on non-working days," he says.<br />
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"Because I think it's very much the case that in a senior role you're expected to make yourself available when the need arises."<br />
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Mr Whittaker is the first to acknowledge that his arrangement works because it is supported by Ms Cheetham and between them they manage the workload and adapt as the situation requires.<br />
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Nevertheless, you might think a fast-paced, pressurised environment would be the enemy of part-time work.</div>
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In a 24/7 world one person cannot do everything, it's about teamwork, argues Kate Cheetham<br />
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"I think it's quite the reverse," says Ms Cheetham. "Because if you look at how you really service the 24/7 culture and customer base, you can't possibly do that through one person so you've got to start thinking about flexibility."</div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">'Rethink' working hours</span></h3>
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Lloyds Banking Group, which has also had a part-time chief economist, is the founder of the <a href="http://www.agilefutureforum.co.uk/">Agile Future Forum</a>, which brings together top businesses to consider more flexible models of working. It argues that agility - the new buzzword for flexibility - is the key to economic growth for the UK.<br />
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It's that argument which could work in favour of the part-time high-flier. And it is gaining weight on both sides of the Atlantic.<br />
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"The traditional model was work full-time, stay forever, add skills and get promoted," says Mara Swan, executive vice-president for global strategy and talent at ManpowerGroup, the employment experts. <br />
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She believes that this model is under threat from several fronts: the arrival of young people into the workforce with different expectations of their career; the rise in dual careers; and a global lack of skills.<br />
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In this climate, Ms Swan says, "We have to rethink part-time." </div>
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She points to <a href="http://www.manpowergroup.com/wps/wcm/connect/manpowergroup-en/home/thought-leadership/research-insights/talent-sources/2013-talent-shortage">ManpowerGroup's Talent Shortage Survey for 2013</a>, which reported that 35% of employers on average were having difficulty filling jobs. It too made much of the "A" word, stressing the need for employer agility in uncertain economic times. At number four in its "Ten Quick Ways to boost Agility", it advised companies: "Be Flexible: Contract, interns, part-timers, virtual workers are increasingly the norm."<br />
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Ms Swan, who has recently promoted a woman who had been working part-time to the full-time post of director of global strategic communications, believes it is a worker's skill-set that trumps the hours in the job description.<br />
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"If you have skills that differentiate you, you can ask for part-time."<br />
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"It's all about measuring output rather than input," agrees Avril Martindale, a partner at the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London, who works on a 60% basis. <br />
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"You have to be confident in yourself and you have to know where you're adding value."</div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Gradual change</span></h3>
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That confidence is important, because while the economic tide may be turning in favour of the part-timer, what about the real world where workplace culture might not have caught up and part-time bosses are subject to the scrutiny of their full-time peers and juniors?<br />
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Ms Martindale's advice is not to feel self-conscious because, like Mara Swan, she thinks that attitudes to work are changing as Generation Y, those born in and after the mid-1980s, comes through. <br />
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"The whole sense of what people expect out of their lives has changed... that's not to diminish how hard people work, but there's more focus on work-life balance and mental health," she says.<br />
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This change of focus is good news for the aspiring part-time boss, but Andrew Whittaker, whose arrangement with Kate Cheetham sets a precedent at Lloyds, is cautious about heralding a revolution. <br />
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"There will still be I think for many years a lot of people for whom it is right to carry on working pretty much on a traditional five-day week or six-day week basis, or indeed on an every-hour-God-sends basis".<br />
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Mr Whittaker believes that's not only a lifestyle choice, but also that many organisations still like to think their staff are constantly available, irrespective of the actual demand.<br />
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"So I think it's difficult to say it's the beginning of a new tomorrow, but I think it probably is different from how it would have been a number of years ago."</div>
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By: Philippa Goodrich<br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30655926" target="_blank">BBC News</a></div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-22148631641897974352015-04-01T18:30:00.000-07:002015-05-17T20:18:19.857-07:00Working from home - How to adapt to make it work with children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11PvJU2xnC8da7B_db7hpJYsvxvuKXh7LJgTFWiu0UN3-epsqPQv1r8ColXx2WSVN0lxwOmJFM-FK9tMyewMulFamGtWkkSP1xvLepc86-uZyoZqd5pd77TmZ87k9iTVb8B1u1eOWvjVQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-23+at+9.42.12+am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11PvJU2xnC8da7B_db7hpJYsvxvuKXh7LJgTFWiu0UN3-epsqPQv1r8ColXx2WSVN0lxwOmJFM-FK9tMyewMulFamGtWkkSP1xvLepc86-uZyoZqd5pd77TmZ87k9iTVb8B1u1eOWvjVQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-23+at+9.42.12+am.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lifestyle magazines and business pages seem to be full of the success stories of "Mumpreneurs" - highly successful women who have had babies and turned their home office or spare room into a money spinning success story of a business, while juggling babies and apparently having it all.<br />
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But is working from home all it's cracked up to be? The truth is, no, it isn't. Don't think that by working from home you'll be able to get work and chores done effortlessly while your small child plays happily and quietly nearby.<br />
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Working from home is hard. It requires discipline, patience, dedication, organisation and more often than not, child care.<br />
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No, you won't get away without child care if you work from home. For the first 6 months, or until your baby is crawling about, you may well manage to get a lot of work done while they sleep or roll around on their mats, but the minute they're up and about you're in trouble!<br />
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It's not all doom and gloom though. As a mum who has worked from home for the last ten years, I can honestly say it's a great solution and the best decision I made. It definitely works for me. I get huge amounts done, both work and chores; I got to spend quality time with my baby before she went to school and I'm now in that happy place where I work in between the school run hours, but can still get out to meetings or appointments and manage her if she's sick. <br />
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The upsides are obvious for mums (or dads): You have the flexibility of working around school hours; a calm, personal and creative environment; no commute; ability to offset some household expenses; but above all quality time with the kids.<br />
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There are a number of downsides too. When you work from home, some people can take advantage, believing that you're not really working. You can find it hard to be taken seriously by colleagues, friends and family, even by your partner, and sometimes even by your kids. Children tend to try to pull the sickie card much more often when they know their mum is at home rather than 30 kms away in an office. It's just far too tempting!<br />
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There is also the fact that as you're perceived to be around (by school and other mums), you find yourself getting roped into things. Or if you say no, you offend a great many people who think you just don't want to be involved. Mums who work in offices can get away without going to a single “working bee” or manning a cake stall. <br />
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With regards to managing your work around child care, you will most likely need to organise some sort of care if you want to get anything done. If you're working for yourself, the good thing is you're not tied to an office or an inflexible boss, so you can pick and choose child care to suit you. If you've agreed with a boss to work from home on certain days a week, then you can manage your child care around those days. <br />
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You may choose a mixture as I did - 2 days at a <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-centre/search">child care centre</a>, 2 days of a <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/search/location.asp?ct=3">nanny/babysitter</a> for example. It means that you can often find spaces in child care on their less busy days and when you have nanny days, your child is occupied but you can get together for quality time at lunch or before nap time, so although you're working, you don't feel like you're missing out on that important part of your child's life.<br />
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By sourcing care for your child for just a few hours every week, you are guaranteeing yourself some solid uninterrupted work time. Consider employing a <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/articlesv2/article.asp?id=59">babysitter</a> or <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/articlesv2/article.asp?ID=99">nanny</a> on a regular basis to mind the kids while you lock yourself away in your office for a few hours. <br />
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This works really well if you have a young baby which requires breast feeding and/or you don't mind the noise of your older children around the house while you work. Use our <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/search/quick.asp">babysitter search</a> to find a babysitter in your area or <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/search/location.asp?ct=3">click here</a> for our nanny search<br />
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<a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/articlesv2/article.asp?id=135">Occasional care</a> works well for people who prefer to send the children out for a few hours and work in a quiet house. <br />
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Occasional care centres provide care for under school age children for short periods of time. They allow working parents to leave their kids in an early childhood learning environment where they can also socialise and interact with other children for a few hours at a time. <br />
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Councils and community organisations often run occasional care centres and our <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/occasional-care/search">search</a> will help you locate services offering care in your neighbourhood when you need it.<br />
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Supportive family members, friends and/or a partner who works flexible hours could also help you with some casual child care on regular basis.<br />
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When you are happy with your work environment and have implemented a few systems to make your ideal work/life balance achievable, remember:<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Be flexible</span></h3>
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Your working day will need to be as flexible as possible to accommodate your child's changing needs. Set yourself some parameters but make them elastic so you don't get stressed and frustrated when everything changes at the last minute.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Be organised</span></h3>
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To ensure your working hours are as useful as possible try and maintain a prioritised task list that you can use to monitor your work in progress. It is all too easy to turn on the computer to do some work and get side tracked by emails or the Internet. By maintaining a to-do list that is ready and waiting, you're less likely to lose time thinking about what you need to do!<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Work when you can, but make time to relax</span></h3>
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While it may seem tempting to rush to the computer every time you get a spare ten minutes this is not always the best way of working. Try and set aside some time each day to sit down with a cup of tea and relax, it will make your next ten-minute work session far more productive.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Set achievable goals for yourself</span></h3>
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Don't over commit and reward yourself when you achieve success! Remember that working from home effectively means you are doing two jobs at the same time. Make sure your workload is at a sustainable level and set realistic deadlines. Dividing large tasks into smaller more manageable projects may help you stay on top of things and give you a sense of progress on a day-to-day level.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Stay focused</span></h3>
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Whenever you have a bad day or feel like you just didn't get anything done, take a step back have a cuddle with your little one and remember why you chose to work from home in the first place! <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">An Important note on The Right to Request Flexible Work Arrangements</span></h3>
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All employees within the national workplace relations system now have the right to request flexible work options, such as the right to work from home, from their employer, as long as they meet certain criteria.<br />
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For eligibility and advice on how to manage your request to your employer, <a href="http://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/policies-and-guides/best-practice-guides/the-right-to-request-flexible-working-arrangements">click here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fairwork.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/711/The-right-to-request-flexible-working-arrangements-best-practice-guide.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y">Fair Work Ombudsman's Best Practice Guide on The Right to Request Flexible Work Arrangements</a>.<br />
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<br />
By Sophie Cross<br />
Source: <a href="http://www.careforkids.com.au/newsletter/2015/march/18/working-from-home.html">Care for Kids</a>Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-11489493467618226252015-03-17T18:00:00.000-07:002015-05-17T20:18:33.476-07:00Tips for time poor working mums <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aGJc2VnlyGS2f832W8F8p-sXE6iu7kalps3DjNv2j0gKkaY2cYrDq9bqidFYFLcoMVVg4VVwkcOKsd0Hpq3JrK6gQfV3dua5yiYPpsyUMkwcwMEJbMcf1AiXrlAs3dc8APK2rEDYODDi/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_77369490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aGJc2VnlyGS2f832W8F8p-sXE6iu7kalps3DjNv2j0gKkaY2cYrDq9bqidFYFLcoMVVg4VVwkcOKsd0Hpq3JrK6gQfV3dua5yiYPpsyUMkwcwMEJbMcf1AiXrlAs3dc8APK2rEDYODDi/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_77369490.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I read that Madonna supposedly has 15-minute appointment blocks in her schedule for one-on-one time with each child for singing, homework, cooking, it sounded crazy to me. But how many parents have mobiles grafted to their ears, even navigating vehicles, slipping out of meetings with clients ... getting through the day managing their offspring?<br />
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Maybe Madonna's strategy is wise? We recommend to managers they have lots of short, set one-on-one times with staff. At least 15 minutes dedicated listening without interruption is one of the best gifts you can give to anyone, let alone your children. Is this really so hard to achieve?<br />
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Technology has multiplied our output, no question, and the demands placed on us have accordingly increased. You probably feel like one of those mice on a wheel, scurrying endlessly as the wheel whizzes around. You'll have noticed by now that when you mention your hyperactivity to others, they feel the urge to "top" this by claiming they are even busier. Most of us are now experiencing workplace Olympics, and while some thrive, others are drained. And what is happening to our kids? Do they simply not see us enough or see us too drained to be a wonderful interactive parent?<br />
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What kind of "competition" is this anyway? In the meantime, your children are growing, developing and forming impressions of you, no matter how much you airbrush matters or worse, when you snap at them to "Just deal with it!" Would you have wanted a whirling dervish for a parent when you were growing up? The answer is mostly likely "no" – it was good, wasn't it, to come home and have a non-judgmental chat with someone who'd good naturedly put aside their responsibilities and to-do list, and who cuddled up with you, or sat across some afternoon tea while you talked about the day. No hurry, no fuss, and no sense that they had something better to do. (OK, they may have conveyed that to you, but everyone will, in varying amounts...)<br />
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Times have hastened since then, and deep-seated guilt about parenting never really goes; it's built in (and perhaps is a survival of the species mind control device).<br />
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And these days working grandparents mean the grandparents are likely not retired and still chasing wild ambitions. So even grandparents might be juggling their grandkids!<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Here's what you can do when juggling children and work:</span></h3>
<ul>
<li>Love and treasure them and let them know it – small gestures are plenty</li>
<li>Not endless shows of compensatory goodies, but a few minutes rough and tumble (for boys) and a sprawly chat with your girls (if they sidle up to you – that's when they're wanting it) or maybe go for gender mixing and do vice versa!</li>
<li>If you can't talk with them then and there, give them undivided attention when you tell them this and make that time for the chat. Stick to it, and give them more time if they need it. Don't let a worried look go behind closed doors on either side.</li>
<li>Don't interrupt them, even if you know what they're going to talk about. Do you like being second-guessed all the time? Give them space to be who they are, and to express themselves accordingly.</li>
<li>Don't be an angel for Facebook and a devil at home. Don't be fake, and keep private stuff away from social media platforms. Don't BS your children. Live in the real world, and not in some tricked-up la-la land of your own devising. IN FACT, step away from Facebook and spend that time FACE TO FACE with your kids.</li>
<li>Giving time is an investment that reaps dividends – crying time-poor (for nearest and dearest) means that they one day may have no time for you when you most need it.</li>
<li>Don't preach reduction in screen time when then you are also glued to your screens. Walk outside the door with them, go to a park ... plan a weekend hike or a holiday, plan big time with them. Get fit with them, get fit for you and for them!</li>
<li>Slow down when you can. That's vital for you – and your children. Take every opportunity. Really look at them and listen to them. </li>
<li>If you do a lot of business travel make Skype or Face Time a regular slot, but have an unanticipated surprise topic or story – so it is never same old same old...</li>
<li>Plan a game that is interactive fun and creative with your kids. Don't wait to be creative for a birthday party display to other kids and families.</li>
<li>Take time off work to go to sports, attend a special competition, be an involved parent – someone they are proud of.</li>
</ul>
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You may be surprised to find that those intense dedicated moments don't last too long anyway as the child bounces away, replenished – and you? (Oh, that's right – there's work to be done, but now you feel a bit sleepy.)<br />
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When you feel good and your kids feel good you revive yourself and you become much more productive, and the guilt factor evaporates!<br />
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By: Eve Ash</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/career-agenda/builders/tips-for-time-trapped-working-parents/201502175313#.VOpJZYszdnE" target="_blank">Women's Agenda</a> </div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-90832928187172488592015-02-22T13:11:00.000-08:002015-02-22T13:11:16.311-08:00How could a 4 day work week change your life?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://learn.citrix.com/rs/citrixonline/images/4-Day%20Work%20Week%20infographic.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt=" 4 day work week Infograph in full" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEvPMGGXH9OmFoUjCxzJCCHl_4RIvkFPmDrKGxzkoxEdBZAc08eVBINgZHPBVK9V9YuoN2UxpYdbUjCbesqsOZqIHraNpoVANIU50UxmeeMKXhD3aL6TpTZ64RL7EJtHj1nnnzSWZLE3b/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-16+at+6.11.00+am.png" height="320" width="157" /></a></div>
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What would a 4 day work week look life for working parents? What would it look like for organisations? What countries are doing it? What are the results?<br />
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For the pros and cons on a 4 day work week plus some real life case examples of organisations that have implemented it check out this infograph (Click the image above for the <a href="http://learn.citrix.com/rs/citrixonline/images/4-Day%20Work%20Week%20infographic.jpg" target="_blank">complete infograph</a>).<br />
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We'd love to hear your 4 day (or less) work week story and how it's worked for you and your employer!<br />
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This infograph was created by <a href="http://www.gotomeeting.com.au/meeting" target="_blank">Go To Meeting</a>.<br />
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-10753746197826936262015-01-25T14:58:00.002-08:002015-05-17T20:18:53.064-07:00My 'Career Itch' story by Kiri Stejko<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHvWbtkFOYBubw5j4H6wrkaKB4UMFVV9dHBteK-4uXmUKq-l4rh-yW0sLUe0rpG-LVTDWDhB21DhZ_nMJlCGIry6_ZduFgxEzWMj2A6YpJKNAnr47qkcdq-Q61jTWHS65HxAE8yU5yywI/s1600/Kiri+profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHvWbtkFOYBubw5j4H6wrkaKB4UMFVV9dHBteK-4uXmUKq-l4rh-yW0sLUe0rpG-LVTDWDhB21DhZ_nMJlCGIry6_ZduFgxEzWMj2A6YpJKNAnr47qkcdq-Q61jTWHS65HxAE8yU5yywI/s1600/Kiri+profile.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiri Stejko, Director, Career Itch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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One of our great friends here at mums@work is Kiri Stejko. As a HR expert and a specialist in recruitment and talent management she is the executive director of Talented Woman (our sister company) and mum to a cheeky, curly haired one year old. We're very excited for Kiri as she's also just launched her own company - Career Itch - a six week holistic coaching program guided by 3 key experts - a career coach, a mindfulness expert and a personal trainer.<br />
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Here's Kiri's personal 'career itch' story...<br />
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Realising that my career has spanned twenty years to date takes me by surprise. Twenty years!! It feels like yesterday I was studying psychology at university thinking I didn’t have enough life experience to be of real value helping people. But what would I do if I didn’t become a Psychologist?<br />
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I worked in hospitality for a while and saved until I had enough to travel overseas. I hoped to become enlightened whilst doing something exotic and crazy like skydiving over the Swiss Alps. In reality, I created a credit card debt and returned to hospitality to pay it off. Hospitality meant working with great people, in a lively environment, with youthful late night hours. I wondered if I could make a career of it. I imagined having my own restaurant one day. I was offered a job as “Functions Manager” at a fine dining establishment and was thrilled. It was retracted the week before I was due to start. I was blind-sighted and at a complete loss.<br />
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I asked some friends what they were doing. One kindly got me an interview with a recruitment agency and was successfully offered the job. The industry is people oriented and in the realm of psychology, therefore was definitely of interest. There was opportunity to use psychometric testing in recruitment processes. I was enthusiastic about the possibilities that lay ahead.<br />
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I learned a lot about recruitment, sales, corporate employers and how people feel when they are looking for a job. I worked with some excellent people, had some fantastic managers and also experienced a horrible boss. I had a Career itch after about 2 years. It was another year or so before I left. I’m sure it was evident to management well before then that my heart wasn’t in it. My mind was often elsewhere and I lacked motivation. I partied after work and hangovers enhanced the following morning’s resistance at going to work. I was glad to eventually leave.<br />
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I was determined that my next job would be one I had chosen, rather than it choosing me. Interviewing people, I saw desperation in the eyes of many, hope in all and always the same disappointment with delivery of rejection news. I wanted to help people realise that not every job is right for them and they should assess the employer in the same way the employer assesses them. I believe that interviewing is a two way street.<br />
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To practice what I preached and be able to choose my next long-term employer, I took a temporary job allowing more time for the long-term job search. I didn’t want financial pressure to force me into a decision. After months of interviewing and temping, going through highs and lows and confidence blows, I finally landed a job I truly wanted. It was with a global corporation as a member of the internal HR team, setting up an in-house recruitment function. I was beside myself with excitement. There were times I thought no one was ever going to give me a chance without the internal experience all these types of jobs required. I needed the experience, but how could I get it if no one would give me a chance? Finally someone saw my passion, determination and motivation.<br />
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I loved that job. I was impressed by the leaders, my colleagues and the company culture. I enjoyed my day-to-day work – learning, growing and progressing. I found my feet there. For the first time, I felt I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to work my way up the ladder of a global corporation and become a senior leader in HR. I was in the perfect place to do it, with supportive Managers and lots of development opportunities. I just had to keep working hard and give it my all.<br />
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A few years down the track, a friend pointed out I had not much time left to travel to London on a work visa (they aren’t given to Australians over 30 years old). Despite loving my job, I wanted global work experience. I thought this could be my only chance to get that. If I didn’t do it now, would I regret it when I was older? This question went around in my mind… and wouldn’t go away. That told me what I needed to know.<br />
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When I resigned from that job, my boss was taken aback. I was progressing well, on track for promotion and whilst supportive of any choice I made, I was strongly encouraged to reconsider my decision. I hadn’t made it lightly, so there was no going back. I was confident that if I was doing well then, I could succeed elsewhere too.<br />
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Keeping that level of confidence in a new country, culture and company was important. The perspective I gained from working outside Australia was empowering. At the induction in my first job in London, there was a presentation with a map showing the world presence for that company. I was shocked to see that Australia was left off the map. I guess there was no room on the powerpoint slide. I didn’t have the guts to ask if they had anyone in Australia – my comfort with extroversion wasn’t strong then and still isn’t, but I’m learning.<br />
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I worked two yearly contracts (restricted by the visa) and when asked to stay on in my second role with a sponsorship visa, my instinct told me it was time to go home. Not a Career Itch, more an unsettled feeling that I missed home too much. When I returned to Australia, I took a short-term contract. Six months later I was in Hong Kong meeting a potential new boss and considering an HK based role. I was scared at the prospect of moving overseas again. However, being offered a permanent role in Hong Kong was also exciting and I had a big decision to make. I stared out at a crowd of people foreign to me and felt fear. I didn’t know anyone, knew very little about Chinese culture, didn’t speak the language. Why would I do this? Did I want to do this? Could I do this?<br />
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The “could I” question was the one that got me. So much courage was required to make the decision to take that job. It was a step up in my career and the challenge made it appealing. Part of me fought against it and another part of me asked that question: Will I regret it later in life if I turn down this opportunity? I knew I would. I don’t want to live life with regrets. So I moved to Hong Kong. Little did I know I was about to experience a huge Career itch.<br />
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I missed my comfort zone. I missed family, friends, speaking English and being easily understood. I missed working in the same time zone as my team (I covered 14 countries in this role and my team was mostly virtual spanning 20+ locations). I missed everyday casual conversation. I learned Mandarin which was useful on trips to Singapore and mainland China, but not at all useful in Hong Kong. I had underestimated the personal challenges associated with feeling lonely, isolated and overwhelmed at work.<br />
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I became depressed. I recall walking along a busy Hong Kong street crying endless quiet tears. I wore sunglasses despite the overcast day. I wasn’t sobbing. I was strangely calm, but flat. Nothing felt right. I didn’t want to be in Hong Kong, I didn’t want my big job. I questioned whether I could even succeed. I retreated into myself and obsessed over whether I could admit defeat and go home. I’d been in Hong Kong for 2 months.<br />
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I decided to confide in my manager who was not surprised and said I wasn’t performing to expectations. Apparently it was obvious I wasn’t doing well (I thought I was hiding my personal crisis successfully) and she consequently gave me “permission” to quit. She understood the enormity of the decision. She removed my anxiety of letting down the company. She knew that I had to resolve my career itch or I would never succeed. I was distracted, demotivated and desperate. In that state of mind, I was useful to no one.<br />
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As soon as I had permission to quit, I desperately wanted to succeed. I had to muster all the confidence and courage I could to give this opportunity my best shot. I sought therapy, revisited my motivation and set clear goals for myself. I set a timeframe and decided if the Career itch remained present in 3 months, I would also give myself permission to leave.<br />
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The change of mindset enabled me to pick myself out of the pit of despair and enjoy another three years in Hong Kong. I had survived my biggest Career Itch to date and came out the other side stronger, happier, more successful, more experienced and more confident than ever.<br />
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There has been several more years in my career since then and I continue to learn and grow with each new experience. The rest of the story can be shared in another blog. But with this story, the lessons I have learned when dealing with a career itch, are these;<br />
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<li>Your network is always going to be a great source for career moves. Stay in touch with people you respect and connect with.</li>
<li>When your instinct tells you that you’re not in the right job, pay attention and trust your gut. Act on that instinct.</li>
<li>Be clear in your goals – plan your next step and take control of your career. It’s up to you to steer yourself somewhere you want to go.</li>
<li>Don’t be afraid to walk away from a great job to achieve a personal life goal. Be confident about what you want and can achieve in your career, and don’t forget about your life goals along the way.</li>
<li>Be courageous when offered something that feels bigger than you’re ready for. If someone sees the potential in you, you have the ability to succeed.</li>
<li>Don’t give up when you feel overwhelmed by a difficult situation. If it is impacting on your career, take action or you risk damaging yourself and your employer. Be honest with yourself and either pick yourself up, or move onto something else.</li>
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For more info about the Career Itch Program <a href="http://careeritch.me/programs/">tap here</a>.</div>
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By: Kiri Stejko<br />
Source: <a href="http://careeritch.me/my-career-itch-story/">Career Itch</a></div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-3031133224170954642015-01-15T15:54:00.001-08:002015-05-17T20:19:16.375-07:00Inspiring mum profile: ‘I’m the unlikely combination of CEO and single parent’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Annabelle Daniel left the public service to lead an NGO, she started with little more than a desk in a shared office and a mandate to help the one in two women in need of accommodation who are turned away from shelters.<br />
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The self-confessed 'unlikely' CEO started with Women's Community Shelters two years ago to develop innovative solutions for offering crisis accommodation for women in need.<br />
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This week, the organisation's first shelter will open in the northern Sydney suburb of Hornsby, the only such refuge between the NSW Central Coast and Sydney's North Shore.<br />
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The shelter will initially accommodate around 10 women without dependents (a segment Daniel says is severely under-resourced) and provide a holistic range of services including health, legal and housing support. While it has received some federal government support, Daniel notes the model they've used demonstrates the capacity for social financing, connecting with local community support and tapping philanthropic sources.<br />
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She believes the facility will be full within three months given the desperate need for accommodation. Offering space for ten women is a small start, but one Daniel hopes to expand on with the NGO looking to open another five or six similar centres in NSW this year and potentially expand into other states -- at a time when other services are being forced to shut down due to state funding cuts.<br />
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"A lot of groups are interested in seeing what we're doing with this one. We've done the groundwork and I believe this can be replicated," she says.<br />
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For Daniel, the opening is the culmination of two years of figuring out how to develop and run an NGO and determine innovative and sustainable solutions for women. She says leaving her leadership position in the Department of Human Services (where she oversaw the Child Support program) was a huge leap into the unknown, a move that initially "terrified" her.<br />
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"I'm female, a single parent and a CEO. Now that's a combination that doesn't happen all that often but I make it work with flexibility," she says, noting her two children are eight and five. "That's the freedom of working for a small NGO. My board is focused on outcomes rather than backsides on seats time."<br />
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Indeed, Daniel says the board has provided her with advice and experience she's not sure she could have found elsewhere. "Working with them the last two years has been like being in an accelerated MBA course in terms of the skills and knowledge they bring in."<br />
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Her desire to work in the not-for-profit sector emerged when she took a year of unpaid leave from the public sector to run Elsie, the country's longest running women's shelter. The experienced changed her life.<br />
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"It opened my eyes and made me realise what a bubble if been living in, how privileged I've been, and just how much work still needs to be done to support women," she says. "It was that experience that lit the fire in me."<br />
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Daniel did return to the public service following the 12 month stint, but made the difficult decision to leave permanently when the opportunity to build and run Women's Community Shelters came up. "I didn't have a computer and a phone for the first five weeks", she says on starting the new role. "I had a desk sharing an office with The Big Issue. One of my board members had a connection there and they organised a wonderful sharing arrangement."<br />
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She says she managed the fear of dong something completely different with her career by simply acknowledging she was afraid. "The trick for me is knowing that it's ok to acknowledge your fear about taking a leap, but not to let the fear of taking a leap stop you. You have to trust yourself, back yourself, you can't let doubt eat at you."<br />
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Managing a young family at home, she adds she's extremely organised and realistic about what she can and can't do. "Don't set the standard so high you can't possibly achieve it. The perfect is the enemy of the good, sometimes you have to be happy with good."<br />
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<h4>
<b>The short facts on Annabelle Daniel's story</b></h4>
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<b>Born. </b>North Shore, Sydney<br />
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<b>Grew up.</b> Lane Cove, Sydney<br />
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<b>Leadership qualifications.</b> Currently a CEO, but academically, BA (Hons) LLB (Hons)<br />
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<b>High school ambition?</b> To be a lawyer because my best friend wanted to be one!<br />
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<b>First ever job?</b> I was a weekend receptionist at a car dealership at 17. Various positions in car dealerships kept the money flowing until well after I finished studying!<br />
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<b>Who and what do you lead?</b> I lead Women's Community Shelters, a not-for-profit organisation setting up new women's shelters in NSW communities.<br />
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<b>How do you stay informed on a daily basis? </b>I am a voracious reader and read everything. SMH, Australian, Guardian, The Conversation, New Matilda. I am also a keen Women's Agenda follower.<br />
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<b>And manage your wellbeing? </b>Utterly frivolous pursuits like Facebook discussion groups on clothes and shoes, swimming at the beach, Ipad games, and doing simple things like hanging out with family. I don't get nearly enough exercise though!<br />
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<b>First thing you do in the morning? </b>Check my phone.<br />
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An average day in the life... It's so random some days - but emails, documents, presentations to groups, a visit to a shelter and lots of talking!<br />
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<b>Leadership 'superpower'?</b> Being curious about other people. If you are genuinely interested in other people, what's going on for them, and what makes them tick, most of the other good leadership skills fall into place. Empathy, flexibility, understanding, boundaries.<br />
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<b>Advice to your 18-year-old self.</b> Don't be afraid to change direction, if you work hard and back yourself, you will be fine. Also, it's OK to be terrified, just don't let it stop you doing something that could be amazing.<br />
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By: Angela Priestley </div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/top-stories/im-the-unlikely-combination-of-ceo-and-single-parent-annabelle-daniel-on-opening-shelters-and-running-an-ngo/201501135130?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=cdbd6d2c2e-Women_s_Agenda_daily_07_11_201402&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-cdbd6d2c2e-30657165#.VLg8gYszdnF" target="_blank">Women's Agenda</a></div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-80014304793587494122014-12-11T20:20:00.000-08:002014-12-11T20:20:15.498-08:00The risk of sniper attacks in the 'mummy wars'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Have you been ever been injured by a sniper attack in the 'mummy wars'? It could have come in the form of a random comment from a passer-by. A loaded suggestion from your great aunt. An email from a colleague. A voice of 'concern' from another parent while dropping off the kids at school. Or even a sweeping generalised statement from a male opinion writer.<br /><br />However the bullet arrived, the chances are that it hurt.<br /><br />Or perhaps you fired the gun yourself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">The 'mummy wars' is that perceived battle that exists between mothers who chose (or are forced into) one way of living over another, particularly working over not working.</span></div>
<br />But it's not just 'mummies' who get involved in such wars but plenty of daddies and anyone who's ever had a kid, or has spent more than an hour with a kid, and believes they're qualified to comment on the lifestyle and parenting ways of mothers.<br /><br />As with any need to address the habits of another group of people who are different to the tribe you believe you're in, the reason the 'mummy wars' exist at all largely stems from guilt and fear: the guilt that the choice you believe you're making may not actually be the best one; and the fear of somebody doing something different to the way you have been taught it should be done.<br /><br />The problem is that those with such fears and guilt can swiftly launch an attack on a mother that can have serious consequences. Such wars can force women into decisions they wouldn't have otherwise made. Being on guard for sniper attacks can destroy the confidence of mothers, it can lead some to try and "do it all", sacrificing much-needed sleep in the process.<br /><br />Indeed, the 'mummy wars' can seriously hurt the mental wellbeing of mothers. And those who are often at most risk of attack happen to also be the ones who are at risk of dropping out of the workforce altogether.<br /><br />Currently, we have some decent support services for new mothers -- although recent tragic cases involving abandoned babies in Sydney would suggest the system is still catastrophically failing some women and children.<br /><br />The problem is that much of this system of support starts to break down as a child moves from newborn to toddler. Community health services are frequented less, and some nurses may even raise eyebrows if a mother keeps visiting. Doctors stop asking questions about how mothers are coping. The, 'isn't she adorable' comments from random members of the public stop as tantrums, food-throwing and a desire to climb everything in sight become the norm. Mothers groups start to meet sporadically, instead of every week.<br /><br /><span style="color: #351c75;">On top of this, it's during the toddler stage that many mothers will return to work, or transition from part-time work back to full-time. They'll be navigating the childcare system, dealing with difficult drop-offs and the relentless cycle of seeing their little person's immune system tested with seemingly every virus and stomach bug imaginable. They'll probably have even less time for socialising, friendships, exercise and hobbies.</span><br /><br />It's especially at this point that mothers feel the expectation to do everything. To work, manage the caring responsibilities and the household duties. While it's perfectly acceptable to walk around in your pyjamas when dealing with a newborn, social expectations on one's appearance start to increase just as the baby's getting more mobile. No wonder it becomes a prime time for voicing that guilt and fear through the so-called 'mummy wars'.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">So, not only do support structures break down for mothers as their babies transition to small children, but they increasingly find themselves at risk of 'mummy war' sniper attacks.</span></div>
<br />Feminism was supposed to give women choice. And yet all these choices made us afraid. The 'mummy wars' have become a cultural habit that will be very, very difficult to break.<br /><br />However, there a things we can individually do to reduce the risk of sniper attacks against the mothers we know.<br /><br />A good start involves taking a self assessment. What is it about the choices of others that makes us so afraid? How do our personal notions of guilt affect our respond to the actions of others?<br /><br />This self-assessment needs to be undertaken by women and men. Parents and non-parents. Bloggers and newspaper comments. Parents who work and parents who don't.<br /><br />If we really care about mothers, then we should at least respect them enough to ask -- what is it about them that makes us so afraid?<br /><br />By: Angela Priestley<br />Source: <a href="http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/the-daily-juggle/the-risk-of-sniper-attacks-in-the-mummy-wars/201412105030?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=ba0fa6685c-Women_s_Agenda_daily_07_11_201402&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-ba0fa6685c-30657165#.VIpfGItuQbB" target="_blank">Women's Agenda</a>Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-25043554090949323532014-12-01T18:30:00.000-08:002014-12-01T18:30:00.428-08:00The second shift: The post-bedtime ritual of successful working parents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #f1c232;">Almost half of high-earning working parents regularly burn the midnight oil to get to a full-time week. Is it sustainable?</span></h3>
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I am writing this essay at 9 p.m. That’s not unusual for me. I write and edit a lot of things at odd hours. I started working this way when my first kid was born seven and a half years ago, and now as I’m expecting my fourth, it’s become the rhythm of my life. Working a "split shift"—some during the day, and some at night—lets me work long hours and still do family dinners and play with my kids. As I talk to other working parents, I’ve become increasingly convinced that this modern version of a second shift is far from crazy. Indeed, it’s often the key to that alleged impossibility: having it all.<br /><br />This is really a matter of work/life math. While we could all be more productive during the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, when you add small people and a household into your life, these 40 hours are rarely a true 40 hours. In the past few weeks, I’ve had a doctor’s appointment and so have my kids. I had to get new tires on my car. I went to a Halloween parade. My 7-year-old had a morning off from school when we didn’t have a sitter. I transported another kid to a post-school playdate. We had a new dishwasher delivered and installed during an 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. window. My husband and I split many duties, but even if I kept my nose to the grindstone during every non-interrupted minute, it would be hard to work more than 30-35 hours during the classic workweek 40. Indeed, according to the <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/organization/bureau-of-labor-statistics">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>’ <a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus2.t01.htm">American Time Use Survey</a>, the average married mother with kids under age 6 and a full-time job logs just 33.88 hours of work and work-related activities per week. That doesn’t even meet the technical definition of full-time, which is more than 35 hours a week).<br /><br />It would be nice if some productivity trick could let you do as much in 34 hours as you could in, say, 45, but in the long run, that’s unlikely. In any case, working 45 hours is more likely to lead to the kind of paycheck that can support a family. <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/person/warren-farrell">Warren Farrell</a>, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Men-Earn-More-Startling/dp/0814472109">Why Men Earn More</a>, has calculated from census data that people working 45 hours per week earn more than twice as much as those who work 34 hours per week.<br /><br />To meet my income and career-advancement goals, I generally need to work 45-50 hours per week. If I can only log 35 hours by working until 5:30 p.m. most days, I have a few choices. I could keep working every night until 8:30 p.m. and not see my kids. Or I could stop work at 5:30 p.m., hang out with my family until 8:30 p.m., and then get back to work.<br /><br />So that’s what I do. I’m far from the only one. I recently completed a time diary study of 1001 days in the lives of professional women and their families while <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Their-Own-Sweet-Time-Successful/dp/159184732X">researching a book</a>. All these women earned six figures and had kids at home. They worked, on average, 44 hours per week, despite the presence of dentist appointments, preschool volunteer shifts, and the like. About 45% made this work by doing a split shift like mine. In some extreme cases, I saw women leaving work around 3:30 p.m. to get their kids at school, and then scheduling conference calls (often with people in other time zones) from 8-10:30 p.m. They weren’t just catching up on email. They had literally moved the latter chunk of their workdays to the night.<br /><br />Of course, if I saw this strategy in 45% of time logs, that means that 55% of high-earning moms didn’t do it. Some kinds of work don’t lend itself to this; if you’re doing procedures on patients, you’re probably not going to schedule one for 9 p.m. A split shift requires doing work that can be moved around on dimensions of time and place.<br /><br />Some people were also just philosophically opposed, which I understand. There’s a certain simplicity when work is work and home is home, and never the twain shall meet. Split shifts cut into leisure time and, if you’re not careful, sleep. Since I usually work from 8:30-10:30 p.m., and I rarely watch TV. I’m fine with that tradeoff, but not everyone is. Since I write for a living, I have an adequate creative outlet. But if I had an office job, I might want to knit or scrapbook at night. My husband generally does a split shift too, but if he worked fewer hours, he might reasonably expect me to spend a bigger chunk of my late nights with him.<br /><br />There are ways around these problems, though. I’ve started arranging our childcare so I can work through the evening at least one night per week. If I work until 7:30 p.m., then I can often relax that night instead of going back to work. As my kids get older, they sometimes sleep in on weekends. That means I can get up early on those days and use that time (at least until the baby arrives). Two hours on Saturday morning is one split shift I don’t have to work on a weeknight.<br /><br />But overall, this schedule is a great tool in the work/life toolbox. Sending emails at 9:30 p.m. gets a bad rep, but next time you get such a missive, don’t assume you have a workaholic on your hands. You’re probably just working with someone who’s found a way to get it all done.<div>
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By Laura Vanderkam</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3038542/second-shift/the-post-bedtime-ritual-of-successful-working-parents" target="_blank">Fast Company</a></div>
Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-21090267759722874762014-11-16T14:16:00.000-08:002014-11-20T14:15:41.156-08:00Working Mum's guide to getting organised for Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas is nearly upon us. If you are anything like me you'll wonder where all those months between this December and last have gone! Tis a busy life as a working mum. May this list of tips and resources make this festive season a little less stress and a whole lot more rest for you, our hardworking mums...<br />
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<li>Childcare centres often close at Christmas so talk to family and friends who may be able to help out if you need still work. Ask with plenty of lead time as they're more likely to be accommodating - last minute asking can be a bit like last minute shopping - people are more likely to feel put out, impatient, uncooperative. </li>
<li>Schedule in some me time - once you start writing all those lists of things to do, people to organise etc it can get a bit overwhelming which is no surprise given mums do still take the load in the organising and preparation element of the festivities. </li>
<li>Outsource where possible - don't be afraid to delegate jobs to partner, kids, guests or a paid service. We know things need to get done but they don't need to be perfect - it's the quality of energy you do it in that makes all the difference to your experience. And this is what inspires your loved ones (it's not the perfect spread, the ironed tablecloth or the glossy presents!) </li>
<li>Use one of these <a href="http://www.motherandbaby.com.au/family/work-life-balance/2014/10/christmas-planning-apps/" target="_blank">7 Christmas planning apps</a> - we love the free <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ink-cards-photo-greeting-cards/id477296657?mt=8" target="_blank">Ink Card app</a> which will print and deliver your personalised christmas cards directly from your phone to anywhere in the world.</li>
<li>Free <a href="http://workingmumscollective.com.au/working-mums-guide-getting-organised-christmas-gift-planning/" target="_blank">Christmas gift planner </a>from Working Mums Collective to help you plan your prezzie buying. WMC says "make sure you have enough wrapping paper for your gifts. Start wrapping early so you don’t have to do it all in one go. Or take your gifts to a charity gift-wrapping service in a local shopping centre. Not only will you be helping a good cause but also it takes the stress out of it for you."</li>
<li>Buy on the Internet where possible - it's often cheaper, it saves you time and entering the crazy, racy world that is shopping centres at Christmas time.</li>
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Here's a few more tips from Sarah from the Working mums Collective...<br />
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Christmas menu planning</h3>
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If you like me are having family at your house for Christmas you need to get planning what you are going to serve. It’s better to plan early than to try and get organised last minute. If you want a traditional meal with leg ham and turkey you might need to order in advance.<br />
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Look at recipe books, I love the free monthly magazines from both Coles and Woolworths – they always have some great menu ideas in the lead up to Christmas. Write a list and order anything you need to in advance and schedule in your grocery shop in the couple of days before Christmas.<br />
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Tip: Go to the supermarket early in the day to beat the rush. The earlier you get there the quieter it will l be and the quicker you will get your shopping done.<br />
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Tip: Get family members to bring a dish with them so that it lightens the load. If you organise the meat, get other family members to bring salads, vegetables, bread and a dessert. That way you don’t have to worry about it all. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, I would rather spend it with my husband and children as well as other family members.<br />
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<br />Organising your home</h3>
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Do you have jobs to do around your house that have been on your list for a while? Schedule them in and get them done before Christmas if you have the time. You will feel so much better knowing that they are done before the end of the year.<br />
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Are you having people come to stay at your house? Get organised with bedding and sleeping arrangements early so you can buy or borrow anything you need.<br />
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Tip: Write a list of everything you want to do around the house and aim to tick one item off your list each week – if your list is that long.<br />
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Decorating your home</h3>
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I love Christmas and I love decorating my home for Christmas. I also love decorating the table for Christmas Day. If you too are like me and enjoy decorating your home and Christmas table you will want to think about your theme and colours in advance. My Christmas colours are red and silver so I will be extending this theme to the Christmas table.<br />
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It is on my list to go get my decorations by the end of November so that I don’t have to worry about it during the month of December. The Christmas tree went up on the weekend after the pageant so that is one tick off my list.<br />
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Tip: Set the table the night before so that it is done and all you have to do is worry about spending time with your family and cooking .<br />
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Organise your calendar</h3>
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Christmas is a busy time of year for all of us and with two working parents both with commitments after work including events and Christmas parties it is important to get your calendar and commitments organised so you know who is where on what day and whether you need to get a babysitter for your children for certain events.<br />
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Tip: Put a calendar in your kitchen or a high traffic area in your home to record all Christmas parties and commitments for all family members so nothing gets missed and everyone is on the same page and organised for the busy Christmas period. Or use your outlook calendar and share appintments with your partner.</div>
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<b>What are your tips for getting organised at Christmas time?</b></div>
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Source: <a href="http://workingmumscollective.com.au/get-organised-christmas/" target="_blank">Working Mums Collective</a></div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-82354252776790670322014-11-11T18:06:00.000-08:002014-11-13T16:41:50.053-08:00PND Awareness Week - Two leaders in perinatal excellence open their doors to new mums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/event/gf_buninthe_oven_teaser_a4.pdf" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lOA02a9_6PACaagCn8Cy_ga89nsHpRuI5-26zcoFtMwFP-pA5KTQPrDqpaGnoBBgQh0EZWuA8MvhigfIsYFJc8_KMvMCPTAEjbdA3kEfSR3El80SgvQashT-njbMwEzRm0KC3eBw9pac/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-07+at+2.05.24+pm.png" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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In order to return to work after having a baby mums need to feel they have access to the resources and support that enable them to successfully make the transition to being a working parent. Easy said than done right? Well, yes and no. There will always be challenges during the transitional stage but just how difficult will depend on a number of factors including mental and physical state, financial situation, partner and family support, employer support and career support.<br />
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With 1 in 7 women experiencing anxiety and/or depression during pregnancy or within the first year of baby's life sometimes a specialist perinatal health professional is also needed. Post Natal Depression Awareness week highlights just how common it is for mums to be in need of extra support.<br />
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Two organisations Mums@Work endorse are The Gidget Foundation and COPE (<a href="http://cope.org.au/about/programs-2/" target="_blank">The Centre Of Perinatal Excellence</a>).<br />
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The Gidget Foundation launched <a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/about/index/gidget-house.html" target="_blank">Gidget House</a> in February 2014. Gidget House provides integrated care and support services to public and private patients. It provides specialised psychological services for mothers who have a diagnosis of, or who are at risk of developing, a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, and are pregnant or have a baby up to 12 months of age. Partners are also able to access specialised services.<br />
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This month <a href="http://cope.org.au/about/programs-2/" target="_blank">COPE </a> (<a href="http://cope.org.au/about/programs-2/" target="_blank">The Centre Of Perinatal Excellence</a>) was launched spearheaded by Dr. Nicole Highet (former Deputy CEO of beyond blue). COPE is a not-for-profit organisation devoted to reducing the impacts of emotional and mental health problems in the pre and postnatal periods. COPE addresses the identified issues that we know are currently preventing people from accessing timely and effective, information and care via a number of national programs including:<br />
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<li>Aboriginal Mapping Project</li>
<li>Research on Understanding the Emotional Journey of Having a Baby</li>
<li>Report on economic analysis of costs incurred for not treating perinatal depression and anxiety</li>
<li>Deploying the latest digital technology to make screening more efficient, effective and importantly, obtain valuable outcome data to inform service provision, policy and practice.</li>
<li>Creating a National Perinatal Workplace Program</li>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">Post Natal Depression Awareness Week - <b>What's on?</b></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/event/gf_buninthe_oven_teaser_a4.pdf" target="_blank">Bun in the Oven</a></span></h3>
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The Gidget Foundation has launched a clever fundraising initiative to raise awareness and much needed funds for perinatal anxiety and depression through their <a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/event/gf_buninthe_oven_teaser_a4.pdf" target="_blank">'Bun in the Oven'</a> event campaign. 'Bun in the Oven' fundraising events will run from November through to December with a emphasis on hosting an event during Postnatal Depression Awareness Week 16-22 November 2014.</div>
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'We are asking all our wonderful Gidget supporters to host a casual brunch, morning tea, or perhaps a 5 o'clock wine with friends, family or workmates during Postnatal Depression Awareness Week or before the end of December. Guests will hopefully make a small donation to the Gidget Foundation, which will help us continue with our work in education, awareness raising and advocacy around postnatal depression as well as support our programs to assist families.<br />
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It’s about baking not baby making! It's designed to be fun and easy for anyone to put a bun in the oven!', says Stephanie Hughes, General Manager at the Gidget Foundation.<br />
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To register for a ‘Bun in the Oven’ event <a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/gidget_bun_in_the_oven_registration3.pdf">d</a><a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/gidget_bun_in_the_oven_registration3.pdf">ownload the </a><a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/gidget_bun_in_the_oven_registration3.pdf">active pdf registration</a> <a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/media/uploads/gidget_bun_in_the_oven_registration3.pdf">form</a><br />
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If you would like more information on either The Gidget Foundation or COPE please tap the following links.<br />
<a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/about/index/gidget-house.html" target="_blank">The Gidget Foundation</a><br />
<a href="http://cope.org.au/" target="_blank">COPE</a></div>
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Every mum needs a little support at some point in their work and parenting career. Reach out today. </div>
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646092630866360710.post-85471116598191798802014-11-02T14:05:00.000-08:002014-11-02T14:05:59.055-08:00We need a male equivalent to the term 'working mother' - An interview with Annabel Crabb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOrlV2plcIiyzjaVR3V0WEmGzixjJxrS8AAv5lh4lcD3t1UMo63S8KbrZKDGbAYFDV6v4UemsTcJubo3fHmC7p8vXNUdJKek-pGFmD5pWsSGJCZ72QhsY4mfsWrgtNaEorCAHXpQ5qcis/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-27+at+4.04.13+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOrlV2plcIiyzjaVR3V0WEmGzixjJxrS8AAv5lh4lcD3t1UMo63S8KbrZKDGbAYFDV6v4UemsTcJubo3fHmC7p8vXNUdJKek-pGFmD5pWsSGJCZ72QhsY4mfsWrgtNaEorCAHXpQ5qcis/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-27+at+4.04.13+pm.png" height="199" width="320" /></a></div>
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Could there be anyone more perfect than Annabel Crabb – astute political commentator, social satirist, TV-presenter, scribbler, baker, author and mother of three – to write about the work-life balance? We spoke to Crabb about her new book The Wife Drought: Why Women Need Wives and Men Need Lives and in the process pondered many other whys: like why we need a male equivalent to the term working mother, why we need to start asking men how they balance family and work and why apathy is the solution to the gendered division of house-work.</div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Women and politics</span></h3>
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Daily Life: What made you write this book, given that you’ve said you don’t like being on record about political issues? Is this issue bigger than politics?<br />
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Annabel: It’s not really a political view; it’s more of an observation. I have young children and I have noticed is that there are a lot of women in my situation who are racing around doing this kind of work-family juggle. It seems to be a very female arena and the work-life balance is seen as a female thing.<br />
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I started thinking about it through the political framework about a year ago when Tony Abbott swore in his new cabinet. There was a lot of public debate about how there was only one woman in that cabinet, and he said that he wanted to speak for people who were forgotten about, like women struggling to balance work and family. I wrote a slightly terse column around that time, where I said ‘look, frankly there would be more women in federal politics if they got the same sort of spouses as the men get. When you’re doing a job where you have to travel 18 weeks of the year at least then you really need a very particular sort of spouse.’ I wrote the column and was pummeled by correspondence. And a lot of women said, ‘it’s not just politics, that’s everywhere.’<br />
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Then I started looking at the stats. I was looking for a breakdown of the comparative rates of wife-having between men and women and it just wasn’t anywhere to be found. We do so much research into women’s fortunes in work, why not look at what else she’s doing with her time?<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> Men</span></h3>
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DL: You say that we don’t often talk about these issues, but surely we’ve been having this conversation for a while now. What’s new here?<br />
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Annabel: I don’t think we always talk about it. The studies that we do of women’s fortunes at work are often just restricted to those workplaces or focus on quotas or mentoring. I’m a supporter of quotas and of mentoring, but a woman is not forging ahead because she has another 40 hours a week to do at home then having drinks and nibbles at 7pm with other women in the industry isn’t the way to fix that.<br />
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I think that you’ve got to stop only talking about women.<br />
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The great galvanizing force of feminism has totally worked for women in the last fifty years, but men haven’t really changed. Certainly fathers haven’t changed the way that they work. Twenty years ago 87 per cent of father worked and now it’s 90 percent. For women the big tectonic shift has been from stay-at-home mums into part time work but they haven’t really dropped the housework and this has given rise to a generation of mad jugglers.<br />
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We need to look at men and ask how they could have the same flexibility that a lot of women enjoy in the workplace. There is substantial evidence that there are more men and fathers who would like to work flexibly and spend time with their families than are currently taking up that option. As long as there are significant barriers, both structural and cultural, against men working flexibly in line with their family commitments then I think you can’t solve the woman problem either.<br />
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DL: Is that a problem with the fact that Australian men have such a narrow range of acceptable models of masculinity? I mean, Norwegian men don’t feel like gender deviants when they look after children.<br />
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Annabel: Norwegian men! People always say ‘well but Norway’! The Norwegians, apart from cleverly investing all their money in a sovereign wealth fund, also introduced a form of paid parental leave that radically encouraged men to take it up. Their policy was to say that there is a sizeable chunk of paid parental leave that is only available to your family if the Dad takes it. And that really changed the proportion of men taking parental leave, which has changed the division of household labour, and it’s changed the participation of women in the workforce.<br />
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Daily Life: Is that also to do with them having free, universal childcare?<br />
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Annabel: Yes, and there’s no doubt that that would change things quite significantly. But there are other things that I think exert an impact on the long-during nature of this breadwinner model. There’s the gender pay-gap of course, which in the lower pay-segment of the workforce is only about 8% but up in the higher echelons it’s about 28%. The decision about who is going to go part time when a couple has a baby is explicitly skewed by the likelihood that the guy on average is going to be earning more than the woman. People don’t make decisions that financially disadvantage themselves. And the other thing that makes a difference in Australia is that we have a higher rate of part time work and that’s largely undertaken by women. You have this situation now where 45% of mothers work part time but only 5% of fathers.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><br />Social Change</span></h3>
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DL: So what do we do practically do you go about changing that?<br />
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Research shows that men are better than women at asking for everything from pay to better conditions, but the thing that they’re really crap at asking for is less work. How do we change that? Well, legislation doesn’t change that. What could change that would be reasonable people having a think about the assumptions that they make: why do we have names for working mothers and not for working fathers, why do we not ever ask working fathers who they manage?<br />
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That’s why I wrote the book. It’s worth thinking about this stuff. I have spoken to a lot of men about their experiences and I used the stories of the ones who had given it a shot, met mild resistance, ploughed on and got there in the end. We are going through this sort of work-place evolution in terms of flexible working, I just think that we need to give it a little nudge to communicate that it’s not just for women. It’s one thing for a CEO to release a document and say that they’re so proud of their flexible work policy, it’s another to be spotted leaving the office at 4pm to pick up their kid from sport. That sends a really powerful message.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Community</span></h3>
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DL: Is it time to start looking at other relationship models? How do we get a village to raise a child? Should we start thinking more about community?<br />
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Annabel: Sounds terrific doesn’t it! I think that the notion of community is changing really rapidly and it’s about communication. It used to be so dependent on geography and the new notion of community is something that is much more about becoming intimate with people you’ve never met, either through Facebook or you may be part of an online collective, or business models that are actually based on old-fashioned concepts which ultimately built on trust, like Airbnb.<br />
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DL: So can we do that with kids? Can we pool that labour more communally?<br />
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Annabel: I don’t know. Logic would tell you that the old fashioned idea of it taking a village to raise a child must resurface at some point. George Megalogenis the other night was talking about how when he was a kid migrant women always worked and they would have communities that would look after the kids while mum was at work. So you would have these women who would be in charge of a troop of 7 kids. So do we, in this era of high child-care costs and high stress and centres that don’t cater for people’s flexible need is there room for an entrepreneurial genius to cater for people’s shared child minding needs?<br />
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You’d have to say that one of the barriers to that would be that standards of parenting have intensified. Stats from the United States show that a working mother today spends more hands-on childcare time with her child than her mother did, who didn’t work at all. So the barrier these days to our dream of village childcare is in the public liability issues…<br />
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DL: Beliefs in attachment parenting would probably also be a pretty big barrier to collective models of parenting…<br />
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Annabel: Oh totally! Human procreation patterns are just such an interesting thing. I spend half my time feeling guilty that my kids haven’t grown up on a farm, like I did. It’s just such a fraught business…you’re haunted by the ghosts of your own childhood in a good or bad way and you feel this incredible obligation towards your own children.<br />
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Failing as a parent is just a quantifiably different thing to failing at work. I think that guilt is such a factor in so many women’s experiences. They mention it so early in the conversation. One of the reasons why women find it really hard to let go, in terms of the gendered division of labour, is because they’re not entirely confident that their spouse will do as good a job as they do. And it’s hard to admit because it makes women out to be complete nutbars but it happens for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is that the assumption is that you will be the primary caregiver that you will be better at that than anyone else and to relinquish that is hard, as hard as it is for men to relinquish the idea that they’re the primary breadwinner. And I think the other thing is about external approbation as well. Because of those assumptions, a woman whose kid goes to school with odd socks on will often feel in some degree as if she’ll be blamed by others when they see that and not her husband.<br />
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The workplace is more straightforward in many ways. One of my interviewees in the book said, ‘with parenting you have no idea if you’ve done a good job, give it twenty years and see how they turn out.’ If you’re used to a structured workplace where you get all this feedback and rewards and bonuses and whatever then parenting can be pretty confronting. Those moments where you’ve done your absolute level best and you’re so tired that you want to sob and your kid tells you that you’re a terrible mum or comments on some aspect of your parenting, and that can really hurt!<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Filth</span></h3>
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DL: And then when you add domestic labour on top of that… Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique has such a lovely description of the endlessness of housework, how invisible it is and how utterly unrewarded…<br />
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Annabel: Yes, there is a strange detail about housework. It’s such a source of stress in households because it’s not just a finite and mutually agreed group of tasks that can be divided up. It’s a fluid amount of work because in any normal relationship two people will have different ideas about what constitutes cleanliness. Two people who live in the same house may look at that house and one may say that it’s a pigsty and the other will say, it’s pretty tidy isn’t it? Often it’s just about realizing what is making you grumpy and working out whether you’re working from the same assumptions or not.<br />
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There’s a guy called Jonathan Chase, who wrote an article called ‘The Case of Filth’, and he talks about how sometimes the answer to these arguments about housework is to just do less of it. He says: The inequitable division of household labour is one of the only areas of inequality in the world that can be saved by genuine apathy.<br />
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By: <a href="http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/by/Alecia-Simmonds">Alecia Simmonds</a></div>
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First published: 18th October 2014</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/work-and-money/we-need-a-male-equivalent-to-the-term-working-mother-and-other-lessons-from-annabel-crabbs-book-the-wife-drought-20141010-1143q7.html" target="_blank">Daily Life</a><br />
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Emma Walsh, Director, www.mumsatwork.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15685523648031468978noreply@blogger.com0