Part 1 listed the variables of work-life balance in my years of work and reading and took a closer look at the first two.

  • Set Boundaries
  • Learn to say No and feel comfortable
  • Earn credits
  • Establish a support system
  • Schedule vacations
  • Identify and manage Peak times
  • Become single

This post continues discussion on the things you can do balance work and life a wee bit more.

Earn credits

I learned this tactic or rather recognized it from Jack and Suzy Welch’s landmark book, Winning. Jack uses the term “chit system” to describe building credit with your boss and the organization. Other people use other terms (goodwill account etc).

When you stay late to ensure a project is completed on time, when you take on the work of a colleague who is sick, when you go beyond your job or task description, you earn credits. These credits can be used when you need them – to be with your children when they need you most or to be with your spouse when he/she is not well/pursuing her interests etc.

Jack goes on to give examples from GE when really good people who were in the system used this credit system to take themselves away from the race without being affected later.

Of course, this works only if you continue in the same organization. I, however, have a few points to add based on my experience.

  • Do not volunteer for everything to build credit. Identify really critical times when the impact is hardest.
  • The system will create peak cycles when you may not be with your family for an extended period of time. Choose these cycles carefully.
  • Ensure people who matter know about your work. This does not mean you tom-tom it about every time you talk
  • Be clear that what you think is credit is really that. You don’t want to end up using your goodwill or even worse, your boss’ goodwill
  • Remember this works only if you genuinely accumulate credit and use it responsibly. All said and done, people want to be fair to you and the organization.

Establish a support system

This is especially important if your partner too is working outside home. When I talk to the high-achievers in my organization, I find that most have set up a system to ensure the house runs smoothly without too much involvement from them. Cooking, housecleaning, bringing kids from school, paying the bills etc are important considerations.

If you have to start early in the day to beat the traffic, while packing lunches for you and your children, you would have to make clones of yourself to do this. Getting up very early is not the answer – you need your sleep and you need some physical exercise. There is simply no time for it all!

Jack Welch also comments about this in his book and also makes an interesting statement – those who establish such a support system earn more (obviously), leaving them to do more in the day and grow in their work, allowing them to earn even more! People who don’t earn so much cannot afford such support and hence cannot commit much at the office. A vicious cycle that needs to be broken with better financial planning; otherwise, some become bigger while others remain where they are, leading to frustration and anger.

At the minimum, get someone to cook. This could be your parents/in-laws or some close relative who needs a place to stay for a while. It could free you to do things which improve the quality of life.

Do you have any tips to share or do you have problems in balancing work and life? Share it with us.