This document discusses achieving work-life balance and provides tips for doing so. It begins by outlining the purpose of achieving balance between work, family, and leisure activities. Several challenges to balance are then described, such as the blurring of work and personal boundaries. Statistics about work-life challenges are presented. Finally, the document provides 10 tips for improving balance, such as negotiating schedule changes, learning to manage time better, and simplifying one's lifestyle. The overall message is that finding the right balance is unique to each individual and requires prioritizing responsibilities.

1. ACHIEVING WORK-LIFE BALANCE
AIM- IRS Conference
August 2009
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Presented by:
HMT Industry Director, Charlie Brantley
HMT Director of Field Operations – West , Dave Horton

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Achieving Work Life Balance Workshop
 Purpose:
 To focus on how to successfully combine work, family
relationships and leisure time into a satisfying life.
 Approach:
 To create a skill set that enhances the ability to evaluate
priorities, focus on the big picture and use long range
planning
 Use prioritizing and organizational skills to make sense
out of conflicting demands

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The Work – Life Balance
 Work and personal world were once very
distinct.
 It is harder than ever to keep up with both your
work and personal activities.
 Activities and social spaces are becoming
ambiguous.

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Some things people deal with on a daily
basis
 Getting ahead at work
 Spending quality time with your significant other
 Caring for elderly parents
 Doing chores at home
 Taking care of children
 Commuting to/from work

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The Never-Ending Work Day …
 There was a time when people in the IRS
reported to work Monday through Friday and
worked an 8 hour day.
 The day started at 8:00AM and ended at 4:45 PM
however,
 The world has changed. Some of the changes
in the work world caused a change and blurring
of the work and personal worlds.

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Changes in the Work World
 Global economy
 International business
 Advanced communication technology
 Flex-time schedules
 Alternative or flexi-place work location
 Changes in family structure (dual-career)

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Some Facts to Consider About the Workforce
 57% of people who say they had to go into
work late or leave early did so because of
caring for elderly relatives
 4% say they’ve turned down a promotion
 10% say they went from full-time to
part-time work
Article in Forbes Magazine- March 17, 2009

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Survey Results From More Than 50,000
Employees from a Variety of Manufacturing
and Service Organizations Found
(Source: Quintessential Careers article)
 2 out of every 5
employees are
dissatisfied with the
balance between their
work and personal lives
 The lack of balance is
due to:
 Long work hours
 Changing demographics
 More time in the car
 Deterioration of boundaries
between work and home

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So … How Do You Restore Balance to
your Life?
 First, remember that the work/life balance can
mean different things to different people.
 It can also change and mean different things to you at
various points in your career.
 You also have to be realistic.
 If you set a priority (EX: advance in your career),
you have to be realistic about what that will require.

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance ( By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.)
1. Negotiate a Change with Your Current Employer
 Changes can include: flextime, job-sharing, telecommuting or
part-time employment.
 Your 1st step is to research your employer’s policies and
methods of handling previous requests
2. Find a New Career
 Some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming
than others.
 Explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
3. Find a New Job
 Rather than a career change, perhaps you simply need to
take a less stressful job within your chosen career.
 This may involve working with your current employer to
identify a new position
4. Slow Down
 Life is simply too short
 Take steps to stop and enjoy the things and people
around you.
 Find some ways to distance yourself from the things that
are causing you the most stress

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
5. Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid
Procrastination.
 For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from
simply being disorganized – and procrastinating.
 Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines – and then
stick to them
6. Share the Load
 Even though we may sometimes feel we’re the only ones
capable of doing something, it's usually not the case.
 Get your partner or other family members to help you with
all your personal/family responsibilities

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
7. Let Things Go. (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff)
 Learn to let things go every once in a while
 Learn to recognize the things that don’t really have much
impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go
 … then don’t beat yourself up for doing so
8. Explore Your Options. Get Help.
 In many cases you do have options; you just need to take the
time to explore them
 EX: a sitter for your children, options for care of your aging
parents, counseling for yourself
 Don’t feel overwhelmed with your family responsibilities

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10 Tips for Getting your Work/Life in
Balance (continued)
9. Take Charge. Set Priorities.
 Sometimes it’s easier for us to allow ourselves to feel
overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a
prioritized list of things that need to get done
 Buck the trend.
10. Simplify
 It’s human nature to take on too many tasks and
responsibilities, to try to do too much and to own too
much.
 Find a way to simplify your life
 Change your lifestyle
 Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house –
and your life.

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Final Thought on the Work/Life
Balance….
 In the end, the key word is balance.
 Find the right balance that works for you
 Celebrate your successes and don’t dwell on your
failures.
 Life is a process .. and so is striving for balance in
your life.