“Summer Blowback”
While it may seem like I fell off the face of the earth for the past month, in fact I’ve been busy experiencing “summer blowback.” In other words, I’ve been doing all of the things I agreed to do this summer while dealing with my mom’s illness and death without thinking clearly about just how much I’d committed to! Thus the term, “summer blowback.” Lesson learned for the future. However, interestingly I’ve met other people who are dealing with their own version of summer blowback during the last two weeks of September through early October but for different reasons. Are you experiencing “summer blowback?” Let me know!
I may not have blogged in a couple of weeks, but a lot has been happening such as…
My New Fast Company Blog Goes Live!
My new weekly Work+Life “Fit,” Not Balance blog for Fast Company went live this week! My intention is to blog here and for Fast Company once a week and cross-link to both. I knew Fast Company would be a great partner to spread the work+life “fit” message back in October, 2004 when Keith Hammonds interviewed me for his provocative and controversial “Balance is Bunk,” article, so check it out.
Live Blogging from the national Flexibility Working Retreat, in Park City, Utah
In case you missed it, I blogged live from the three day retreat of flexibility experts from corporations, higher education and research organizations that was sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Alliance for Work-Life Progress (here and here).
Work+Life Fit in the News– Wall Street Journal and Forbes.com
Wall Street Journal—Sue Shellenbarger’s 10/4 WSJ column, “What Makes a Company a Great Place to Work” highlighted how the expectations of younger employees are challenging companies to rethink their work+life strategies. Check out what I said about how young people feel about having to come in to the office everyday and how corporate flexibility is adapting to today’s work reality.
Forbes.com–Check out my advice for being married to a workaholic, “In Pictures, 10 Ways to Survive a Workaholic Spouse.”
Work+Life Fit On the Radio–Karen Salmansohn’s “Be Happy Dammit” Show, Sirius Satellite Radio
A number of people have asked for a link to the podcast from my 9/12 appearance on the Karen Salmansohn Sirius Satellite Radio show, “Be Happy Dammit,” so here it is! I joined three terrific experts–Marci Alboher, New York Times “Shifting Careers” columnist and author, Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC.com career columnist and author, and Leslie Bennetts, author of The Feminine Mistake–to discuss “Creating Work-Life Balance.” The conversation was so interesting Karen asked that a podcast of the entire show be posted, not just an excerpt.
A New Blog in Town–Marci Alboher, New York Times “Shifting Careers” Blog
One of my very favorite career writers is Marci Alboher. And it’s not only because she is smart and takes the time to really understand the subject matter about which she is reporting, or that she wrote a great book, One Person/Multiple Careers. It’s because she is one of the nicest, most generous people you will ever meet. So I was thrilled when the New York Times launched her daily “Shifting Careers–Smart Thinking at Work” blog, in addition to her successful “Shifting Careers” column in the paper. Check it out!
Take Aways from the Texas Conference for Women
Last week I had the honor of speaking at the Texas Conference for Women, an amazing gathering of over 8,000 women. I met some wonderful experts on a variety of work+life related subjects, including:
Renee Trudeau, author of “The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal”–One of my co-presenters on the “Embracing the Chaos” panel, Renee defines “balance” the right way, which is having time and energy for all the things that you love. She is forming Personal Renewal Groups nationwide, so go to her website and learn more, www.reneetrudeau.com.
Lorie Marrero, The Clutter Diet–Managing your work+life fit is so much harder if you don’t know how to get through all of the clutter in your life. Lorie and her company are passionate about clearing the clutter to help you find more time and lower your stress. Check out the tools and tips at www.clutterdiet.com.
Alexis Abramson, Ph.D. author of “The Caregivers Survival Guide–How to Care for Your Aging Parent Without Losing Yourself”–Alexis is passionate about all of the issues related to aging and has devoted herself to making organizations and individuals aware of and prepared for the “epidemic” of eldercare that is coming our way. www.alexisabramson.com
Carmen Wong Ulrich, author of Generation Debt–Money is one of the most important, yet too often unspoken, keys to finding your work+life “fit.” Feeling powerless over our financial choices often traps us in a “fit” that isn’t working for us. Making better choices can open up countless work+life “fit” choices. Carmen tries to help young adults, who are often saddled with mountains of debt, get out from underneath and live the life they want. www.gendebt.com
Remember, let me know if you are experiencing “summer blowback,” or over-scheduling September and October during the summer? (Don’t forget my comments spam filter will tell you that I didn’t get your comment–I do, so comment away!)