Is Work Killing Us?

I recently read in a management article that Americans have outpaced the Japanese and the Germans in average working hours. In fact, we spend more time on the job than workers in any other industrialized country with the exception of the South Koreans and Czechs. The Familes and Work Institute reports that American males work an average of 49 hours weekly with females working an average of 42 hours.

Karoshi is Japanese for death on the job. While there have been some instances here in America, no patterns or trends have been sought so they have been written off as "isolated." However, it's important to take note because of escalating work hours and being available 24/7 even while at home. We are certain to experience karoshi more in the future. Therefore, it is critical to maintain a proper work/family life balance.....indeed it could mean the difference between life and death.

So how do we do it? Well, it begins as a philosophy by employers coupled with programs and policies designed to support work/family life balance. However, it is also dependent on employees taking advantage of the programs and taking responsibility to manage the balance as well. Successful execution of work/family life balance is a partnership between employer and employee to do what is needed on both sides.

Zip lining in Paradise

Being a self-proclaimed workaholic, a relaxing vacation is a must for me. I don't subscribe to the notion of no vacations. I have to get my batteries recharged! Recently, I went to Kauai, Hawaii better known as the Garden Isle or Paradise. It's the one place that I can go and feel totally relaxed from the rush, rush mentality that we have here on the Mainland.

My niece talked me into zip lining. It sounded both exciting and scary. I thought a few times about bowing out but I can't refuse a challenge. So on Friday of our week long vacation we drove to JustLive to experience soaring in the trees. What an experience it was! We were in these tall Cook County Pine trees for the entire two or three hours. We zipped on lines that were as high as 100 feet in addition to doing a suspension bridge crossing and a rope crossing. It was spectacular. I can't describe the adrenaline and the thrill you feel as you step off of the platform into the air. It is truly phenomenal.

Could zip lining be a little like some of our experiences in life? You encounter an opportunity that intrigues you but is yet a little scary. You want to take a chance but you are hesitant. What happens if you decide to pass up the opportunity and stay in your comfort zone? What happens if you decide to go for it doing something new and different?

I am so glad that I went for it and the result was a new improved perspective.

Does a Self-Proclaimed Workaholic Need a Dog?

It's amazing how many busy people I talk to who have pets. With today's hectic pace it is interesting how most of us find the time to take on this responsibility. I'm one of those people who proudly own a beloved pet that fits into my workaholic lifestyle.



Her name is Sydney and she is adorable. She's a pit bull which I believe is one of the most intelligent breeds in the world and very misunderstood. Sydney is three years old and I have owned her since she was six weeks old. She is my companion and protector. I call her my "puppy" although she passed that stage quite some time ago.

So why do I own a pit bull? I love their personalities....tenacious, persistent, smart, fearless loving and loyal. You may say that some of these qualities does not match the picture of these unique dogs that is painted in the media. Well, I have owned two from the age of six weeks and my experience is consistent. What's more, my dog matches my own personality (except I'm probably not as fearless as she is).

Yes, a workholic needs a dog. When work gets hectic, she or he is a good reminder of what it means to lead a simpler life.

June 23 - A Special Day

Today is a momentous day for me and for my son, Derrick. It is his 29th birthday. 29.....I can't believe he is 29! It was 29 years ago when I as a seventeen year old made the trek to the hospital with my parents to deliver a baby. How naive I was back then. I did not have a clue. I just knew I was having a baby and that it might "hurt a little bit." That was an understatement. It hurt a lot! After several hours of excruciating labor, they decided to do some x-rays since Derrick wasn't moving down quick enough through the birth canal. The diagnosis.......a crooked tailbone. Now how did that happen? A thought quickly went back to a fall that I had while skating a few years back. I remember my rear-end hurt for weeks and Absorbene, Jr. (the pain reliever) was a constant friend.

Hmm.........

A c-section would be necessary. What did that mean? My mom said that means that they will make an incision in your abdomen in order for you to have the baby. Does that mean they knock me out (put me to sleep)? I couldn't wait.....the pain was killing me! I still remember it as it was yesterday. They placed a mask over my nose and instructed me to breath and count to ten. I recall slowly losing consciousness and fading to sleep. I may have made it to the count of five.

Flash back to now. I'm 46 and he is still my baby. I don't call him that in public but that is how I feel. We are close. We know each other better than anyone else. I'm a doting mother and he is a mama's boy. Some things never change not matter how many years pass. That makes me smile. Happy Birthday, Derrick.

Need a Break When Time is of the Essence? Try a Mini-Vacation.

Often times you need a short break...a respite from work to get re-energized. It's either not time for vacation or you just don't have time to get away from it all. Why not take a one-day mini-vacation? Planning does not take much time and most of the time, you can take this mini-vacation right in your city or certainly nearby. Here's how the mini-vacation works.

Schedule a day off. Most companies are lenient allowing you to schedule a day off with advance notice of a week or less. If this is not the case with your company, try appealing to your supervisor. Let him or her know that a day off would actually increase your productivity by allowing time for rejuvenation. I believe honesty is the best policy. Of course, you can also go with the proverbial sick day and call in......I don't particularly recommend this approach.

Choose a nice hotel or resort in your city. I prefer four or five star properties that spoil you. Normally most of us don't stay in hotels in our city so it's likely that while you may have visited the property for another activity, you likely have not booked a room there. A mini-vacation is extra special and engenders a sense of excitement if this is the case.

Schedule a spa visit or another activity at the hotel that you enjoy. You can also choose an activity that is not at the hotel but still in your city. Choose something that you have always wanted to do but just have not got around to doing it. Maybe a wine tasting excursion, a visit to the museum, or checking out a tourist attraction (hey, it's okay to be a tourist in your own city). Just remember to make it something that appeals to you and that engages your senses.

Make a dinner reservation either at the hotel or at a unique restaurant. Pick a restaurant in which you preferably have never eaten and one that is top rated. I like to pick restaurants from the top 100 in my city. Of course, eventually you will have tried them all. When that happens, you can just start over!

Now that you have scheduled everything you are ready to go. Pack your bag the day before your mini-vacation so that you can take it to work. You're going on vacation right after your workday. This is definitely a leave-on-time or leave-early day. Arrive at your hotel and check-in. If you are a spa person, a massage or treatment right after you check-in and relax is perfect. If you are not a spa person, maybe a happy hour drink at the hotel lounge is right up your alley. The idea is to begin decompression and relax immediately after your work day.

After a few hours, it is time for dinner at your chosen restaurant. Dress up and make it special....or not. It's up to you. You are going to enjoy a fine leisurely dinner. No rushing allowed.

End the evening with a relaxing tub soak before turning it or if you are a night owl, try the hotel lounge or a favorite movie in your room.

The next morning, indulge with breakfast in bed or in the hotel restaurant if you like. You can then start your chosen activity and enjoy the day (don't forget to check out of the hotel!).

In the evening, you arrive home rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to continue tackling that important project the next morning. You will be astounded at the new perspectives that you will gain from your mini-vacation!

Working on a Cloudy Sunday

Today I awoke to cloudy skies which surprised me given yesterday's sunny demeanor. Yet it seemed somewhat appropriate as this was scheduled as a work day to complete a merger project. I got up to get ready and noticing that Sydney, my pit bull was not near, I called her. She had taken up residence in one of the bedrooms snuggled in bed. Doesn't she know dogs do not sleep in people beds? I guess not (smile). She saw that I was up and followed me for the morning ritual.

I was the first to arrive at work. The others followed and soon we were all in sync to get the job done. What teamwork and dedication! The staff did not break for lunch until 2:30 p.m. I went to Subway to pick up sandwiches and cookies as an extra treat. We finished around 4:00 p.m. Mission accomplished!

Some might be resentful of working on a Sunday when it is not a normal work day. Not me. I enjoyed the challenge of a special project and was invigorated. This merger project was difficult but as I was driving home I felt such a sense of achievement at completing this major piece. It was exhilarating!

My entry as a first-time blogger

I have wanted to try out blogging for a while and decided to just do it. I'm old school so this is new for me. I'm broadening my horizons.

My blog is called thoughts on life, work, and family which is pretty standard. What is interesting about this title is the order in which the topics came to me which is exactly how I typed them. I'm a career woman and work is a significant part of my life. My family is small....parents deceased, husband, grown son, two siblings, some nieces and nephews. My family life is a very close second to work and both areas of my life are interchanged from time to time in importance depending on the occasion. Most people might be embarrassed to rate family as a close second but I believe in being honest to one's self.

Are there any other first-time bloggers are there? Are there any other work with family as a close second folks out there?