Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Redefining your work-life balance in the right way has life-altering results. These pages capture a better way for you to define your work-life balance supported by one-minute tools that are radically simple, yet powerful. These tools have been in use for more than two decades and have consistently improved peoples' lives and relationships from day one.
I have been passionate about this topic since my senior year at Georgia Tech where I participated in an honors research project focused on creating a framework for how to be very successful in business and enjoy life's journey along the way.
The result was one of the most important experiences of my life. It gave me the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects that I was interested in - leadership, ethics, people skills, philosophy, time management - and resulted in a very early framework.
The techniques developed from that research were tested and substantially modified in the real world. I started and grew a light manufacturing business to a great team of more than 250 individuals generating over $100,000,000 million in sales. A big part of our team's commitment and success came from adapting and applying these tools and respecting that in addition to having a job, each one of us has a life.
I later built an international leadership and work-life balance training firm where those techniques were refined by working with hundreds of outstanding leaders and organizations to create a more positively balanced and happier life. Along the way I fell in love and added the experience of becoming a very proud and appreciative husband and dad.
The result of decades of learning from and teaching others are found in the practical tools contained in this book. These tools have proven to better balance and enhance people's lives in their work and in relationships with family, friends and their own personal well-being.
As part of that process I have personally asked tens of thousands of individuals in businesses, non-profits, government agencies and the U.S. military whether work-life balance is an important issue to them and what results they would like to see by better achieving it. Overwhelmingly it was an important issue and their most common desired benefits included:
More fulfilled Less stressed More productive personally and professionally Get more important things done in less time Procrastinate less Stay focused amidst all the distractions Have time just for me Be happier These are all results that the tools in our training and in this book produced for them, and will for you, as well. However, before applying these tools to create a more positive work-life balance, we must first clearly redefine balance in a way that works for you.
Regrettably that has become necessary because academics, HR departments and the media have superficially defined work-life balance in ways that make it unattainable, undesirable, or both. Too often these straw man definitions are used to conclude that work-life balance does not exist. Work-Life Balance Is Dead and Work-Life Balance is Impossible have been repeated headlines in hundreds of media pieces from Forbes, Fortune, and CNN amongst numerous others who grabbed a catchy title and ran with it.
If something you inherently desire is undefined, ill-defined or impossible your outcomes will disappoint, frustrate and can often be harmful. Fortunately, these pundits are wrong. Work-life balance is attainable every day for the rest of your life, provided it is positively redefined from these self-defeating characterizations.
That's why Part One of this book begins by dispelling the myth that there is no such thing as work-life balance. Instead it delivers a proven re-definition that is clear, fulfilling and attainable, along with a tool set that will enhance the value and positive balance you get from life - today and every day.
Part Two is about people and relationships. You will learn two powerful one minute tools that can be applied to your life immediately. The outcome is a more rewarding, less stressed and happier balance with the important individuals in your personal and work life. In each chapter you will also see examples from people who have generously shared their personal stories and experiences in implementing these tools.
Part Three is about achieving the things you want in life. It delivers two tools that supercharge your thinking. You will get more good thinking done with each of these tools in minutes than most people get done in days, weeks or even a lifetime of typical pondering.
You will also discover two balance measurement tools: one gauges your emotional status and reactions and the other illuminates your current emphasis in life and enables you to easily adjust it, if it is not where you want it to be.
Part Four concludes these pages using your definition of a good work-life balance to clarify your Way of Life goals. These goals are not specific markers to surpass or milestones to accomplish but
way of living goals. What are the most meaningful and important outcomes you want from your life
every day? You will be surprised how quickly these meaningful and often life-changing goals become clear with this final tool in the book.
My promise to you is that by applying these proven tools you will create immediate positive outcomes personally and professionally. More importantly, from feedback across demographics, countries and cultures, I expect you will retain and use your favorite tools along with a re-definition of work-life balance to be happier, less stressed and more fulfilled over your lifetime.
Let's turn the page and redefine work-life balance in a way that works for you.