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Just a warning note here. This article is more of an op-ed piece than some sort of how to. Though I will give some personal advice I am by no means some sort of expert at finding a balance between career and home life.

It’s all about your career anymore. No matter who you are or what you do it’s just about your career. I think I really became aware of it once I became a stay at home mom. The question goes something like this, “So what do you do?” Often asked with my child standing right next to me. My answer, “I”m a stay at home mom.” Next comment goes something like this, “Oh, so what else do you do?” And that’s the nice version sometimes it’s something like, “Oh is that all you do. I wish I could be a stay at home mom and lie around all day.”
So that was the first wake up call for me to our modern “all about the career” society. Next wake us occurred to my husband when he would turn down travel or overtime to come home and spend time with his family. He received comments something like, “I don’t know why you’d want to go home. Don’t you want to get away from the wife and kid. Or don’t you care about your career?”
Ugh! Nice. As a single it didn’t really affect me because it was all about the career then. Though looking back I do remember when I was planning my wedding and still working in retail management. (Not a good career if you want any life outside of work.) I remember then that I stopped working a lot of overtime and always tried to get out on time as often as able. I was still doing my job and doing it well I might add but I remember my boss’s reaction. She said, “Kelly you don’t seem to care about your career here anymore.” Huh? I asked her if my performance had changed and she said no. But to her it wasn’t performance it was about staying at work and making it obvious that you had no other priorities than work.
Even my husband his job performance was the same whether or not he worked overtime or traveled more. So what was it that these corporations wanted?
They want you there, just there in case they feel they need or want you. They want you to make it obvious that you are putting them first. Like some jealous lover you must be on call, just in case. Doesn’t matter how wonderful you are to them for eight or ten hours per day. It’s that one hour or moment that they decide they want you there and maybe, God forbid, you spending time with your family and you don’t come running when they call. It’s that time that will be mentioned to you over and over and over again as evidence that you don’t care about your career.

So what do you do? What do any of us do about it? That’s a hard one to answer. I will say up front that some of the things I’m about to suggest may only be options for very few of us. But it’s those few who can make a difference.

1. Do your work, however long your day, and when you’re home you are home! What do I mean? Don’t be on call for jobs that don’t require it. Unless you’re in the medical or emergency service you don’t need to answer the phone when work calls. Voice mail and answering machines are wonderful devices, use them. I remember when I was promoted to manager and told, “You do realize that you are on call whenever the store is open now right?” I’m sorry but you don’t need to be on call for a retail management job. There is no such thing as a retail emergency. They actually expected me to be available 24/7 and always answer my phone. Stupid me, I did! And that is where I’ve got this first tip. Just don’t answer your phone once you’ve put in your day. Let them leave a message and listen to it. If they really need you then you call back but you don’t pick up the phone every time. I learned quickly that I was the only one of my management staff of five who really did answer my phone and what did it get me. Constant phone calls. The other managers screened calls. Everyone soon learned I was the “go to” person and always available. Did I get a raise? No! I just got more work. I don’t even think I got a thank you.

Continued on Work Life and Balance Part Two

Copyright 2007 Kelly Paal
Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. She started her own business Kelly Paal Photography. She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. Please visit www.kellypaalphotography.com for more FREE how to articles.