The Beam by Joe Raasch

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Life Happens

I was awake early this past Friday morning.  Among the many things I had to do was write this post, prepare for an afternoon of interviews for our new Research Director and follow up on a list of items for a major new project that we just launched.

I got up, walked the dog, came home, started up some coffee and noticed that we had a message on the phone.  It was my Mom.  Calling at 6:20am.  I returned the call.  My Dad had passed away during the night.  He had been sick for some time and was in the hospital.  Surprised and not surprised at the same time.

Focus on Work

Since he had already passed, there wasn't much I could do.  Might as well shower, head into work and spend a few hours catching up on things.  After all, who else was going to write this post? Or be part of the six-person interview panel?  Or follow up on outstanding project deliverables?  My Mom had been expecting this for a while and can handle the funeral arrangements. After all, he's been sick for a long time and she's been taking care of him.

Focus on Life

Since he had already passed, there was a lot I could do.  My Mom, who was married to my Dad for 45 years,  was going to need someone to assist with funeral arrangements.  She had just lost her best friend.  We found out from my brother that Dad's service in the U.S. Navy qualified him for full military burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  Honor guard, taps, flag, the whole deal. He is evening checking into the possiblility of the Patriot Guard escorting us as well.  We spent time yesterday on arrangements with the funeral home and today with my Mom's parish priest.  We're as ready as we can be to celebrate my Dad's life and passing this coming Tuesday.

I chose to focus on life.  Supporting my Mom, brother and sister was right where I belonged.  There are times when we need to let ouselves fully embrace whatever emotion we are experiencing, be it joy, sadness, anger or fright.  And allow others that freedom as well.

The incredible support I received from my boss and others at work allowed me to be 100% in the moment, in the emotion, and with my family.  The ability to be 100% present, wherever one is, isn't easy.  The unfailing support of others is required.

I highly recommend it.

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Use It or Lose It

Today I am on vacation.  Not "working from home" or "away from the office" - and then still checking my voicemail and BlackBerry.  No, I am truly away...from...work.  And it isn't easy.

When is the last time you did this? Were you able to truly unplug and be 100% in the day, away?

Vacation Time

Most organizations offer some sort of vacation benefit for employees.  These same organizations typically enforce rules as to how much vacation an employee may accrue and roll to the next year.  When an employee has too much vacation accrued, they lose some of the vacation days.  This falls into the "use it or lose it" approach.  

No Time To Rest

Do you know anyone at work who is just too busy to take time away...truly away...and be on vacation?  Is that person....YOU???  At work we have what we call the "beer truck theory" - as in, what would we do if (insert employee name) was hit by a beer truck?  Sounds a bit morbid, but in reality, none of us is so critical to the mission of our organizations that the place would fail without us.  Might feel like that when you're in the middle of a tough work day, but in reality, most places existed before we worked there, and will be there when we leave.  You need to ask yourself, "does my work define who I am, or is it who I am?"

Why We Get Vacation

Early in my career, I worked in investment operations.  We only
received a few weeks vacation each year and were required to take a
full five days (a week) consecutively.  Why?  For audit purposes.  It
was apparently a bit harder to fool the Feds if we were away for more
than a day at a time.  It was also a brutal business in the mid-1980s -
the rest and regeneration were necessary to survive.  Of course, no
email or BlackBerry Smartphone (ooo...Smartphone) to deal with either. 
It was near impossible to 'take work home'.

Whether you answered "my work defines me, or my work IS me" to the question above, you owe it to your work, your colleagues, your customers, your self, to be the best 'you' at work you can be.  This means a great attitude, an "A-game" approach giving and expecting excellence and a service-over-self modus operandi.  Whew, that was a lot just typing it all.  Recharge and re-energize yourself to make this happen.  Vacation time is the way.

Why You Need to Take Your Vacation Time

"Use it or lose it" isn't just for vacation time. Your being sick, stressed or not being able to give 100% doesn't serve anyone.  Your family, your life, your dog, your neighbors, your couch, your bike, your golf clubs - somewhere you are missed.  Don't lose it.

Do you really think you will retire some day and think, "Gee, I wish I would have worked more and not take my vacation time?"

The first three hours of the day today were tough.  No, I have not checked email, voicemail or BlackBerry.  Though I did feel a few phantom "read me" vibrations on my hip a few minutes ago...

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Schedules Matter with Insane Work Rules

Guess what?  Baby time isn't as freewheeling as we thought.  Without a consistent daily schedule, babies get overstimulated, cranky and don't sleep much at night...when we want to sleep.

The same can happen at work.  i am sure you've set up a great schedule for today.  Then, work happens, clients call, you spill coffee on yourself, your computer locks up, etc.  So if you can't stay to a schedule, what do you do?

 Try this proven method of getting a good day's work out of a not-so-good day:

1.    Start the day with a latte (or your non-adult beverage of choice).
2.    Make a list of what needs to be done TODAY (not tomorrow, next week etc., you’re not there yet).
3.    Do three easy things to get some traction, then one hard thing you’ve been putting off – do it in the morning while you have the energy.
4.    Ignore your phone and put an ‘unavailable’ extended absence greeting on vmail.  Return calls later in the day or tomorrow.
5.    Do email twice today.  First thing and last thing.  If it isn’t from the boss or the CEO, ignore until tomorrow.
6.    Take frequent breaks to clear your mind.
7.    Find a comic or other thing that makes you laugh, and laugh every hour.
8.    A thirty minute lunch (minimum) is required.  Eat alone or with others, but NOT at your desk. NO work.
9.    If possible, go for a brisk ten minute walk.
10.    Have chocolate as part of lunch – it’s a good treat, and the compounds in it work like morphine.
11.    Just after lunch, take a look at all you accomplished.
12.    Rework your list, do one harder thing you’ve been putting off – you’ll burn off some of that lunch.
13.    Push through until your normal end time, and then do ONE more thing that will take you no more than an hour.
14.    Review all that you’ve accomplished on the list you made in the morning. GREAT WORK!
15.    GO HOME and do something fun.
16.    Rinse and repeat.
 

 Make it a GREAT day today!

Joe

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Go Away - I am Busy!

The first week of school in any school district is a busy, chaotic time. It is also joyful. We have close to 40,000 students coming back to our 70+ schools and programs. This particular school opening week, Sept 2-5 of 2008, is historic. There are buildings to clean, over 2,000 bus routes to get right, meals to plan, classrooms to ready - all for the students.

Oh, and did I mention the epublican National Convention is in town too?
We have 158 separate bus routes affected by the event.

I knew in advance of this extremely busy week. With a new baby, just five
weeks old, I expected that I would not be home much. I was to be in
command at our emergency operations center at 6:15am each day, and be there
until the last bus route cleared and all children were home safe, typically
around 7-8pm each day.
When would I have time to support my wife and spend time with my child?
So, I sent them to stay with inlaws. This allowed me to work 24/7 if
needed.

I also don't have my 'at home' support network and haven't seen my family all week.

Should I have had them stay home?

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Put Me In Coach!

“Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield..”

That’s a line from a 1985 song by John Fogerty titled, “Centerfield.”  In US baseball, the position of centerfield is one of the hardest to master.  The position requires fast legs, a good ability to catch and a strong arm to throw all the way to home plate; as well as strategic knowledge of the possible plays and potential hits by the other team.

Choosing Work Before It Chooses You

With most organizations pushing employees to do more with less resources (e.g. time), few of us want to volunteer for additional projects.  This may not be the best choice.

Chances are that last time your boss asked for volunteers on a project, you were one of the many that looked at your shoes, took an ‘emergency’ cell phone call, or had a coughing fit and had to leave the conference room.  And sometimes those tactics work.  Many times, we still get put onto projects that just don’t fit our schedules, our skills or our passions.

Next time projects are coming your way, pick the one you like best.  Most bosses remember this and you’ll be able to either not have to be on the next project, or get the best work because you volunteered and showed initiative.  Work either happens to you, or for you.  Choose wisely, don’t hide!  

Control Your Free Time

This same concept works with your time outside of work as well.  If your social calendar with family, friends or ‘down time’ is planned for you by others, you may not be all that happy with the balance.  Plan some of your own parties or events.  Try setting the schedule on your own, and feel free to decline a date or two.  You may not be any less busy, but you’ll feel in more control of your life – and get to choose more of where you spend your time.  Not much in life is more empowering than that!

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Medal in Quitting for Balance

Quit. I did.

That’s the answer if you want to be an Olympic athlete.  Seth Godin, in his little book “The Dip” talks about strategic quitting.  I expect many athletes at the Bejing Olympics quit a lot of other activities to ensure they were performing at their best for the main events.

Focused Effort – Short Term

What are the little things that need your attention every day, no matter what? Just like an athlete who puts in countless hours perfecting a twist in a dive, or a form adjustment in running, the little things make the big things better.  How do you view feeding the dog, buying groceries, mowing the lawn, painting the fence, watering the flowers?  Are these “have to” or “get to” activities?  In the short term, these lead to your long term goals of work/life balance.

Any of these little activities getting in the way of your long term goals?  Quit them.  Don’t like cleaning your house? Have someone else do it.  You may have to sacrifice elsewhere in your budget, but that’s the point – choices.  Each of these short term, focused efforts will hone you for your long term goal.  

Work/life Balance – Long Term

Do all of your short term activities give you the direction and energy you need to keep true to your long term goals?  Every time you take on another project, at home or at work, check it against your goal of work/life balance.  

The choices aren’t easy.  Quitting is harder than it sounds.  Ask any Olympic athlete if quitting was worth it.  Every one will say ‘yes’.

Quit something today and find yourself closer to “medaling” in work/life balance!

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100% Present

The easy stuff is hard.

Today marks my first week back at work after two weeks paternity leave.  Day one, not so bad.  My boss reminded me that a great way to balance work and home is to be “100% present” wherever I am.

This  “100% present” concept was a great approach on Monday.  I didn’t miss my 16-day old daughter much at all and was thrilled to be back at the office.  Day two, not so much.  The reality of disrupted sleep cycles, the joyous responsibility of parenthood and a very tired wife caught up to me quite fast.

The beginning of the week was spent in District-wide (all organization) meetings and ended with a 1½-day senior leadership retreat to firm up strategic plans for the coming school year.  We spent Thursday afternoon discussing our individual and collective team struggles with work/life balance.  Family or no, we all have a paradox in trying to be at work and outside of work.  Learning takes a lot of effort!

Results-focused

Any leader whose job it is to get results, not just sit in meetings or defer decisions all day, requires a high level of commitment and physical, emotional and psychological energy.

Ability to re-energize

Without a way to recharge physically, emotionally and psychologically, a stressed out, ineffective and unproductive ‘you’ is all that is left.

Spending time with my daughter (even when she is just asleep in my arms), walks with my wife, reading, driving…even catching an episode of The Deadliest Catch.  All help me recharge so I can bring my best self to work and home: 100% present.

What do you do to ensure you can give all you have, and not completely run down?  How do you keep 100% present at work and home?

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What is Work/Life Balance?

I am writing this post in my home office, dressed comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt. My daughter, Annaliese, was born just 13 days ago, July 26th. I am taking two weeks off to stay home with her and my wife, Dawn. These past two weeks have been incredible, joyous and amazing!

I work on the senior leadership team of one of the top 60 urban school districts in the United States, Saint Paul Public Schools (www.spps.org). I oversee the day-to-day activities of 800 outstanding operations employees in the areas of Nutrition (cafeterias), Facilities (70+ buildings), IT (network and classroom technology), Security & Emergency Management (and serve as incident commander), and Transportation (we transport 98% of the 40,000 students each day). Summer is our busiest time as we prepare the schools for ‘opening’ each fall. We manage over 150 construction and maintenance projects, prepare a complex fall transportation bus schedule, cafeteria menus, etc. No time off for this operations group. Days are long and the work is demanding. Add to that the strategy work to plan for the future and mix in a $10million budget deficit and you get the idea that I couldn’t take an hour off, let alone two weeks!

Yet here I am. This blog will be about learning and understanding what ‘balance’ is for each of us. Is “50-50” right? Should one choose family over career? Do you have to? Do we get to choose, or do circumstances require us to react and deal with our lives as is?

I will be writing each Friday. We’ll have conversations on topics such as this and see what we find out! I look forward to learning with you. Welcome to Work/Life balance and FastCompany.com! I am new to this site, but not new to blogging, or trying to balance work and life the past 22 years! ( I write on maximizing organizational performance at www.happyburroblog.com). I look forward to our conversations, shared learning and inspiration to find that ‘balance’.

Cheers,

Joe