We all know the workers who are the first to arrive and last to leave. They don’t take time off. You wonder if their kids even recognize them anymore. Contrast that person with an employee who leaves early for parent-teacher conferences and usually walks out the door in time to have dinner with his family.
Which is the preferable employee? That question is being bantered about more than ever, as young workers in particular strive for a life that balances work, home and community.
Kate Rogers wrote “Might Be Time to Tell Your Employees to Get a Life” on foxbusiness.com. She notes that more top-level execs are embracing a flexible approach to when, where and how work is done. They hold themselves and others accountable for the quantity and quality of performance – because that produces business results.
Rewarding “face time” at the office encourages people to look busy and be present, even when they’re not giving it their all. For some, being busy becomes a way of life and a means of avoiding other brutal realities. Tim Kreider notes in “The ‘Busy’ Trap at NYTimes.com:
“Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness; obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.”
Think about how you use your time and help your team create real success. Is it all about being busy, or are you zeroing in on the business results that matter?
Need to refocus on the right results? Contact Humanergy.
Photo from iStockphoto
As I read this, I was reminded of a favorite quote of mine from the movie The Sound of Music: “A busy life suggests a life of purpose.” This blog entry is a great reminder … Thanks.
When I’m teaching time management I remind my students that proudly wearing a “Busy Badge” simply means that they haven’t figured out how to effectively manage their time. That usually stuns them into silence…our society seems to reward and encourage the habitual chant that goes something like, “I’m so, so busy…”
As the plaque behind my desk states, “Never confuse having a career with having a life.” I prefer to work with people who can get the job done, done well, and still have time to make their lives (and themselves) interesting and whole.