Our Working Lives

On average, we spend 100,000 hours at work during our lifetime. This does not include, travel, preparation or recovery time.

'Everyone in the world knows what they really want to do but half can't find the words to define it and the other half don't want to admit it'. (Dick Knowdell)


What do you really want to do with your 100,000 hours?

What Got You Here, Wont Get You There

Women's Enterprise Day (Wed 19 Nov) was celebrated across the country with three events held in Oxfordshire alone. I joined a group of businesswomen at the Faringdon Business Centre to hear to what Sue Stockdale had to say about 'Maximising Your Strengths for Business Success'.

At work, do you have the opportunity, to do what you do best every day?

This was a question put to1.7 million employees, from 101 companies, throughout 63 countries by the Gallup Organisation. Not surprisingly, only 20% strongly agreed with this statement.

We're all so used to addressing our weaknesses, it was quite refreshing to wallow in our strengths for a while, acknowledge what we are good at and consider how we might increase our business revenue by maximising time spent on what we are already good at. 'If you don't like numbers, then get someone else to do your bookkeeping' Sue suggested. Predictably this was met by objections along the lines of 'small budgets' and ' I'm on my own, so I must do everything myself'. Sue challenged these by pointing out that if we have a talent for something, which can raise revenue, we can raise more than enough revenue to cover the costs of employing someone else to cover our weaknesses and still make a profit. That way, we do what we want to do and still get paid. Marshall Goldsmith's book 'What Got You Here, Wont Get You There', is part of Sue's recommended reading. Its one of those titles which makes you step off your life for a moment and take a bird's eye view of what is going on.

Flexible Work for Flexible Minds

Next year everyone with children under the age of 16 will be eligible to request flexible working hours.

Flexible working opportunities can benefit everyone: employers, employees and their families. Most employers now recognise that it makes good business sense to provide flexible working opportunities for their staff. Lifeworklife a new online profile matching service, matches personal profiles with flexible business assignments. This is a great opportunity to promote your credentials to registered businesses or tap into the skill sets of the flexible working population. If our lives are flexible, then our minds are too. If you're looking for inspiration or to inspire others with your expertise then logon and start building your profile. If you're not sure where to start with your profile, help is at hand. Contact the profile doctor and you'll find me there!

www.lifeworklife.co.uk

Returning to Work as a Recession Remedy

Parents are finding themselves having to return to work unexpectedly in the current economic climate. If a family is dependant on one income and that is being effected by global economic conditions, then spouses are likely to want to jump to the rescue and return to work. Unless they are in the right frame of mind, returners are likely to fall at the first hurdle (preparing their CV) or the second (the interview). A break from work, for whatever reason naturally effects confidence and motivation levels and Bumpy Business (www.bumpybusiness.co.uk) is providing fast & effective relief. The pace of change is fast in any business and if you're not up to speed it will soon tell. Our own research shows that providing objective and non-judgemental support outside the workplace improves clients' chances of finding a suitable job as well as making a great start in their new role, whatever demands are waiting for them at home. With appropriate individual support Bumpy Business clients are finding opportunities which play to their strengths and are winning when it matters most.