Work/Life Balance

Eighty Hour Work Weeks

2024-09-20T20:58:46-05:00October 2nd, 2024|Tags: , , |

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, JPMorgan and Bank of America are trying to “fix” the issue of investment bankers’ excessive hours. By capping these young bankers to 80 hours a week, think about the message these banks have sent.   Basically, they’re saying, “We hear you have a problem with working so many hours, so we’ll cap them ...

Working in Paradise

2024-10-12T14:51:21-05:00June 6th, 2024|Tags: , , |

God desires us to work, to tend to His creation, and serve His people. Author Tom Lutz recently said in a Common Good magazine interview, “Christianity is the only religion where work is part of paradise.”  Although I would include Judaism, I think most people would be shocked to know that we will work in Heaven.   In Isaiah 65, ...

Mrs. Butker’s Calling

2024-10-12T14:56:55-05:00June 3rd, 2024|Tags: , , |

KC Chiefs Kicker, Harrison Butker, caused quite a stir weeks ago with his Benedictine commencement address. The issue that surprisingly received the most attention was his comments about homemakers.  Since Butker’s mother is a physicist I doubt his intention was to denigrate professional women. Instead, I believe he desired to elevate the women, like his wife, who are called ...

Overcoming Workaholism

2024-03-01T08:29:38-06:00March 6th, 2024|Tags: , , |

There was a time in my banking days when I struggled with workaholism. I was putting in long hours and constantly on my computer at home, rather than enjoying time with my family.  Looking back, I was trying to control my own destiny. I thought I had to push through my anxiety about the potential or desired results of my ...

Burnout Epidemic: Part II

2023-06-24T10:35:44-05:00July 11th, 2023|Tags: , , |

In this series, we’re talking about the rising incidence of manager burnout. The Harvard Business Review discovered six key reasons behind this growing level of burnout.  The first cited reason is having an unsustainable workload. The pandemic negatively impacted staffing levels, increasing work for those remaining in their jobs.   This lack of staff has increased manager responsibilities. Burnout is inevitable ...

Burnout Epidemic: Part I

2023-06-24T10:24:34-05:00July 10th, 2023|Tags: , , |

Recently, Microsoft performed a study and discovered that 53% of managers express burn out. Navigating the pandemic, inflation, and current culture wars, have taken its toll on our business communities.  A Harvard Business Review article dove into the reasons behind this level of burnout. Author, Christina Maslach, identified six core reasons.   This list includes: having an unsustainable workload, a perceived ...

Searching for Meaning

2023-06-23T11:37:51-05:00July 5th, 2023|Tags: , , |

Author, Bruce Feiler, wrote in the Wall Street Journal about his research on the search for meaningful work. As Feiler interviewed people from around the country, he asked each interviewee about the biggest turning points in their work lives.  Among those who said work transitions improved their lives, he discovered that six in ten interviewees earned the same, or less, ...

94X

2023-05-19T12:38:08-05:00June 5th, 2023|Tags: , , |

My friend, Sean Kouplen, recently released a new book called 94X with a simple concept. The average employee spends 160 hours in the workplace each month, while the average American only spends 1.7 hours a month in church.  Sean realized that when you do the math, 160 hours divided by 1.7 hours, employers have the attention of their employees 94 ...

Living Your Faith at Work: Part III

2023-05-05T16:12:55-05:00May 24th, 2023|Tags: , , |

Sportswriter, Terry Pluto, interviewed Pastor Chuck Myricks about his tips for living out your faith at work. Pastor Myricks’ sales experience at IBM and Word Records provided him with wisdom worth sharing.  One of Pastor Myricks’ tips is to be a good teammate. There are times when your teammates need help.   You need to be considered a team player. You’re ...

Slowing Down the Busyness: Part V

2023-04-29T19:50:13-05:00May 12th, 2023|Tags: , , |

A recent Harvard Business Review article discussed slowing down our culture of busyness. One idea the author recommends is to build slack into your system.  This article defined four practical steps that could help businesses build slack into their systems. The first step is budgeting for enhanced resources such as time, space, people, and equipment.  Secondly, you can reallocate your ...

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