How families are thriving with better careers in business?
Photo by Jep Gambardella
Recent world events have greatly changed how, where and when we work. Some families have found more freedom in their careers that allow them to work from home and cater to their family’s needs. If you have strong computer skills and access to secure data, you can work remotely or cobble together several different freelance positions to earn just as much from home. No matter your industry, these options can provide you with a better life than you’ve previously enjoyed.
Enjoy more flexible hours
Many businesses have a footprint on both coasts. If you work in the Midwest and need to keep your eye on the markets of New York, perhaps you can start earlier and leave earlier. If your partner can get the children up, breakfasted, and off to school, you can either log in or get to the office early so you can be off work when your children are done with school.
If the department that you work in includes both in-person and remote workers, you may be able to stretch your schedule in the other direction; one partner up and at the office early can be balanced by a parent who goes in a bit later and comes home a bit later. To fully support your family’s needs and still do your job, the person who goes in later could be the one who manages errands such as grocery pickup and dry cleaning. What’s the biggest gain? No more Saturday errands and time for family fun!
Earn more money
Business owners with a finger on the pulse of modern family life understand that prices are rising and that earners are under pressure. If your manager doesn’t understand what recent inflation has done to your budget, it may be time to create a spreadsheet. Your presentation could include
- how much your food costs have gone up
- the cost of fuel to drive into the office
- rising housing costs in your area
A cognizant leadership team will understand just what pressures are being put on families in this economy. If your manager doesn’t get it, or if you get pushback relating to financial challenges being faced by the company, then it’s time to start asking for flexibility. If you can’t earn more, can you enjoy a more flexible schedule to cut down on latchkey costs? If your leaders are deaf, it’s time to look for a better job.
Work with better people
The best paycheck in the world will not be good for you if your co-workers are toxic or your boss is a nightmare to deal with. If you find that the stress of your job is impacting your ability to enjoy your home life, it’s time to check out additional available positions with online services like ICS careers.
Don’t let this pressure pile up. Not only will it make life hard for your family, but you may start to develop a really bad attitude about work in general. This negativity will get in the way of being able to interview well. An interviewer needs to leave the space feeling uplifted by her attitude and spirit. If you’re negative about your current job, it can appear that you’re negative about work in general.
Gain better benefits
Moving to a better job is often about money, but it can also be tied to earning better benefits. For example, a single person may be in a good position to work a ton of hours and bank a lot of money with a cheap, single-person health insurance policy. Once you have a family, a good-paying job can quickly become an average-paying job if you’re paying the majority of your insurance.
The power of autonomy
If you’re a member of a small department, do your best to build relationships that include a great deal of cross-training. First of all, you can support the business goals more effectively if the first available person can tackle each project as they come in. Secondly, you can support one another. Even if your children are old enough to manage on their own after school, your parents may suddenly need extra support. Being able to rely on co-workers is critical to being present for your family.
There is no such thing as work-life balance; work and living are simply enmeshed. At times, you may be able to give more time and energy to your job. At other times, your job will have to flex. The people you work with and for are critical to a successful career.