When we are talking about a smarter future for the world at our house, sustainability is my word of choice. It’s not about the latest recycling instructions, or the fuel-efficiency of our car, or the energy rating of our fridge, as important those things are. It’s about whether as a whole planet, with all 7 [...]
work life balance
When Dreams Become Reality
I had a dream a few years back. A dream of connecting with others around the world, a dream of writing and engaging in rich dialogue that led to action and change. I wrote an essay about that dream for Whitney Johnson, then an acquaintance, now a friend. Today a few of my words are [...]
Work Life Balance Around the World
We tend to think of this entire work life balance conversation as a distinctly American, or at least, a developed world issue. Regular readers already know that in my view, nothing could be further from the truth. When I stumbled across this video from the International Museum of Women, Mama’s Work project, you can imagine [...]
That Whole Mommy Wars Thing
I’ve been traveling for a couple of weeks and internet access has been spotty. After 26 hours of traveling followed by a delicious hot shower, many hugs from my family and a good night’s sleep, I settled in to get caught up on my social media feeds this morning. My horror at discovering the “mommy [...]
How Knowing Who You Are Changes Everything
I’ve been traveling abroad for the past week with new friends. At the start of our joint adventure, we did not know each other very well. It could have gone horribly wrong. In fact, on the journey, several things did go wrong, including engine trouble, delays and lost baggage. Not fun when you’re half way [...]
How We Get Back on Track When Work-Life Balance Feels Non-Existent
It feels like “revolving parent” around here. We are in a state of one of us packing, unpacking, saying goodbye or embracing hello. Gratefully there has been nothing that called us both on the road at the same time – at least nothing we couldn’t say no to. And for my extra long road trip [...]
Dare Dream Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream
If you’re lonely and scared then you’re probably on the right track.” Whet your appetite for dreaming. And daring. And doing. A couple of weeks ago, I hosted Whitney Johnson in The Daily Thrive for our inaugural Ten Buck Talk. I asked her about what she looks for in an idea, what makes it innovative [...]
“Dare Dream Do” Author and Expert Changes the Game
Whitney Johnson was a Wall St analyst who began in the trading floor secretarial pool and is now partner in the investment firm she co-founded, Rose Park Advisors. She is an investor at all levels. An investor in people, stocks and dreams. Whitney is adding author to her incredible list of accomplishments this May, with [...]
Top Twelve Ways to Find Work Life Balance
Our chat in The Motherhood yesterday was filled with rich words (and suggested actions) of wisdom. What an amazing group of voices. I love these women! Here’s a quick summary from The Motherhood co-founder Emily McKhann’s summary of our conversation. “Maybe you’ve scoffed at the idea that work-life balance is actually possible. We have too. [...]
Work Life Balance in The Motherhood!
Join us Monday February 6th at 1pm EST for a 30 min chat (we know you’re busy!) on all things work life. I will be joined by some wonderful special guests! We’re going to dive right in to what works, what doesn’t and the core that makes it all happen – relationships. Each of my special [...]
Finding Work Life Balance When the Muse Calls
A gathering of several hundred über gorgeous designers and creatives, building personal brands, running businesses and blogs – all with an eye for fashion and beauty. Yes, I’ve been at Altitude Summit in Salt Lake City, a conference for bloggers in the creative design and lifestyle sectors. All that creative energy in one room! So what are [...]
Getting Real About Women and Power
Be the kind of woman who when she wakes up and puts her feet on the floor, the devil says, “Oh crap, she’s awake.” Anonymous, quoted by Kathy LeMay This is not another “go team, rah rah rah, women can do it all” posts. I’m no academic steeped in theory and models of how power [...]
Craving Balance
When I first met The Daily Thrive’s founder Lisa Gates, I discovered her term “craving balance”. That term has stuck with me ever since. It seems to capture the hunger we have, with our multi-faceted lives that can be so exciting, so challenging and so exhausting! Too much of being pulled in innumerable directions; our [...]
The Gift of Balance
I am honored to have been invited to be a resident balance expert at Real Stress Solutions, a project begun by Angela Bussio. My first post for the site is here on my number one way to give yourself the gift of balance. I invite you to dive in and be thinking about (or better yet acting on) [...]
Six Keys to Opting In (or Career & Skills Emergency Preparedness 101)
This is the second is a series of three posts focused on those who have mothered (and fathered) at home for a substantial period of time, the so-called ‘opt out’ cadre. I am passionate about what these parents (yes I was (am?) one) bring to the table of companies and communities if and when the [...]
A Toe in the Mommy Wars
“this is not just a mother’s issue” As a work life flexibility advocate and pundit and I have the occasional opportunity to attend forums where employers, academics and organizations gather to advance innovative work place solutions. Without exception, the mantra of “this is just not a mother’s issue.” is proclaimed. Seems so obvious – of [...]
Three Lessons Learned From the Trail of a Summer Work Life Experiment
What to do with four children under nine and eight weeks of summer holidays when you run your own business? From home. Summer camps times four might just wipe out all profits for the year! An incredible nanny helps, but even they might burn out under the weight of entertainment and care for that many [...]
6 People Who Have Made Work-Life Balance Work
With the “how does she (or he) do it?” question getting plenty of airtime at present due to Sarah Jessica Parker’s new movie, I am thrilled that work place flexibility guru, Rex Flexibility over at the Huffington Post, has shared some of our Work Life Stories series. He showcases 6 fabulous people who just do [...]
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Work life reform and social good are two parts of the same whole.” As I have dived deeper and deeper into the work life balance conversation, particularly in an American context, I have not been able to hide my shock and anger at the language I find surrounding mothers in the formal workplace. Denigrating, [...]
When Outright Discrimination Gets Mistaken as a Quest for Work Life Balance: Or How the Judge Got it Wrong!
I’ve been quietly steaming over last week’s decision by Judge Preska to dismiss the Bloomberg women’s class action, anchoring her decision it seems, on former GE CEO Jack Welch’s view that, “There is no such thing as work life balance. There are choices, and you make them, and they have consequences”. On one level, absolutely [...]
