The emergence of the internet, real-time web, and social media technologies have made the “work” day longer and longer. There’s no such thing as an 8-to-5 job anymore, and if you work in the web space, there’s an emerging expectation that you’re constantly available and immediately responsive.
But where’s the line?
As a community professional, I know that my customers and the social media community at large need me sometimes. They have questions or are seeking information, and I’m helpful whenever I can be. The internet doesn’t sleep, and the international clock is always ticking.
Sometimes that means I can answer a question at 10pm. But does it mean that I should be expected to?
The folks that lead the Xbox Elite Tweet Fleet have an account on Twitter at @xboxsupport. Right in the bio, they have specified the hours during which that Twitter account will be manned. I think that’s a great way to leverage a corporate account and set very clear expectations for response time.
But it’s a little trickier to set office hours if you’re an individual, isn’t it? I’m on Twitter and blogs and email off and on the entire day. Sometimes, it’s for work. Sometimes, it’s because I’m working on a personal or a side project and I’m not wearing my community hat. Can I draw a line between those activities (even if I’m not sure I can draw a line between those personas)? Should I? If I’m online, is there an unwritten expectation that I’ll respond to emails and tweets that have to do with work?
I don’t think there’s a black and white answer with this as with many things. But I do think we hyper-connected folk need to be able to say yes, I’m online but I’m not available to chat, or return emails, or be on IM or enter a Wave right now, even if you can “see” me there. I need to be able to shut the computer off and spend time with my daughter, or clean my living room, or go take a walk in the woods. And that has to be okay, or eventually, I won’t want to be here at all anymore.
Doesn’t that also mean that the new internet consumer needs to understand that there are still humans on the other end of those emails and Twitter accounts and blog posts, with very real needs for human balance, too? Have our expectations for customer service on social media gotten out of hand, or is that the new reality forcing the hand of business to adapt?
I know that I’m always trying to strike a balance between being helpful and available and delineating some boundaries. What’s your take?
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Great topic Amber. I was thinking about this yesterday actually. During the week, I’m in front of my computer most of the day, and when I’m not, my iPhone is always with me for checking/responding to email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comments, etc. However, I tend to ‘disconnect’ somewhat on weekends and I definitely am not as active on social sites. But for me, it’s usually because I’m socializing with people in the real world. What’s weird to me is that I sometimes feel like I’m ‘neglecting’ Twitter or Facebook and I’m not active enough. Sounds pretty egotistical, doesn’t it?
In terms of business impact, I think the scheduling idea makes sense. It’s unrealistic to expect instant response 24/7/365 for most businesses. I think it’s up to each business to establish boundaries and guidelines for engagement if it’s going to be effective in the long run.
As for setting boundaries personally, you bring up a very important point – if we can’t step away when we need to without feeling guilty about it, we may shy away from this hyper-connectedness over time. We have to give ourselves permission to live life outside of our online social channels, and also to turn them off so we can get our other work done. Perhaps the equivalent of an away message on Twitter or other channels would be helpful? I’m not sure how that would play out with the various clients/apps, but it’s a thought.
Thanks for the topic and for reminding me that I’m not the only one that thinks about this stuff!
.-= Brandon Sutton´s last blog ..Marketing that inspires =-.
Great topic Amber. I was thinking about this yesterday actually. During the week, I’m in front of my computer most of the day, and when I’m not, my iPhone is always with me for checking/responding to email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comments, etc. However, I tend to ‘disconnect’ somewhat on weekends and I definitely am not as active on social sites. But for me, it’s usually because I’m socializing with people in the real world. What’s weird to me is that I sometimes feel like I’m ‘neglecting’ Twitter or Facebook and I’m not active enough. Sounds pretty egotistical, doesn’t it?
In terms of business impact, I think the scheduling idea makes sense. It’s unrealistic to expect instant response 24/7/365 for most businesses. I think it’s up to each business to establish boundaries and guidelines for engagement if it’s going to be effective in the long run.
As for setting boundaries personally, you bring up a very important point – if we can’t step away when we need to without feeling guilty about it, we may shy away from this hyper-connectedness over time. We have to give ourselves permission to live life outside of our online social channels, and also to turn them off so we can get our other work done. Perhaps the equivalent of an away message on Twitter or other channels would be helpful? I’m not sure how that would play out with the various clients/apps, but it’s a thought.
Thanks for the topic and for reminding me that I’m not the only one that thinks about this stuff!
.-= Brandon Sutton´s last blog ..Marketing that inspires =-.
If you’re a business, you’re a business. Businesses have hours. Clients need to be made aware of those hours. You *will* be reasonably responsive within the 8-5 timeframe, but any interaction outside that boundary should be understood to be incidental, and not something a client can ever count on (without incurring additional fees).
Charge like your time is worth something, because it is. And if a client insists that you spend your off-time with them instead of your daughter or yourself, you (and your daughter) need to be compensated for that incursion.
As for social media customer service, that’s up to the business to declare as well. If their Twitter account rep is just one person working from 8-5, say so. Don’t let people think you’re a 24-hour instant turnaround service, or they’ll accuse you of ignoring them.
.-= Justin Kownacki´s last blog ..Fuck Your Lists =-.
If you’re a business, you’re a business. Businesses have hours. Clients need to be made aware of those hours. You *will* be reasonably responsive within the 8-5 timeframe, but any interaction outside that boundary should be understood to be incidental, and not something a client can ever count on (without incurring additional fees).
Charge like your time is worth something, because it is. And if a client insists that you spend your off-time with them instead of your daughter or yourself, you (and your daughter) need to be compensated for that incursion.
As for social media customer service, that’s up to the business to declare as well. If their Twitter account rep is just one person working from 8-5, say so. Don’t let people think you’re a 24-hour instant turnaround service, or they’ll accuse you of ignoring them.
.-= Justin Kownacki´s last blog ..Fuck Your Lists =-.
This is a topic I struggle with too. Partly because I love learning new technologies and participating in social networks, so being online can be interpreted as being “available.” I feel it is up to me to explain to a client that I am taking a “break” and am happy to set up a time when we can communicate.
The other challenge are the medium and the type of communication appropriate to them. Along with immediate contact, sometimes we need to ask ourselves what is the appropriate medium to have that discussion. I think it’s only natural for someone to see me on twitter and ask me a work question, or DM me a question. (Again, I may invoke the “break time” rule.) Often times, however, those questions are better suited for a different form of communication- email, or maybe in a chat where context can be better understood.
I guess my point is, constant connectivity impacts us in a temporal sense and it is up to us to set those boundaries as to when we are available. And, constant connectivity across various social medium can cause miscommunications if the appropriate medium isn’t used for the communication. Once again, if the person I am working with doesn’t get that, I have to be the one to ask to shift to another form of communication- during “office hours,” of course 😉
Just my $.02!
.-= Deb Robison´s last blog ..Fan Page Analytics Part II =-.
This is a topic I struggle with too. Partly because I love learning new technologies and participating in social networks, so being online can be interpreted as being “available.” I feel it is up to me to explain to a client that I am taking a “break” and am happy to set up a time when we can communicate.
The other challenge are the medium and the type of communication appropriate to them. Along with immediate contact, sometimes we need to ask ourselves what is the appropriate medium to have that discussion. I think it’s only natural for someone to see me on twitter and ask me a work question, or DM me a question. (Again, I may invoke the “break time” rule.) Often times, however, those questions are better suited for a different form of communication- email, or maybe in a chat where context can be better understood.
I guess my point is, constant connectivity impacts us in a temporal sense and it is up to us to set those boundaries as to when we are available. And, constant connectivity across various social medium can cause miscommunications if the appropriate medium isn’t used for the communication. Once again, if the person I am working with doesn’t get that, I have to be the one to ask to shift to another form of communication- during “office hours,” of course 😉
Just my $.02!
.-= Deb Robison´s last blog ..Fan Page Analytics Part II =-.
Great post, Amber. I’m online most of the day…and usually catch you on here too ;), but there are times, usually the weekends, that I just have to say no to the internet. It can be difficult, as I am a social junkie…but family and life outside of work are super important during the rejuvination process. And it’s during these times that I am often inspired to write about different things as they are experienced…offline.
Boundaries are important in every aspect of our lives be it children, relationships, work, whatever… Boundaries give balance.
I think it’s great that you brought this up because for those of us who run our own business, it’s easy to get caught up in working nonstop.
What type of boundaries do you have? Do you have “set” off-time for family and friends?
.-= Lindsay Manfredi´s last blog ..Reaching out: The value of online relationships =-.
Great post, Amber. I’m online most of the day…and usually catch you on here too ;), but there are times, usually the weekends, that I just have to say no to the internet. It can be difficult, as I am a social junkie…but family and life outside of work are super important during the rejuvination process. And it’s during these times that I am often inspired to write about different things as they are experienced…offline.
Boundaries are important in every aspect of our lives be it children, relationships, work, whatever… Boundaries give balance.
I think it’s great that you brought this up because for those of us who run our own business, it’s easy to get caught up in working nonstop.
What type of boundaries do you have? Do you have “set” off-time for family and friends?
.-= Lindsay Manfredi´s last blog ..Reaching out: The value of online relationships =-.
I love when people bring up balance and boundaries, Amber. It’s something I struggle with often, both in my personal life, business life and when consulting clients.
You’re absolutely right. You should be able to be online focusing on what’s important right then without being distracted and required to participate when it’s not a priority for you at that moment.
Setting up hours for a business Twitter account is an excellent idea! I have client that is in the US, but many of its followers are overseas. You can see where that can run into some serious lag time.
When you ask “Doesn’t that also mean that the new internet consumer needs to understand that there are still humans on the other end of those emails and Twitter accounts and blog posts, with very real needs for human balance, too?”…
I think people will understand as long as they know what to expect. If you tell customers your hours (or simply, we’re in San Diego), I’ve found customers understand it may take a bit for a response (and are elated when it comes sooner than expected).
A former supervisor of mine would send emails often at 2, 3, 4 in the AM. Many of my coworkers fretted about not being up and responding to the emails quickly. I never understood why. I told my supervisor early on that I would never be awake at that time. Send the emails, and I’ll reply as soon as I’m awake. If it’s urgent, call me. We never had a problem.
Setting expectations – for me, anyway – is the best way to manage my boundaries. They are extremely important (for everyone involved).
I love when people bring up balance and boundaries, Amber. It’s something I struggle with often, both in my personal life, business life and when consulting clients.
You’re absolutely right. You should be able to be online focusing on what’s important right then without being distracted and required to participate when it’s not a priority for you at that moment.
Setting up hours for a business Twitter account is an excellent idea! I have client that is in the US, but many of its followers are overseas. You can see where that can run into some serious lag time.
When you ask “Doesn’t that also mean that the new internet consumer needs to understand that there are still humans on the other end of those emails and Twitter accounts and blog posts, with very real needs for human balance, too?”…
I think people will understand as long as they know what to expect. If you tell customers your hours (or simply, we’re in San Diego), I’ve found customers understand it may take a bit for a response (and are elated when it comes sooner than expected).
A former supervisor of mine would send emails often at 2, 3, 4 in the AM. Many of my coworkers fretted about not being up and responding to the emails quickly. I never understood why. I told my supervisor early on that I would never be awake at that time. Send the emails, and I’ll reply as soon as I’m awake. If it’s urgent, call me. We never had a problem.
Setting expectations – for me, anyway – is the best way to manage my boundaries. They are extremely important (for everyone involved).
In this “real-time” world, we have all the more opportunity to condition our customers’ expectations. Just as Xbox Elite Tweet Fleet conditioned their customers’ expectations in their bio, so can one make statements along these lines in their Profile Contact Settings on Linkedin, FB Profiles, away messages, etc. I find my boundary issues lie more in my own willingness to unplug (back to those ego issues Brandon points out) than they do in the demands of others.
Great topic, Amber. It’s so nice to know I’m not the only one trying to “strike a balance”!
.-= Beth Coetzee´s last blog ..Why I loved 2009 =-.
In this “real-time” world, we have all the more opportunity to condition our customers’ expectations. Just as Xbox Elite Tweet Fleet conditioned their customers’ expectations in their bio, so can one make statements along these lines in their Profile Contact Settings on Linkedin, FB Profiles, away messages, etc. I find my boundary issues lie more in my own willingness to unplug (back to those ego issues Brandon points out) than they do in the demands of others.
Great topic, Amber. It’s so nice to know I’m not the only one trying to “strike a balance”!
.-= Beth Coetzee´s last blog ..Why I loved 2009 =-.
This is such a great topic, Amber, and one not enough people really address. I absolutely feel that our customer service expectations are heightened to a degree that’s a bit unrealistic, and I found this to be true even in my previous roles that had nothing to do with the online space.
I believe part of it is that businesses feel they have to be hyper-accessible to truly please their clients. That’s not necessarily the case, though, if you set and enforce expectations (like the XBox team) and remind clients that work suffers when it’s rushed. In my previous role I worked with a choice few guys who were very clear with our clients about what they should expect in terms of turn-around times on projects and responses to emails. While this didn’t make my job easier, it gave me the opportunity to do the best job I could instead of being forced to rush through a project for the sake of quick delivery.
I definitely feel a commitment to being available in ways and at times I’ve never been before. A friend of mine actually commented over the weekend about my attachment to my iPhone and it got me thinking. Am I doing myself, the people I’m with or the work I’m doing any good by constantly being accessible?
Like Jen said, I think the best way to help curb expectations is to be upfront and clear about when you are and aren’t available as a professional. That can be tough when the personal and professional personas blend, but I think it’s doable. Also, it’s so important to regularly remind yourself that there will always be a small contingency of people and customers who won’t be happy with your “office hours”.
.-= Teresa Basich´s last blog ..YOU MADE IT! Or…Welcome! =-.
This is such a great topic, Amber, and one not enough people really address. I absolutely feel that our customer service expectations are heightened to a degree that’s a bit unrealistic, and I found this to be true even in my previous roles that had nothing to do with the online space.
I believe part of it is that businesses feel they have to be hyper-accessible to truly please their clients. That’s not necessarily the case, though, if you set and enforce expectations (like the XBox team) and remind clients that work suffers when it’s rushed. In my previous role I worked with a choice few guys who were very clear with our clients about what they should expect in terms of turn-around times on projects and responses to emails. While this didn’t make my job easier, it gave me the opportunity to do the best job I could instead of being forced to rush through a project for the sake of quick delivery.
I definitely feel a commitment to being available in ways and at times I’ve never been before. A friend of mine actually commented over the weekend about my attachment to my iPhone and it got me thinking. Am I doing myself, the people I’m with or the work I’m doing any good by constantly being accessible?
Like Jen said, I think the best way to help curb expectations is to be upfront and clear about when you are and aren’t available as a professional. That can be tough when the personal and professional personas blend, but I think it’s doable. Also, it’s so important to regularly remind yourself that there will always be a small contingency of people and customers who won’t be happy with your “office hours”.
.-= Teresa Basich´s last blog ..YOU MADE IT! Or…Welcome! =-.
I spend 15 to 16 hours daily on the internet. And I can’t imagine to perform any other activity in business days. However, on weekends, I hate to sit in front of pc. I worked in a telecommunication company that gives 24/7 days support. I noticed that there’s no real 24/7 support. Things are not the same round the clock. 24/7 is just a trick to give customer a satisfaction that “we’re listening”. Quries, issues sometimes need lots of communication among different departments and individuals. And I guess there’s no need of 24/7 support especially when it comes to an individual. I really don’t like who schedule their tweets. Everyone knows that it’s not possible to stay up 24 hours. Quality of your engagement and support also effects drastically.
.-= Amir´s last blog ..User’s social habits on two big social platforms (Facebook n Twitter) =-.
I spend 15 to 16 hours daily on the internet. And I can’t imagine to perform any other activity in business days. However, on weekends, I hate to sit in front of pc. I worked in a telecommunication company that gives 24/7 days support. I noticed that there’s no real 24/7 support. Things are not the same round the clock. 24/7 is just a trick to give customer a satisfaction that “we’re listening”. Quries, issues sometimes need lots of communication among different departments and individuals. And I guess there’s no need of 24/7 support especially when it comes to an individual. I really don’t like who schedule their tweets. Everyone knows that it’s not possible to stay up 24 hours. Quality of your engagement and support also effects drastically.
.-= Amir´s last blog ..User’s social habits on two big social platforms (Facebook n Twitter) =-.
Boundaries are important and should be set. If not, you’ll go crazy…
People who use Twitter regularly understand that not everyone is available 24-7. If people don’t understand that, well they should get a grasp on reality. Enjoy your time with your family.
Boundaries are important and should be set. If not, you’ll go crazy…
People who use Twitter regularly understand that not everyone is available 24-7. If people don’t understand that, well they should get a grasp on reality. Enjoy your time with your family.
This is exactly why I have separate IM screen names for work and for personal. Keeping yourself ‘on the clock’ even when you’re just sitting around at home is a prime recipe for burnout. If people ask you work questions at 10pm, i think it is reasonable to say “please drop me an email and i will get back to you first thing tomorrow”. If you don’t do that and the person becomes a client, what kind of expectation are you setting for them, customer-service wise.
The first step to being able to treat your customers well is to treat yourself well. And that means setting boundaries, including when you’re ‘on the clock’. It’s an interesting challenge for us hyper-connected types but its really not that different than a coworker asking you to fix their computer just because you happen to know how to do it, if you’re not in the IT department.
This is exactly why I have separate IM screen names for work and for personal. Keeping yourself ‘on the clock’ even when you’re just sitting around at home is a prime recipe for burnout. If people ask you work questions at 10pm, i think it is reasonable to say “please drop me an email and i will get back to you first thing tomorrow”. If you don’t do that and the person becomes a client, what kind of expectation are you setting for them, customer-service wise.
The first step to being able to treat your customers well is to treat yourself well. And that means setting boundaries, including when you’re ‘on the clock’. It’s an interesting challenge for us hyper-connected types but its really not that different than a coworker asking you to fix their computer just because you happen to know how to do it, if you’re not in the IT department.
Nice post Amber.
I think Justin is correct when he states that businesses have working hours and that customers need to be made aware of when and when not to expect an online response.
Responding to customers outside of standard working hours though can greatly enhance your reputation. The other side of this is that expectations will be raised and will then need to be met on a regular basis.
I would suggest being as consistent as possible with the times responses are made to customers, therefore maintaining consistency and meeting expectations.
Also, stating in an introduction or biography the working hours that the company adheres to is a helpful way of informing customers of likely response time. Stating location is another, more subtle, way of passing on this information.
Consistency though is the best way of managing expectations. Don’t respond to customers at all hours of the day and gain an exceptional reputation if you are not willing to keep this exceptional reputation.
Thanks
Rob
(Happy to chat “almost” anytime on Twitter 😉 http://www.twitter.com/robertpickstone)
.-= Robert Pickstone´s last blog ..Some celebrities DO engage in two-way Twitter conversations =-.
Nice post Amber.
I think Justin is correct when he states that businesses have working hours and that customers need to be made aware of when and when not to expect an online response.
Responding to customers outside of standard working hours though can greatly enhance your reputation. The other side of this is that expectations will be raised and will then need to be met on a regular basis.
I would suggest being as consistent as possible with the times responses are made to customers, therefore maintaining consistency and meeting expectations.
Also, stating in an introduction or biography the working hours that the company adheres to is a helpful way of informing customers of likely response time. Stating location is another, more subtle, way of passing on this information.
Consistency though is the best way of managing expectations. Don’t respond to customers at all hours of the day and gain an exceptional reputation if you are not willing to keep this exceptional reputation.
Thanks
Rob
(Happy to chat “almost” anytime on Twitter 😉 http://www.twitter.com/robertpickstone)
.-= Robert Pickstone´s last blog ..Some celebrities DO engage in two-way Twitter conversations =-.
As a community manager I feel an anxiety when I’m unavailable because I’m pretty sure I’m missing potential for engagement and helping people. It’s a slippery slope that leads me to having a hard to disconnecting entirely. It’s a hard balance to strike but I’m working REALLY hard at it.
Great, thought provoking post!
.-= JR Moreau´s last blog ..Newsflash: You’re Already Good Enough, Stop Trying To Qualify =-.
As a community manager I feel an anxiety when I’m unavailable because I’m pretty sure I’m missing potential for engagement and helping people. It’s a slippery slope that leads me to having a hard to disconnecting entirely. It’s a hard balance to strike but I’m working REALLY hard at it.
Great, thought provoking post!
.-= JR Moreau´s last blog ..Newsflash: You’re Already Good Enough, Stop Trying To Qualify =-.
Good post, I have been pondering the same issue myself. I like what XBox has done, stating the hours in which they will respond to tweets. From my perspective, I don’t necessarily believe time is of essence when responding to tweets or emails – provided a response is sent within an appropriate period. Focus should be on ensuring that a well thought out response is sent, as opposed to rushing to send one.
Good post, I have been pondering the same issue myself. I like what XBox has done, stating the hours in which they will respond to tweets. From my perspective, I don’t necessarily believe time is of essence when responding to tweets or emails – provided a response is sent within an appropriate period. Focus should be on ensuring that a well thought out response is sent, as opposed to rushing to send one.
I had to learn the hard way about creating these boundaries you describe. It could very be a personal line drawn with our own favorite crayon. A fun colorful line that tells others, in a nice way, not to cross.
The people we have built true relationships with will recognize this and accept it.
.-= DaveMurr´s last blog ..Twelve Life Lessons of 2009 – #12 Just Be =-.
I had to learn the hard way about creating these boundaries you describe. It could very be a personal line drawn with our own favorite crayon. A fun colorful line that tells others, in a nice way, not to cross.
The people we have built true relationships with will recognize this and accept it.
.-= DaveMurr´s last blog ..Twelve Life Lessons of 2009 – #12 Just Be =-.
Hi Amber,
I don’t think companies should expect their staff to reply instantly if it’s out of business hours. But, having said that: It’s also the employee’s responsibility to set the distinction themselves.
It is a two-way thing: If a staff member spends time at work checking their personal Facebook and other sites that are not directly work related, then I think they should be obligated to reply to work-related matters out of business hours. This way they have chosen to blur the line between business and personal projects. I think this is ok as long as both parties have agreed to it.
Thanks for the post 🙂
Hi Amber,
I don’t think companies should expect their staff to reply instantly if it’s out of business hours. But, having said that: It’s also the employee’s responsibility to set the distinction themselves.
It is a two-way thing: If a staff member spends time at work checking their personal Facebook and other sites that are not directly work related, then I think they should be obligated to reply to work-related matters out of business hours. This way they have chosen to blur the line between business and personal projects. I think this is ok as long as both parties have agreed to it.
Thanks for the post 🙂
Amber
The balance is tough. I do see the value in creating certain times that the company would be available on Twitter and the like. That does make sense however what about for the small business or the individual who has boundaries but due to other time restraints needs to go outside them? Clients, customers need to understand that this is not a norm but an isolated time when it was necessary to go outside of the general times to provide a better level of service. I know that I struggle with this as while I would really like to have a set time that I am available on the sites it does not always work that way and I am responding back to people at at different hours. Of course there are clients that I would not send an email after normal business hours as they would expect and take advantage.
It is a balance and trying to determine what is best for the level of customer service as well for the business itself can be difficult as it maybe convenient for the business to send an email at 7pm but runs the risk of being available to the client always at that time… or so the client thinks.
Amber
The balance is tough. I do see the value in creating certain times that the company would be available on Twitter and the like. That does make sense however what about for the small business or the individual who has boundaries but due to other time restraints needs to go outside them? Clients, customers need to understand that this is not a norm but an isolated time when it was necessary to go outside of the general times to provide a better level of service. I know that I struggle with this as while I would really like to have a set time that I am available on the sites it does not always work that way and I am responding back to people at at different hours. Of course there are clients that I would not send an email after normal business hours as they would expect and take advantage.
It is a balance and trying to determine what is best for the level of customer service as well for the business itself can be difficult as it maybe convenient for the business to send an email at 7pm but runs the risk of being available to the client always at that time… or so the client thinks.
Amber,
I’m share in the struggle trying to manage work/life balance in this era, where everything seems to be changing and old patterns are being cast aside. The comfort of corporate shelter translates for many people into being wholly unprepared for “life after” if laid off, but for some it is problematic to build an online presence outside of work. Some employers still place restrictions on those activities.
For those of us working on our own, the challenges of occasional uncertainty are outweighed by the promise of building a personal brand that becomes equity as valuable and tangible as the equity in your home represents. In that scenario, managing work/life balance is an even greater challenge and a critical key to success.
I’ve written on this recently on my Loyalty Truth blog and @tomrapsas just offered his own take here: http://bit.ly/5uEyDQ.
Goal setting at the beginning of each year with at least quarterly re-evaluations can help keep us on track and I highly recommend this as a practice.
Thanks for bringing up a great topic.
Bill
.-= Bill Hanifin´s last blog ..Napolean Hill, Chris Brogan and The Year Ahead =-.
Amber,
I’m share in the struggle trying to manage work/life balance in this era, where everything seems to be changing and old patterns are being cast aside. The comfort of corporate shelter translates for many people into being wholly unprepared for “life after” if laid off, but for some it is problematic to build an online presence outside of work. Some employers still place restrictions on those activities.
For those of us working on our own, the challenges of occasional uncertainty are outweighed by the promise of building a personal brand that becomes equity as valuable and tangible as the equity in your home represents. In that scenario, managing work/life balance is an even greater challenge and a critical key to success.
I’ve written on this recently on my Loyalty Truth blog and @tomrapsas just offered his own take here: http://bit.ly/5uEyDQ.
Goal setting at the beginning of each year with at least quarterly re-evaluations can help keep us on track and I highly recommend this as a practice.
Thanks for bringing up a great topic.
Bill
.-= Bill Hanifin´s last blog ..Napolean Hill, Chris Brogan and The Year Ahead =-.
You’ve nailed it again, Amber. We all need to work on distinguishing people from avatars and teaching that to future generations. The Madden game can go on all night in the basement, players asleep on controllers more often than not. These kids are a year from becoming someone’s clients. Eek! I kind of miss the days when the national anthem would come up on TV at midnight and programming would turn to scratch static. The sound was like the snap-out-of-it grating on the side the highway. If it didn’t get you to turn off the tube and go to bed there had to be something really wrong with you.
My take is that without these boundaries, we tend to lose some perspective on life and what matters most. Because no matter how much we may love what we do, works needs to be a means to some other end, that ideally extends beyond ourselves. A quote I just read today sums up this idea: “Use the talents God has given you to make the world better for your having been in it.” (Collier). For most of us, this means extending ourselves beyond the work we do, whether we are helping those in need or spending some down time with the family.
PS: I recently wrote a blog piece on a related subject here: http://bit.ly/5uEyDQ
It started when you could get email on your phone, and if you answered quickly, that became the expectation. If you answered in the off hours, that also became the norm. Now that we’ve tossed Twitter & Facebook into the mix, there is always a reason to connect, and that’s why boundaries are becoming a necessity…it’s about time!
.-= Global Patriot´s last blog ..Doctors Without Borders in Haiti =-.
It started when you could get email on your phone, and if you answered quickly, that became the expectation. If you answered in the off hours, that also became the norm. Now that we’ve tossed Twitter & Facebook into the mix, there is always a reason to connect, and that’s why boundaries are becoming a necessity…it’s about time!
.-= Global Patriot´s last blog ..Doctors Without Borders in Haiti =-.
I have asked myself that question or many occasions. It is always about business though. Even though it may be “personal’ or “after work hours”.
I have asked myself that question or many occasions. It is always about business though. Even though it may be “personal’ or “after work hours”.