By the end of the first chapter, Womenomics shows how you can turn around a work-family struggle by holding power. To see what this power looks like, and learn how to own control of the demands placed on you, keep reading about new ways of working.
Flexibility in work affects not only women, but as in so many areas of life, if women lead the charge, women can improve conditions for everyone seeking more balance:
- 78 percent of couples in the U.S. are dual-income earners
- 63 percent of us believe we don’t have enough time for our spouses or partners
- 74 percent of us say we don’t have enough time for our children
- 35 percent of adults are putting significant time toward caring for an elder relative.
Do we want it all? Can we even do it all? Is it worth it? These are the questions you’ll find yourself asking.
I was particularly buoyed by the work cited by Lois Backon at the Family and Work Institute. “Reduced aspirations do not mean employees are not talented or good at what they do. Most do want to feel engaged by their jobs.” But they also need to make choices that don’t shut out either work or family.
Are you ready to learn how to define your own path? Womenomics cites many creative management programs that allow employees to do just that. For one Chicago law firm, a switch to a two-tier pay scale, for those who want to bill more hours, and those who want to slow down, led to more than half of the associates choosing the reduced schedule.
So, do a gut check, decide what you value most, and get ready for the next step: “Chapter 7: Nine Rules to Negotiate Nirvana: How to Change your Whole Work Deal.”
Use these steps to plant the seeds and build a model for a balanced personal and work life, where you’re rewarded and judged by achievement rather than hours behind a desk.
Ready to seek meaningful change but scared to try? Authors Shipman and Kay have built a platform for discussion at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Womenomics with links to their blogs.
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