Careers Newsletter
 
NEWSLETTERS
 

CIO.com updates, insights and advice on technology, management and your career.

 CIO BlackBerry News and Tips
 CIO Research and Analysis
 CIO Microsoft
 CIO Insider
 
 
 
LEADERSHIP
 
CIO Executive Programs
The Leader in Face-to-Face Education for Senior Executives

Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »

 
CIO Executive Council
A Peer-Advisory Service and Professional Association for CIOs

Public Council Teleconference: Application Rationalization — Hidden Costs and Smart Decisions

November 17 at 11:00 am US/Eastern (GMT-5)

Join Honorio Padrón, of The Hackett Group, who will share the drivers for companies to tackle application rationalization and the results of research that define the hidden cost of complexity. Additionally, we will discuss key decision milestones—to start or not, holding the course steady and fulfilling expectations.

Virtual Desktop Cost-Benefit Analysis — Michael Jacobs, Catlin Group

The analysis contained in this presentation measures the cost of everything from the machines and licenses to the infrastructure for virtual vs. traditional desktop environments.

Honor your best senior team members - Apply for the CIO Ones to Watch Award

Get well-earned public recognition for your top up-and-coming team members, your IT organization and your enterprise. Award winners will be announced, publicized and feted in May 2010, great timing to help attract new IT recruits to your company.

More / Register »

Learn more about the CIO Executive Council »



 
 
RESOURCE CENTER
 
 
 

How to Get and Keep a Life

Like a lightning bolt from the sky, the tragic events of Sept. 11 have reminded us that each moment with ...

 

January 01, 2002CIO

Like a lightning bolt from the sky, the tragic events of Sept. 11 have reminded us that each moment with our loved ones is precious. Our friends and family are our anchors in what sometimes seems like a sea of insanity. Now more than ever, many of us are rethinking what is important to us and how we want to spend our time.

Even before the terrorist attacks, a recent survey found that American workers feel as stressed on their days off as they do while on the job. And a large part of that is because their jobs spill into their nonwork hours. For example, 43 percent said they spend some of their free time either being on call or dealing with work issues. Though we gripe about not having enough leisure time, until now it hasn’t been important enough for us to do something about it. So, get a life! Let’s do something about making time for our families, our loved ones, ourselves, our hobbies and all the things that can enrich our lives.

Get is the operative word in that phrase. No one will give you a life. You have to take control and do the things that create the space for family and interests other than work. One of my early mentors, a sailing afficionado, encouraged me to think of life as made up of five ports and suggested that I try to sail into all of them in order to achieve some balance in my life. The five ports are family, self, work, community and friends. I rarely found the time for all five ports, but when I really worked at it I could consistently do better than one or two. Here’s how to begin.

Make Work Fit Within Eight Hours (OK, Maybe 10 Hours)

I know this seems impossible in this world of instant and constant communication, but it can be done. It just takes commitment and a few tricks.


Try out the theory of good enough.
This advice came to me from a university professor who helped me understand how in our quest for perfectionism we become our own worst enemy. Most tasks can be done to the 90 percent level and meet or exceed the requirements. Time spent finding the last bit of information has only marginal value, and the cost of time is high. Pick a point in your work where you stop to ask the question, Is this good enough? It may not work every time, but it can go a long way toward making perfectionism more manageable.


Outlaw interruptions.
Set boundaries and don’t let others abuse them. I liked to start work early to clear voice mail and e-mail, and get ready for the day’s round of meetings. Once everyone knew my habits they started calling and "dropping by" during those early hours. As a result my day got longer and longer, until I learned to shut my door and turn the phone off during that time. Stay focused on what you are doing, and avoid the distractions of an interruptive environment.


Refuse homework.
Do you find yourself sitting on your briefcase in a desperate attempt to get it to close? I did. At first I thought I needed a bigger briefcase. Then I realized the overstuffed contents all had a little tag attached saying, "Please read this 200-page document over the weekend, and give me your comments." Most of these homework assignments come from your staff. So make your staff work a little harder. Ask for an executive summary for all documents over three pages. Read it in the block of time you set aside?during office hours?just for this kind of activity. Believe me, it works.


Announce your departure.
Let everyone know. Say, "I am leaving at 6 p.m.," and then do it. In one of my many attempts at balance, I went back to playing the piano. Every Monday evening I had a lesson at 7 p.m. Amazingly, everyone cooperated to get me out the door in time for those lessons. Peter Nero I am not, but playing the piano is a unique combination of relaxation and concentration. Just right for me.


Let go.
Have someone else do it. Delegate it. It’s almost too prosaic to include this, but it is an essential element of getting free time. This is especially true if you ever want to have a vacation free of office interference. One year I rotated key tasks through the organization, telling my employees I wanted things to function flawlessly if I was gone for a month. I didn’t even have a month’s vacation at the time, but this team could have handled everything if I left for a while. When I went away for a week or more, I put someone in charge and told him to make decisions, instead of holding them until I got back. In return, I made a vow that I would live with his decisions and not revoke them when I came back.

 
 
Loading...
 
WHITE PAPERS

Exclusive Economist Intelligence Unit Research

Find out why - and how technology can help balance centralized control and individual autonomy.
 

How Data Mining Can Rock Your Career

Recently, U.S. News & World Report listed "data miner" as one of only a handful of careers core to today's digital enterprises. The University of Illinois at Chicago takes a look.
 

Service Level Reporting and Communication

Service level reporting is the most visible output and often the most time-consuming activity in SLM.
 

Data Center Cost Analysis

Read this white paper to see how a server refresh can actually save money and meet green initiatives.
 

The Future Data Center

Building the next-generation data center requires a forward-thinking strategy that encompasses a broad range of new technologies.
 

Informatica Platform and Integration Competency Centers

Forrester used its total economic impact methodology to interview seven companies that have standardized their data integration practices.
 

WEBCASTS

IT Consolidation Made Easy

The Primary IT Initiative for Reducing Costs
 

CIOs Weigh In On Virtualization

Date: November 19, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM EST

Gary Beach, publisher emeritus of CIO magazine,...
 

Webcast- Vantage 11: Redefining Application Performance Management

Redefining Application Performance Management
 

Architecting Business Intelligence Applications for Change: The Open Solution

Architecting BI Applications for Change
 

Taking a Seat at the Executive Table: The Reality of Virtualization

This year, for the first time, the number of virtual machines is on track to exceed the number of physical machines...
 

Who Are the Data Center Leaders?

Today's data center is still very much a heterogeneous environment. Gabriel Consulting recently surveyed over 250 d...
 

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notifications by topic when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library.

 
FEATURED SPONSORS
 
 
 
SPONSORED LINKS
 

The Total Economic Impact of Network Security Intrusion Prevention

See how AT&T can help protect your network.

Top Five CIO Challenges

Streamline IT Costs. Boost Performance with WAN Optimization.

Want to know how you can maximize employee productivity?

Build your 1st app FREE with Force.com

TDWI checklist helps define data readiness for analytics. Download report.

Increase UPS efficiency without sacrificing protection.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

The rules of infrastructure management just changed.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Interactive Q&A helps you discover key ways to maximize IT assets.

Ready to virtualize tier one applications? Check your virtualization maturity.

Think you can't afford a Cisco Switch? Cisco Catalyst Switches are now more affordable.

Five minute business analytics assessment. Immediate results.

The Case for Investing in Business Analytics Technology. Read white paper.

White Paper: Right-Sizing Your Power Infrastructure

Webcast: Unleashing the Power of Customer Data

White Paper: Managed Security for a Not-So-Secure World

SharePoint - Unchecked growth of content is unsustainable.

White Paper: Legacy Tools: Not Built for the Helpdesk

Taking a Seat at the Executive Table: The Reality of Virtualization

Five-Step Mobility Management Plan

White Paper: Next Generation Remote Infrastructure Management

Disciplined Autonomy: Resolving the Tension Between Flexibility and Control

Join us at the US-Brazil IT-BPO Summit, on November 10th in New York.

Unified Communications: Thoughts, Strategies and Predictions. Join the discussion

Read the RSA report: Security for Business Innovation

Webcast: Looking to the Cloud for Email and Collaboration Services

64-page prescriptive guide to security, compliance, and IT operations.

Keep your IT expertise up to date. Join the Intel Premier IT Professionals.

A new fleet of PCs with a total ROI in 10 months. Find your ROI.

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

Reduce risk, gain agility. See how Progress can help your business.

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

World-class trading technology solutions from NYSE Technologies.

If You're Paying for Telecom, You're Paying Too Much. Contact Asentinel Today.

Trade-In your old printer and save up to $1,000 plus free recycling!

infoBOOM! - The Mid-Sized Company CIO's Exclusive Community

Live Webinar: Applying Business Analytics. Click here to learn more

White Paper: 4 Customer Service Myths

Mobile Security: The Essential Ingredient for Today's Enterprise

White Paper: Improve Agility with Operational Responsiveness

White Paper: 5 Best Practices for Smartphone Support

Global Research: CIOs Weigh In On Virtualization

5 Key Virtualization Management Challenges

Learn How Web Site Performance Impacts Shopper Behavior

IDC White Paper: CCM for IT Compliance and Risk Management