Listen to My Wife - New York Times
I'd never heard of, nor read anything by, Matt Miller, until this morning. He is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and is filling in for Maureen Down on the New York Times Op Ed page. He has written a very thought-provoking article on work life balance, particularly how it applies to women. I love this quotation:
"As scholars have asked, why should we be the only elites in human history that don't set things up to get what we want?"
I have been thinking about his. I am the Director of a 24/7 world-wide Technical Support organisation, for a small but rapidly growing software company, which has developed a killer solution for monitoring J2EE applications. I work a standard 9-5, or in my case 7- 4 day. But this really doesn't need to be. My work is not bound by certain hours, and I don't need my work hours to be contiguous. I can do it anywhere, any time. Technology can free us from these kind of restrictions. With my Treo 650 and a laptop, I can manage my organisation from anywhere with an Internet connection - so why do I need to be in an office for eight hrs a day, with the constrictions that brings - the commuting, politics, and the need to be seen as being busy? The way we do things runs contrary to the basic human need for a balanced life style. Despite technological advances, old habits die hard.
Yesterday morning I had my yearly physical exam, and while in the doctor's waiting room, I could answer email and instant message my team. Afterwards, I grabbed a coffee, and sat outside in the glorious sunshine while continuing to work. I was much happier than being confined to my office, and maybe even more productive, because the freedom made me feel enthusiastic about my job and my life, and I was free from interruptions. I am lucky because my company has progressive policies and as long as I am doing my job well, no one really cares how I look, or what I wear, or where I am, (as long as I answer my phone and email).
The article is here:
Listen to My Wife - New York Times
"As scholars have asked, why should we be the only elites in human history that don't set things up to get what we want?"
I have been thinking about his. I am the Director of a 24/7 world-wide Technical Support organisation, for a small but rapidly growing software company, which has developed a killer solution for monitoring J2EE applications. I work a standard 9-5, or in my case 7- 4 day. But this really doesn't need to be. My work is not bound by certain hours, and I don't need my work hours to be contiguous. I can do it anywhere, any time. Technology can free us from these kind of restrictions. With my Treo 650 and a laptop, I can manage my organisation from anywhere with an Internet connection - so why do I need to be in an office for eight hrs a day, with the constrictions that brings - the commuting, politics, and the need to be seen as being busy? The way we do things runs contrary to the basic human need for a balanced life style. Despite technological advances, old habits die hard.
Yesterday morning I had my yearly physical exam, and while in the doctor's waiting room, I could answer email and instant message my team. Afterwards, I grabbed a coffee, and sat outside in the glorious sunshine while continuing to work. I was much happier than being confined to my office, and maybe even more productive, because the freedom made me feel enthusiastic about my job and my life, and I was free from interruptions. I am lucky because my company has progressive policies and as long as I am doing my job well, no one really cares how I look, or what I wear, or where I am, (as long as I answer my phone and email).
The article is here:
Listen to My Wife - New York Times
posted by John Mc at 7:29 AM
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