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HR and diversity professionals.
Control freak
I'm a bit of a control freak. Not at home I might add - I have no control there - but in the office I'm unbearable.
I see the details of every backup care booking; every bit of feedback on every service we offer pops helpfully into my inbox; and if there's a meeting going on that I don't know about I can barely resist the urge to pop my head in and ask what it's all about.
Of course on one level it's quite good. Everyone in the team knows I care (even if they also wish some other things as well!).
I realise that taking a step back would be sensible on all levels. But unfortunately there's another downside to my control-freakery. Just how much time do I spend (waste?) checking emails; flitting in and out of jobs; and failing to concentrate because of the endless stream of information I have coming at me? Actually that was rhetorical and the answer is about 2 hours a day. I know because I recently spent an hour counting!
How much better would I be and how much closer would I be to the longed for work-life balance if I worked a bit smarter?
Gaining control
Luckily help is at hand... One of our consultants is Ian Price. When he's not delivering fatherhood webinars and workshops for us he's off advising companies and high flying professionals on how to get back some of their time. He's brilliant, insightful and very amusing (if you ever read the Guardian's Not Working Blog then you'll know what I mean).
If, heaven forbid, I sound like you, then he's worth getting in...
Ben's Blog - written in 22 minutes with 3 email checks; one text; and one coffee break.
Ben Black
