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In today’s world, we are reachable at any time. If we add to this teleworking – or hybrid working – it is sometimes difficult to know when professional life ends to make way for personal life.
To better separate your work from the rest of your life, we interviewed five leaders who gave us their best practices in this area.
1. Find the right balance
For Sasha Jory, CIO of Hastings Direct, you have to find your rhythm: “To be able to continue my career with young children, when I became a mother, I had to find a rhythm. I arrived at the office at 7 a.m. and left at 4 p.m. I would work 9 or 10 hours straight before going home. »
The CIO, who spoke with ZDNET during the London leg of Snowflake’s Data Cloud World Tour, says her travel time was a great starting point. “I was finishing up my last few email tasks on my drive home. Then, when I got off the train, I could spend time with my children,” she says.
However, she recognizes that it is more difficult to maintain this pace as you move up the ranks – particularly when you are in a management position. “But I always try to be in the moment,” she says. “If you have lunch with your children, try to be with them at that time. In the event of a crisis or incident, explain to them what is happening. They will be understanding. »
The DSI adds that she also makes time for her friends and for sport, without forgetting her health. In summary, she believes the key to success is finding the right balance. “I tell my team all the time: ‘The good news is that the problem will still be there tomorrow.’ »
2. Try to be flexible
Lily Haake, in charge of the technology division at recruiter Harvey Nash, believes that since the Covid-19 pandemic, the barriers between professional and private life have become increasingly difficult to define.
“It’s a question we’ve been thinking about since the advent of hybrid work,” she says, acknowledging that the commute between home and work makes the transition from personal to professional life easier for many. “It’s not a bad way to go, it helps you decompress. If you’re on a train, you have time to relax a little. »
But for someone who only goes to the office once or twice a week, it’s more difficult to separate work and free time, reports Lily Haake. During your work day, you might go to your kitchen to pour yourself a glass of water and then respond to a work email the next minute.
Your organization depends above all on the interest you have in work, and the level of stress it generates when it interferes with your personal life, she believes, before specifying: “Personally, I have a work schedule. flexible working. I don’t work Fridays, but I don’t mind working occasionally, because I enjoy it and really appreciate the flexibility I have more generally. »
3. Help others help themselves
Andy Moore, CDO at Bentley Motors, likes to use his business intelligence in his downtime. He combines the knowledge acquired as part of his doctorate in organizational transformation with professional experiences to help young people perfect their skills. “I’m passionate about data and developing future careers,” he says.
Andy Moore, who also spoke to ZDNET during the London leg of Snowflake’s Data Cloud World Tour, says it’s important to get the word out about potential careers in data.
That’s why he enjoys contributing to TeenTech, a charity that leads initiatives to inspire tomorrow’s innovators. He explains that working within a school allows him to take a view from the school, and to guide school leaders and teaching staff in guiding students towards a better future. “I have a vision for the future and how we can help the next generation,” he says.
The CDO recognizes that his passion for developing data skills outside of his role may seem close to his day job, but he also recognizes the importance of a well-deserved break. “To succeed, you must not forget to spend time with your family and quality time with your children,” he adds.
4. Work somewhere you love
Lisa Diehl, in charge of customer experience at Freshpet, says that she joined the company in February 2022 because it allowed her to focus on her passions.
“To work at Freshpet, I had to move across the country. And if I agreed to do it, it was because this work allowed me to combine my two passions: taking care of customers – and people in general – and animals. It’s this passion for animals, shared by all Freshpet employees – most of them have pets – that allowed me to really get involved,” she says.
But the other side of the coin, Lisa Diehl recognizes, is that when you work in a field that you love, it is sometimes more difficult to detach yourself from it during your personal life. “If I’m shopping outside of my schedule and I see something wrong, I say so – and they respond. This can be explained by our shared passion and concern for animals,” she believes.
5. Use each person’s experiences
Sue Walker, Head of Cyber Security at RWE, is an experienced IT specialist who draws on her knowledge to ensure her team remains calm and collected. “Some people can rush and think they have to do everything right away,” she says. “But no, you have to plan, test and then redo. I have been doing this work for a long time. I made mistakes and learned from them. »
Working in cybersecurity can involve intense work periods. Despite everything, the manager, who takes care of her grandchildren outside of her working hours, emphasizes that we must not overdo it.
“I tell my team all the time not to work late and send emails late at night,” she told ZDNET at the recent SailPoint Navigate event in London.
“If you have a problem outside of work hours, your team isn’t there to help you. And when you have a problem, the best way to resolve it is to talk to someone about it,” she explains. She advises using each experience to move forward: “If you work together and do good work, there is no reason to spend sleepless nights on a project. »
“So enjoy your life. I’m very calm, because I don’t spend my evenings worrying about everything that could happen,” she concludes.
Source: ZDNet.com