Quit on time to balance life

During my professional life I was working long hours in the initial years. Then my family responsibilities increased and I had to find a way out to balance. Family and profession both are important to every person. Balancing was not so easy though, I was wondering how I will do it, and where to start. I found that I was working continuously and was fatigued. 

Then one fine morning I realized that if I don’t find a solution it is going to become drastic, for me, my family and my health.

The first thing I resolved I will not stay beyond office hours. I will work only during the working hours and will pack up on the dot. Of course I was criticized that I was not being pro organizations and was walking away. I was deaf to all the carping of my colleagues and did my job only during my office hours and left on time. Of course during emergency or during some important functions or meetings it was inevitable, I would definitely stay late, but not on regular days. I was heading a department and made it very clear to all my colleagues that even they should try and leave on time. In fact any document brought to me for signature after office hours I will just put it on hold for the next day. My arguments to all the critics were that if we stayed beyond time it just means that we have not worked during our office time. I also do not believe in taking extra class to complete my portions. The working hours have been predetermined, so the planning of the syllabus is very important for a teacher.  More over a teacher also have to spend some time at home preparing for her next day class. In course of time I also practiced to prepare during my leisure hours at college.

When I was heading the institution a colleague asked me, “With so many complex issues in the organizations, are you able to sleep well in the night.” I told her, “Of course.” She asked how do you do it. I said “when I wear my chappals and leave home to college, I forget home, when I reach home and remove my chappals, I forget college. The minute I hit the pillow I am off to sleep.” If we carry the official baggage home then it irritates everybody at home. It is a skill that you need to practice. I had no option but to do this because many a time I was alone with my child. My spouse had a transferable job. Responsible work, single parent with a child who used to fall sick quiet often, with elders to take care it was not an easy task. I trained myself to balance and served the educational institution successfully for three decades. It was full of good time and fun with my colleagues, family and friends.

I recently read the article given below in a social media website ………realized how true it is. Working late is not the quality of a good worker, but finding time for all your other interest is only good. 

Narayana Murthys words are absolutely true…….I practiced it …….I am sure you will also practice ……Life beyond office is just fabulous. Now I have taken a VRS and a friend asked me how do you spend your time …..don’t you get bored sitting at home…..I said absolutely not …in fact I have no time…..I am more busy than I was while working……(housekeeping. gardening, yoga, trying out new recipes, reading, doing art and craft, sharing knowledge in the social media that I gather every day, helping small kids in maths …..watching movies first day first show….and finally just dreaming ……what to do next….in crochet. ….now you believe that I have no time. )

Dear friends, read on …..both men and women have to find a beautiful space beyond office…..read on and follow NRN advice.

Mail sent by Narayan Murthy to all Infosys staff:

It’s half past 8 in the office but the lights are still on… PCs still running, coffee machines still buzzing… And who’s at work? Most of them ??? Take a closer look…

All or most specimens are ?? Something male species of the human race…

Look closer… again all or most of them are bachelors…

And why are they sitting late? Working hard? No way!!! Any guesses??? Let’s ask one of them… Here’s what he says… ‘What’s there 2 do after going home…Here we get to surf, AC, phone, food, coffee that is why I am working late…Importantly no bossssssss!!!!!!!!!!!’

This is the scene in most research centers and software companies and other off-shore offices.

Bachelors ‘Passing-Time’ during late hours in the office just bcoz they say they’ve nothing else to do… Now what r the consequences…

‘Working’ (for the record only) late hours soon becomes part of the institute or company culture.

With bosses more than eager to provide support to those ‘working’ late in the form of taxi vouchers, food vouchers and of course good feedback, (oh, he’s a hard worker….. goes home only to change..!!). They aren’t helping things too…

To hell with bosses who don’t understand the difference between ‘sitting’ late and ‘working’ late!!!

Very soon, the boss starts expecting all employees to put in extra working hours.

So, My dear Bachelors let me tell you, life changes when u get married and start having a family… office is no longer a priority, family is… and That’s when the problem starts… b’coz u start having commitments at home too.

For your boss, the earlier ‘hardworking’ guy suddenly seems to become a ‘early leaver’ even if u leave an hour after regular time… after doing the same amount of work.

People leaving on time after doing their tasks for the day are labelled as work-shirkers…

Girls who thankfully always (its changing nowadays… though) leave on time are labelled as ‘not up to it’. All the while, the bachelors pat their own backs and carry on ‘working’ not realizing that they r spoiling the work culture at their own place and never realize that they would have to regret at one point of time.

So what’s the moral of the story??
* Very clear, LEAVE ON TIME!!!
* Never put in extra time ‘ unless really needed ‘
* Don’t stay back unnecessarily and spoil your company work culture which will in turn cause inconvenience to you and your colleagues.

There are hundred other things to do in the evening..

Learn music…..

Learn a foreign language…

Try a sport… TT, cricket………..

Importantly, get a girl friend or boy friend; take him/her around town…

* And for heaven’s sake, net cafe rates have dropped to an all-time low (plus, no fire-walls) and try cooking for a change.

Take a tip from the Smirnoff ad: *’Life’s calling, where are you??’*

Please pass on this message to all those colleagues and please do it before leaving time, don’t stay back till midnight to forward this!!!

IT’S A TYPICAL INDIAN MENTALITY THAT WORKING FOR LONG HOURS MEANS VERY HARD WORKING & 100% COMMITMENT ETC.

PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY SIT LATE IN THE OFFICE DON’T KNOW TO MANAGE THEIR TIME. SIMPLE!

Regards,

NARAYAN MURTHY. 

(Share this Story with your Friends If you Agree.)

P S: Gate way to leisure: love your job but don’t love your company because you may not know when your company will stop loving you…..Narayana Murthy.