Womens' Health - Womens’ Wealth
by Louise Brogan, Founder and Director, All Money Matters, and co-author of the e-learning program "Your Life - Your Money: Making your life work for you!" Access a demonstration of the innovative and informative e-learning program here 

There is an awesome healing power in working on our money issues.   I am constantly amazed and surprised by it!

For decades, I have worked with and witnessed 100’s of women (and men for that matter) transform their lives, purely by working on their money issues.

How does it all start?

Well, we at All Money Matters know that money management is a process; being wealthy is a process; living an abundant life is a process. It is not about how much money we have, but rather how our relationship with money runs in our life and how we choose to live in that relationship.

This process has 3 dynamic parts to it. They work together to form a fully rounded, holistic money management, and personal growth, model.

WILLINGNESS.

When we are willing to allow change in our lives, then we are less likely to block the process and words like ‘can’t’ and ‘impossible’ don’t have any real or lasting influence on us. This part is the key because we have the motivation to do whatever it takes.   

AWARENESS.

We see how our attitudes and beliefs influence our financial, and life, decisions. When we have this awareness, we can choose our actions and responses, taking responsibility for them and the consequences.

JUST DO IT!

We do whatever is needed to manage our money and grow our financial foundations. Choosing our direction and determining the steps, regularly doing our cash flow, cutting up those credit cards (if need be) and putting a debt repayment or savings and investing plan into place, inspecting that property, speaking to a financial planner, buying those shares on line.

Here’s the crux - we CHOOSE to initiate this process.

Then, by choosing to live this process, each day, we gain greater clarity about ourselves, our purpose, our passion. By choosing to get help and support to accept and transform our limitations, celebrate our strengths and learn further financial skills, we bring back the zing and zest into our life; AND we grow our wealth too!

Now that is empowering!

About Louise Brogan

Louise Brogan is the founder, co-owner and director of All Money Matters and co-author of the life changing e-learning program "Your Life - Your Money! Making your life work for you". Access a demonstration of this innovative and informative e-learning program here !

Her ‘on the job MBA’ started with working on the trading floor of the Stock Exchange at the ripe old age of 15. Once out of school, she studied and worked in the accounting then stockbroking industries, giving her extensive experience in investment advising. She ran her own investment consultancy business and was one of only five women members of the Australian Stock Exchange Ltd.  

 Work at Home Tips by Kerry Fallon Horgan,
Managing Partner, Flexibility At Work and author "Time on, Time Out!"

The personal and business benefits of a well-managed work from home program are enormous. These can include increased morale and productivity, retention of staff, lower absenteeism, reduced stress and burnout, improved health and safety and reduced office space and overhead expenses.

In the USA, technology leaders like IBM and HP have changed office space dynamics by having one desk to every three or four employees. Westpac estimated that they save $1.4 million a year in technology costs by having 100 business banking managers working from home.

When I asked a finance sector General Manager, why they had introduced such flexible work practices he cited the success of their help desk workers’ telecommuting program. Half of the help desk team work from home one week and the other half of the team are at home the second week. So each person works a week at home then a week in the office. That team has reported a 20 percent increase in productivity. No one had resigned in a four year period - unusual in this kind of work which tends to have about an 18 month turn around.

The help desk team manager explained how their work from home team operates,
"We have organised ourselves into two groups. While group one works from home, group two works in the office. On alternate weeks they swap. On Fridays everyone comes in to the office for a team meeting and training.

We provide a service to our customers until 8pm every day. The people working from home cover the phones until then. This initiative has also helped us save money in taxi fares home for those working late.

Each person at home has a ‘buddy’ in the office who does anything for the work from-home person that can only be done in the office. A direct, priority telephone line into the office gives work-from-home people immediate access to assistance. When someone calls in to the help desk they can’t tell whether they’re talking to someone in the office or home.

Some people feel isolated with long periods at home, so occasionally they will come into the office on a home day. It’s also important to make everyone feel a part of the team, and that’s something we constantly work at. We are very conscious of maintaining the team’s morale and dynamics. We use a call logging system with a broadcast facility. When someone types in a message it pops up on everyone’s screen. It is used for passing around work information as well as keeping in touch with one another,"

"In my opinion it is the single best thing we have ever done in our team that has benefited the business and the staff. They see working from home as a real benefit of working here. I know a number of key staff would have moved on without it".

Employee surveys have found that the benefits expressed by home-based workers included a reduction in stress, more sleep, more time with their children and for non work activities, and increased effectiveness and productivity due to fewer distractions. Some managers also said that their communication and team management skills have improved as a result of home-based work because it has forced them to focus on the issues of managing performance and communication in a new way.

Achieving the positive outcomes possible from home based work requires:

•   the selection of appropriate work and workers,
•   management and co-worker support,
•   setting clear performance objectives,
•   planning for safety and security,
•   the availability of appropriate technology and the ability of the home worker to use it.

Kerry Fallon Horgan is an author, trainer, life coach, public speaker and workplace advisor. She is the CEO of Flexibility At Work and the Womens Healing Org International. Her background includes chairing the major Advisory Body to the State Government on Women’s Issues, as a Board Member of Women & Management,  Past President of The Financial Counsellors Association and as a diversity consultant to the St James Ethics Centre.

Kerry is a Master practitioner in the Strategic Relationship Manangement Coaching Method and Play of Life tool. With Dr Carlos Raimundo, she trains therapists, psychologists, counsellors, coaches and managers in this international award winning method. She works as an executive and life coach with this method.

Kerry is co-author of “Time On, Time Out! Flexible Work Solutions to Keep Your Life in Balance” (now available as an ebook) & "Financial Counselling: A practical guide to everyday problems." Her book, CDs, Video and free tips, articles and e-news on work life balance are available at the Flexibility At Work website.

1. 'No' is your most powerful time management tool.  
 When we know what our values are, and when we have a clear set of goals in all areas of our lives, we're in a much stronger position to politely and appropriately say 'no' to potential time-stealers and less relevant activities.

2. Every week, block in a few important non-urgent actions.  
It's too easy to get caught up in everlasting deadlines. Change that emphasis by making appointments with yourself, written into your diary or organiser, to work on one or two activities per week of long-term and long-lasting value. Not sure what you could do? Think of the big tasks put off until you 'have time'. Almost certainly they can be broken down into small chunks.

3. Constantly ask, 'What is my highest priority right now?'  
This is a great focusing question. When applied we find it easier to stay on task with activities that really make a difference. We're also less likely at the end of the day to find we've not dealt with our highest priorities.
 
4. 'How can I do this task more efficiently?'  
Become a 'walking question mark'. There are always better ways to do things. Every time you do a task, look for a shortcut, a way to trim a few seconds or a minute off the task. They mount up to a surprising total over a week.

How do you manage your paperwork? Do you put things away when finished with them? How many unnecessary steps do you take in a day? Notice how often you say in frustration, ‘Bother it. I forgot to get (or do)  ..... '.

Time-saving efficiencies are all around us, but most people don't go looking for them. Instead, they just complain about lack of time!

5. Block in regular sanity gaps.  
Why be wonderfully efficient if we don't take time to enjoy life and the amazing world we live in? When did you last take a complete weekend off - no email, no business calls, no responsibilities other than the people you're with?

Many of us know it's important to clean out old files and regularly defrag our computers - it's a house-keeping process that helps them run better. Think of taking regular time off as a defrag of your brain. You'll come back fresher and you'll also produce better results (just like the computer!) Give your conscious and sub-conscious time to talk to each other - you'll be amazed at the results.
 
6. Manage your energy well and time looks after itself.  
Around the world I'm hearing the phrase 'energy management' more and more. Think of your energy levels as your filter or indicator as to whether you're doing the right things.

Sluggish energy is a powerful clue - if something isn't flowing smoothly there are almost always ways to either change activity or improve things.

A good filter question: 'What's blocking my energy here? What can I do about it?'

7. Eliminate clutter in all areas of your life.  
This links in part with the previous point. When you walk into a clean tidy environment, how do you feel? The more you're connected to that environment, the more impact it will have on you. Someone else's messy and untidy space may or may not have an obvious effect on you, but I guarantee you'll virtually never want to linger.

Some people only sort out possessions and 'stuff' when they move houses; others do it every spring. Run a constant 'clutter filter' on yourself. Make it part of your daily routine and it’s never a ‘big’ job.

Instead of saying 'I'll just put it here while I think about it', get into the habit of letting go. The reality is, even if you do think about it again, why would you want to? Old 'stuff' is seldom used again by you. Why not recycle it and let someone else have the chance to get value. Imagine every item you hang on to has an invisible silver thread connecting you to it. Does it energise you or pull you down?

8. Don't make email the first thing of the day.  
If you get hooked into email first thing in the day it takes over. In fact, it's an addictive medium. Instead, you take control of your day.

Spend time on the most important tasks for the day, and (unless it's truly vital) don't look at email until at least mid-morning, and then only for a defined chunk of time. Have two or three email slots through the day and you'll keep on top of most of it, with the occasional bigger catch up session.

If people rely on email for urgent information they're using it wrongly. A phone is still almost always the best way to alert someone that there's something urgent waiting. Communication is only what's received, not what is sent. How do you know someone has read your urgent epistle unless you've spoken to them?

Robyn Pearce is an international productivity and time management speaker and author. As a a mother of 6 and grandmother of 10 she has conquered her own time challenges. Robyn works with clients around the globe helping them solve their time problems. She's an author of five books and many other products and one of less than 10% of speakers worldwide to hold the highest professional speaking accreditation – Certified Speaking Professional. See http://www.gettingagrip.com for articles and other free information, including a fortnightly Top Time Tips e-zine.



 Top Ten Tips for Working Flexibly
by Kerry Fallon Horgan, CEO Flexibility At Work and co-author, “Time On, Time Out! Flexible Work Solutions to Keep Your Life in Balance”.

If you work part time, job share or have another flexible work arrangement here are some important tips to make it work.

1. Clarify expectations with your manager and colleagues
There needs to be a clear agreement between yourself, your manager, colleagues and people you supervise. This agreement could include: what to do in situations where you are needed and not at the workplace; guidelines clarifying the circumstances in which you can be contacted at home; the provision of technology at home to assist work from home in an urgent situation; and names of back-up people for unforeseen circumstances.

2. Be realistic about what can be achieved in the time available
If you are working flexibly, say in a part-time role, the job must be appropriately designed, to represent a realistic view of the output achievable in the time available. Examine which tasks can be done in your reduced hours or how the job might be done differently. You may need to reallocate tasks to others.

3. Structure your week to your full advantage
For example, a five-day fortnight may be better than a two and a half day week when it comes to paying for parking, and can save on travelling time and transport costs. Consider negotiating other types of flexible work arrangements rather than just part-time work. Working flexible hours or work from home may be a better option for you.

4. Write it down
Whether or not your workplace has a policy on part-time work or job sharing, it is a good idea to have a written agreement with your manager so you both know where you stand and what to expect. The sorts of issues you can cover are:

5. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!
Make sure everyone in the workplace, particularly the person answering the phone, knows your schedule. If you change your schedule let everyone know what the changes are as soon as possible. If you have clients, let them know when you can be contacted. For example, you could put times you are available in your email signature.

6. Don’t let your career suffer
Make it clear that your career goals have not changed just because you are working part-time, and that you want to be considered for the same opportunities such as training and acting in higher duties. Discuss what training opportunities are available and ensure that you continually update your skills. If a job with higher duties becomes available, ask to be considered.

7. Maintain good working relationships
Keep in contact and ensuring that lines of communication are kept open. Be aware that one-way communication such as e-mail can do more to shut down communication than enhance it. Establish a regular time for phoning your manager and anyone designated to assist with your work. It is your responsibility to keep these relationships working well, and this can include checking with your manager and colleagues to find out and resolve any problems they may be experiencing with your work arrangement.

8. Be strategic in your use of time
Attend key meetings and ensure that any presentations you need to give are on the meeting agenda. If you are working flexible hours, there should be core times when all staff are present, for staff meetings and important announcements. Attend as many work social functions as possible, and continue to be visible in strategic places. If you are on extended leave or working from home, a ‘keep-in-touch’ program is important.

9. Get regular performance feedback
If you are not working full-time you will miss some of the informal opportunities for feedback on your work. Make an effort to obtain regular feedback on your performance.

10. Understand what you want to achieve from part time work
Make sure that your flexible work arrangement is helping you achieve your goals. If it isn’t working for you get help from a life coach or others who have succeeded in gaining the work/life balance they desired.

Kerry Fallon Horgan is an author, trainer, life coach, public speaker and workplace advisor. She is the CEO of Flexibility At Work and the Womens Healing Org International. Her background includes chairing the major Advisory Body to the State Government on Women’s Issues, as a Board Member of Women & Management,  Past President of The Financial Counsellors Association and as a diversity consultant to the St James Ethics Centre.

Kerry is a Master practitioner in the Strategic Relationship Manangement Coaching Method and Play of Life tool. With Dr Carlos Raimundo, she trains therapists, psychologists, counsellors, coaches and managers in this international award winning method. She works as an executive and life coach with this method.

Kerry is co-author of “Time On, Time Out! Flexible Work Solutions to Keep Your Life in Balance” (now available as an ebook) & "Financial Counselling: A practical guide to everyday problems." Her book, CDs, Video and free tips, articles and e-news on work life balance are available at the Flexibility At Work website. Her leading edge "Creating & Managing Flexible Workplaces" e-learning program has just been launched. Access a demonstration of this e-program here!



 Video clip of CEO Rob Davidson (Click here). Rob talks about leading in a flexible work environment and Flexibility At Work.



 Creating Flexible Workplaces by Kerry Fallon Horgan, CEO, Flexibility At Work

Globalization, technological advances, an ageing workforce, new workplace values of Gen X and Y's and diversity in the workplace have all "upped the stakes" for employers to successfully implement  and manage flexible work practices.

The key for many lies in becoming "Employers of Choice", organisations that are able to attract and retain skilled staff often because they have established a workplace culture that supports flexible work practices.

There are real bottom-line incentives to do so including increased productivity, better customer service, enhanced legal compliance, improved morale, reduced absenteeism, greater overall effectiveness, and an ability to adapt readily to market changes.

There's also that very profitable, but less concise notion of "discretionary effort" - where workers go that extra mile because they believe that employers are doing the right thing by them.

So what flexible practices do employees want?

For the past two years I have been privileged to be part of the judging team for the National HR Awards in the Health and Wellbeing category with Award finalists coming from a range of industry sectors. While these workplaces offered most of the more common flexible work arrangements such as part-time work, job-sharing and work from home, some innovative options were:

Unfortunately all too many workplaces are still saying, "Well that's OK in the ideal world but not in reality, not for us" or "We've tried it and it didn't work".

This is largely because organisations would prefer to stay as they are than face the challenges that confront them. So, they don't reap the benefits of this new way of working. They'll keep trying to fit "square pegs into round holes" by fitting workers' around the jobs rather than making the jobs fit the best people for the work involved.

So how do we overcome the challenges of implementing these practices?

Every workplace culture is unique, has different barriers and needs different solutions to the challenges that present. The issues can be attitudinal, can be based on misperceptions, systems problems, workloads, fear of the effect on career, leadership and managerial blocks. The list goes on.

To address the barriers, Flexibility At Work developed a systematic culture change approach. This involves developing the business case; analysing organisation specific issues; developing strategies to overcome the challenges; engaging senior management; addressing management issues; targeted, consistent and regular communication; engaging employees; and evaluating the program.

Sounds straight forward, but the problem is that organisations only change if their people change and it has to start from the top. If leaders and managers are working excessive hours, not taking annual leave and not spending time in their outside roles, attitudinal and behavior change is extremely difficult to achieve. No amount of policy making, values statements and systems implementation will change that organisation to one that enables work/life balance.

New and innovative approaches are required. Usually organisations only deal with issues at the "tip of the iceberg". The real barriers to change happen below the surface where behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and mental models do not reflect stated values and policy pronouncements.

So before you contract yet another HR agency to fill that much needed position, take a good look at whether or not, what you do, reflects what you say you do, and look at how you can make flexibility a reality in your workplace.