The WorkLife Monitor

WorkLife Nation: Managing and marketing your career as a free-agent

In our 24/7 interconnected exponentially growing anti-human landscape, being a free agent, entrepreneur or looking for a job can be a tumultuous journey. What most people believe however is that it’s more of an external path, than an internal one. It’s both. Here’s why.

Caught in the zone of marketing mayhem and busy networking, sometimes we don’t take the time to just listen to what our gut is telling us. It’s not that we shouldn’t be connecting with like-minded souls, but not every opportunity is for the taking.

Clarity needs to trump the pangs of insecurity that beckon us to constantly look around every corner in search of the “attention-get.” If we were more confident in our own skills and have aligned our passion with our work; than that which gets in the way of success - will fall away more easily. I’m not suggesting that you don’t have to work hard, and I mean really hard to be an independent contractor, but intense focus accompanied by the internal calm of confidence is a must.  

When such calm and focus exists, it feeds clarity and an ability to avoid what doesn’t serve the process of moving forward. Working 24/7 because your competitors do, is not the answer. I could be shot for saying such a thing, but to me that comes from a place of fear. Setting schedules – discipline – and riding out the occasional crisis with a good attitude seems more productive.

Depending on your sector of interest, your experience and approach will differ dramatically. Recently I came across the work of Harold Jarche, of Jarche Consulting. He’s written a detailed analysis of the  wisdom he’s gleaned from his experience as a free-agent . His article, So You Want to be an E-Learning Consultant, is written from his perspective, so again it’s a view through his unique lens so mine the nuggets which make sense to you.

In addition to the practical journey of planning, there is what is left to the networking or internet gods to determine – again after you do the work. Just last week I had the opportunity to chat with Internet wildman Alejandro Reyes of Successfool.com. In our discussion, I couldn’t type fast enough as his rapid  fire ideas were burning up my keyboard. He’s got some definite ideas about marketing as a free agent. Here are a few of the lessons that Reyes shared:

1. Collaborate or die: Reyes believes that 2009 will be a legendary year for Twitter and cross-connecting with social media – off line. He says it’s not just about using social media tools to network, it’s about picking up the phone, talking to people, meeting people and creating live fruitful relationships – face-to-face. Social media he says is just the channel, he spoke of creating thriving relationships with our “tribes” which is a term that he attributes to Marketing guru Seth Godin.
2. 95% of business is coming through connections: It’s not just the people you know, it’s who they know and can connect you to. It’s a win-win for everyone. Don’t just depend on direct marketing. The power of the mastermind mentality – constant connection on a human level. Again, building relationships. Because of the economy, he says we might have a tendency to keep our heads in our computers instead of getting out there. He mentions the business building and branding techniques of Internet heavyweight Gary Vaynerchuk as a good role model in this arena.
3. It’s imperative to share the load: When you collaborate with people, all the work doesn’t fall on you. You can thrive and learn from each other. Bringing more people on board, if you can, or at least into your mastermind network, will make your brand stronger as they become part of the passion and mission of the business.
4. Mentorship, is also a big component for those seeking free agency: With so many out of work this is a good time to check out people, careers and working environments that you had no time to explore in the past. Call in favors. Ask those who know you best for their opinions on your journey and decisions. There is also a great asset in the power of endorsement which is something that marketing wizard Jay Abraham writes about.
5. Your brand is your jet, but your passion is your fuel (not sure which guru said this): Stay as close to your god-given gifts as possible. That strength of passion will take you a long way. Essentially you are fired up and adding value to peoples lives with that positive product, experience or wisdom. If you externalize that passion, it will be easier to monetize it.

 

Write an e-book to kick-up business or personal brand

Global tech guru Mike Elgan just posted on what he terms the e-book revolution in his column in Computerworld. There are six trends, he says, which are conspiring to drive e-books into the mainstream. Elgan, whose own blog, The Raw Feed, monitors the intersection of technology and culture, delivers some tidbits of practical reasons we might all be soon carrying a Kindle reader.  In short, already in play are the following trends:

1. The tanking economy: It's just cheaper to download
2. Environmental concerns: Hey - save a tree
3. The current publishing revolution: Mainstream old school publishing is struggling to stay afloat in a world that can deliver new info in an instant.
4. The rise in aggressive e-book marketing: See aforementioned #3
5. The shift from print to electronic everything.

The trend towards e-books has remained pretty much in the wings, but if what Elgan says is true, writing one is not such a far fetched marketing tool. Content is king, and if you've got something special and unique to share, you might not want to wait a year to share it with the masses through the typical publishing channels. Someone might beat you to it.

A few months back I posted on this topic - Raise Your Business Profile with an e-book,  when I interviewed Mary Martin Ph.D., who happens to be my sister and has ghost-written a few dozen books. At that link you'll find a WorkLife Nation Podcast (formerly WorkLife Monitor) which is about 8 minutes long. Mary and I dish on what you need to know before you head into e-book territory. I promise,  it's a great download of information from one of the funniest and smartest people I know.

And for those of you who are interested in the elements of writing a book or e-book from a publishers perspective, check out my post, Baby Boomer Takes Authors from Brainstorming to Bestseller, with HCI Books' Communications Director Kim Weiss. There's a WorkLife Nation podcast there as well.

Meantime, here are some benefits of publishing an e-Book:

• It has a fixed cost per book. Whether you produce one or 10,000, your cost doesn’t change.
• You don’t have to go through the obstacles and headaches involved in finding an agent and a publisher.
• You don’t have to wait on what might seem like an interminable queue, until it’s finally time to print your book.
• As soon as you release your book, your credibility as an expert in your field will rise exponentially.
• It gives you a reason to contact your customers and prospects.
• It can be used as a premium with a membership or subscription, and it can also be sold on your website, either as a whole or in parts.
• It creates added value for you.

Phelps' foible: But he could still be president, right?

It was like a little pebble rolling down Mount Everest. It turned out to be a heck of a snowball and eventually an avalanche of commentary. Michael Phelps was nailed for smoking something he arguably shouldn't have, but there’s a slew of support for the gold medal winner. Case in point, Tony Newman, director of media relations at the Drug Policy Alliance wrote in The Huffington Post:

“Few are pointing out however, that Phelps is in good company. Successful and honorable people who have admitted to occasional pot-smoking are all around us, from Mayor Bloomberg to President Obama.”

Pictures of Michael Phelps "inhaling," from a marijuana pipe swept the media and catalyzed a torrent of public opinion and apparently social unrest in corporate board rooms and dinner tables across America. One of the greatest Olympians of our time, was caught red handed in the blur of his working and living experience - or what I call - a WorkLife Nation conundrum.

In just a few days, the star of the USA swim team fell from grace, was ditched by sponsor Kellogg, reprimanded by USA Swimming and suspended from competition for three months. Phelps said he acted "in a youthful and inappropriate way."

There seems to be a double standard here, not sure why. It’s easier to digest a formerly tokin’ politician than it is a tokin’ athlete. In this case, when comes to the almighty dollar there are two schools of thought. Kellogg felt it tarnished the image of the 14-medal winning superstar and ditched his contract, in contrast, other sponsors took it in stride, accepted Phelps apology and are not pulling his endorsement deals.

So what’s the right thing to do? Can Michael Phelps continue to be a role model for young people and a allegedly healthy America?

This is not a commentary in support of Phelps, just a thought provoking missive. Phelps, like any other celebrity, is held to higher public standards. He might have been a bit more aware of his antics. If that’s the case, than perhaps we should hold ourselves to a new standard, lay off the judgment, and observe this with a bit more compassion and commercial savy.

As Tony Newman states in his article:

‘While some experts are predicting that the Phelps photo could cost him millions in endorsement deals, it could actually humanize him – and make him even more popular with a large section of the public.”

There’s just no such thing as bad publicity. There is such a thing as being more human in the public eye – and that’s hard to put a price tag on.

Work life sizzle: Finding your soulmate at work or in business

Writing about job security, the housing crisis and the Obama cabinet posts has me longing for some lighter fare - but ultimately just as important; the quest for healthy human relationships. 

With Valentines Day within view I thought it would be fun to examine the soulmate searching process from a workplace and business perspective. However, I do caution that most pundits would recommend steering clear of mixing business with pleasure.

Still it happens.  And for those of us whose working and living experiences have merged to the point of a 24/7 blur in our WorkLife Nation,  there's just no point fighting it anymore. Instead -  how do we navigate the cupid episodes with clarity, consciousness and integrity?

I asked Arielle Ford, author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, her thoughts on love at work. 

First tell me your love story, which happens to have manifested in a business setting.  

 

After I did all of my various manifesting I ended up meeting Brian (hubby) thru work. He was the biz partner of an author I was doing a 30 city book tour for. I met Brian on a biz trip to Portland, OR to set up a national TV interview for the author, Nick.  Brian picked me up at the airport. From the moment I saw him the sparks flew.  I NEVER EVER EXPECTED that I would meet the ONE thru work but that is what happened. Now it makes perfect sense, given that I love to work and spend a good portion of my life doing it — where better to meet someone?

 

In your book you share real stories and offer tips to find one's soulmate - but can these methods be easily applied to the workplace?

 

Yes, is NOT your job to know how/when/where you will meet your soulmate. It is ONLY your job to be willing, ready, receptive, open-hearted, clear about the kid of relationship you want. If you are clear that someone you work with is a potential soulmate, it may be wise to first become their friend and get to know them outside of work before jumping into dating. If it doesn’t work out, you don’t want any “weirdness” to impact the workplace.

 

What's your take on love in the workplace? Are there hard fast rules as you see it?

 

I don’t know the corporate “rules” on this.....but given how important jobs are in today’s economy I would caution people to be as discrete as possible when dating in the workplace. In the Soulmate Secret I share numerous prayers, rituals, projects and tools for manifesting a soulmate.  One of the key ingredients is to have a list of the traits and attributes you wish your soulmate and forthcoming relationship to embody.  When you have a clear intention for a soulmate you can quickly gauge who is a match and who isn’t.

 

In such a tumultuous working environment - how do you rise above the chaos around you to get comfortable enough to manifest the love of your life?

 

If you seriously want to manifest love you have to make time for it which means NOT WORKING 24/7.  Relationships require care, nurturing & time.  First you need to create this for yourself. So many people “hide out” in work - using it as a constant excuse for all the reasons why they are too busy to have a life, too busy to find love.  If you are one of those people - the message you are sending a potential soulmate is that “you are already too busy and overwhelmed to personally take my needs into consideration.”

 

I believe a soulmate relationship provides a “safe place to land” from the stresses of work and life in general.   Its a hard to imagine that someone who checks his/her blackberry every 2 minutes while supposedly on a romantic dinner is sending the message, “I care about you and want to share my life with you.”  

 

True love is possible for anyone of any age -  but first they must commit to making room in their heart and their lives for another.

Writing about job security, the housing crisis and the Obama cabinet posts has me longing for some lighter fare - but ultimately just as important; the quest for healthy human relationships. 

With Valentines Day within view I thought it would be fun to examine the soulmate searching process from a workplace and business perspective. However, I do caution that most pundits would recommend steering clear of mixing business with pleasure.

Still it happens.  And for those of us whose working and living experiences have merged to the point of a 24/7 blur in our WorkLife Nation,  there's just no point fighting it anymore. Instead -  how do we navigate the cupid episodes with clarity, consciousness and integrity?

I asked Arielle Ford, author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, her thoughts on love at work. 

First tell me your love story, which happens to have manifested in a business setting.  

 

After I did all of my various manifesting I ended up meeting Brian (hubby) thru work. He was the biz partner of an author I was doing a 30 city book tour for. I met Brian on a biz trip to Portland, OR to set up a national TV interview for the author, Nick.  Brian picked me up at the airport. From the moment I saw him the sparks flew.  I NEVER EVER EXPECTED that I would meet the ONE thru work but that is what happened. Now it makes perfect sense, given that I love to work and spend a good portion of my life doing it — where better to meet someone?

 

In your book you share real stories and offer tips to find one's soulmate - but can these methods be easily applied to the workplace?

 

Yes, is NOT your job to know how/when/where you will meet your soulmate. It is ONLY your job to be willing, ready, receptive, open-hearted, clear about the kid of relationship you want. If you are clear that someone you work with is a potential soulmate, it may be wise to first become their friend and get to know them outside of work before jumping into dating. If it doesn’t work out, you don’t want any “weirdness” to impact the workplace.

 

What's your take on love in the workplace? Are there hard fast rules as you see it?

 

I don’t know the corporate “rules” on this.....but given how important jobs are in today’s economy I would caution people to be as discrete as possible when dating in the workplace. In the Soulmate Secret I share numerous prayers, rituals, projects and tools for manifesting a soulmate.  One of the key ingredients is to have a list of the traits and attributes you wish your soulmate and forthcoming relationship to embody.  When you have a clear intention for a soulmate you can quickly gauge who is a match and who isn’t.

 

In such a tumultuous working environment - how do you rise above the chaos around you to get comfortable enough to manifest the love of your life?

 

If you seriously want to manifest love you have to make time for it which means NOT WORKING 24/7.  Relationships require care, nurturing & time.  First you need to create this for yourself. So many people “hide out” in work - using it as a constant excuse for all the reasons why they are too busy to have a life, too busy to find love.  If you are one of those people - the message you are sending a potential soulmate is that “you are already too busy and overwhelmed to personally take my needs into consideration.”

 

I believe a soulmate relationship provides a “safe place to land” from the stresses of work and life in general.   Its a hard to imagine that someone who checks his/her blackberry every 2 minutes while supposedly on a romantic dinner is sending the message, “I care about you and want to share my life with you.”  

 

True love is possible for anyone of any age -  but first they must commit to making room in their heart and their lives for another.

Writing about job security, the housing crisis and the Obama cabinet posts has me longing for some lighter fare - but ultimately just as important; the quest for healthy human relationships. 

With Valentines Day within view I thought it would be fun to examine the soulmate searching process from a workplace and business perspective. However, I do caution that most pundits would recommend steering clear of mixing business with pleasure.

Still it happens.  And for those of us whose working and living experiences have merged to the point of a 24/7 blur in our WorkLife Nation,  there's just no point fighting it anymore. Instead -  how do we navigate the cupid episodes with clarity, consciousness and integrity?

I asked Arielle Ford, author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, her thoughts on love at work. 

First tell me your love story, which happens to have manifested in a business setting.  

 

After I did all of my various manifesting I ended up meeting Brian (hubby) thru work. He was the biz partner of an author I was doing a 30 city book tour for. I met Brian on a biz trip to Portland, OR to set up a national TV interview for the author, Nick.  Brian picked me up at the airport. From the moment I saw him the sparks flew.  I NEVER EVER EXPECTED that I would meet the ONE thru work but that is what happened. Now it makes perfect sense, given that I love to work and spend a good portion of my life doing it — where better to meet someone?

 

In your book you share real stories and offer tips to find one's soulmate - but can these methods be easily applied to the workplace?

 

Yes, is NOT your job to know how/when/where you will meet your soulmate. It is ONLY your job to be willing, ready, receptive, open-hearted, clear about the kid of relationship you want. If you are clear that someone you work with is a potential soulmate, it may be wise to first become their friend and get to know them outside of work before jumping into dating. If it doesn’t work out, you don’t want any “weirdness” to impact the workplace.

 

What's your take on love in the workplace? Are there hard fast rules as you see it?

 

I don’t know the corporate “rules” on this.....but given how important jobs are in today’s economy I would caution people to be as discrete as possible when dating in the workplace. In the Soulmate Secret I share numerous prayers, rituals, projects and tools for manifesting a soulmate.  One of the key ingredients is to have a list of the traits and attributes you wish your soulmate and forthcoming relationship to embody.  When you have a clear intention for a soulmate you can quickly gauge who is a match and who isn’t.

 

In such a tumultuous working environment - how do you rise above the chaos around you to get comfortable enough to manifest the love of your life?

 

If you seriously want to manifest love you have to make time for it which means NOT WORKING 24/7.  Relationships require care, nurturing & time.  First you need to create this for yourself. So many people “hide out” in work - using it as a constant excuse for all the reasons why they are too busy to have a life, too busy to find love.  If you are one of those people - the message you are sending a potential soulmate is that “you are already too busy and overwhelmed to personally take my needs into consideration.”

 

I believe a soulmate relationship provides a “safe place to land” from the stresses of work and life in general.   Its a hard to imagine that someone who checks his/her blackberry every 2 minutes while supposedly on a romantic dinner is sending the message, “I care about you and want to share my life with you.”  

 

True love is possible for anyone of any age -  but first they must commit to making room in their heart and their lives for another.

NBC's "The Office" mocks our stressed out WorkLife Nation

With a Super Bowl lead-in, NBC's "The Office" took the opportunity to touch upon the growing epidemic that's sweeping the workplace globally in the wake of the economic meltdown. Stress at work.

You can check out some of the hilarious highlights  by clicking on NBC's "The Office" site. I promise you. If you are reading this right now and you are having a lousy day at work, watch a few minutes of this and you will laugh yourself into a better mood. 

The sitcom took what would appear to be a ridiculous stance on workplace safety, wellness, and stress. But on further dissection, the show was right on target. Our work life harmony is in serious disrepair and needs an infusion of some sort of balance or stress-busting edict across the board. But it's not something that happens overnight. Accumulating resistance to the chaos around us takes a bit of practice and know-how as I mentioned in yesterday's post, Jennifer Hudson's work life resilience at Super Bowl XLIII.

We're not all going to perform at the Super Bowl, nor are we going to be called upon to land a US Airways jet safely into a splash-landing into the Hudson River like Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger  (talk about grace under stress at work) But we have to head to work every day and just survive, let alone be productive, manage to get along with our colleagues, and perhaps keep our job. 

Our working and living experiences have merged in our global marketplace. The line is so blurred. How do we navigate all the sensory overload while cultivating resilience so we can be productive in our seemingly merged WorkLife Nation? Humor is a good place to start.

Jennifer Hudson's work life resilience at Super Bowl XLIII

She took a breath, belted it out and didn't miss a beat. Jennifer Hudson reached somewhere deep inside of herself, stepped onto a platform and performed the Star Spangled Banner before 72,000 people at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. The pressure of standing before the world in one of the most highly watched annual moments globally - only provides one dimension to her performance.

This was the first public appearance for the 2006 Oscar winner (Dreamgirls), since her mother, brother and nephew were murdered in their Chicago home last fall.  It was shattering for Hudson who went into seclusion, as anyone would have after such a tragedy. But life does go on as the American Idol star has demonstrated in her own career.

This moment was one of the most anticipated surrounding the Super Bowl. Hudson's a professional, but it's a heck of a song with a mandatory upper range for vocals. I was practically holding my breath just watching her. But confidence and her talent kept her cool. She finished up with a strong arm into the air, as if pounding the last few moments of the song to the universe.

Hudson was ready for the moment, but still humble at heart. After her performance, according to the Associated Press, she asked pre-game show producer Ricky Minor how she did. Here's a telling excerpt:

"This was such an important performance because it was the first time anyone has seen Jennifer. But she's in such a great place with such great spirits - and time can heal her wounds. She's on fire right now and totally grounded," Minor said.  

Hudson was very calm and prepared, and he counseled her to take the deep breath before she began, so she could put herself in the moment."   Associated Press

There it is again - the breath - the moment. Imagine if we took the time to do that before we erupted in a moment of crisis at work, before we blew our lids over something little, before we reached out with less than kind words, or made a split second decision that we would regret later. The problem is that we forget to take that breath - why?- because we don't practice. It's just a woo woo way of dealing, some would argue. But it's really not.

The breath calms the body. There's plenty of research out there to prove it. The more we consciously take a step back from the workplace consternation that ails us  - the better we'll respond from a place of wisdom instead of reacting from a place of fear. We have to fake it till we make it. The more we practice, the more we crystalize our ability to take pause, the more we accumulate stillness in the face of an uncertain world.

For Jennifer Hudson, she couldn't fake it. There was nothing airy fairy about the breath tonight. It was survival, and most would agree, a little bit of grace. 

The work life choice of WNBA star Candace Parker

Marquee basketball star Candace Parker has chosen to have a child at 22 years-old, in the early prime of her career. It garnered national media attention including pick-up in the New York Times. In a guest post today, Ellen Galinsky, co-founder and President of the Families and Work Institute weighs-in on the story.

 

I was at the same time cheered and chagrined to read an article in the New York Times Sports Section last weekend (January 24) about WNBA star Candace Parker’s effort to balance career and family.

 

I was pleased to read yet another example of a high achieving woman making choices about finding the right fit between parenting and professional life on her own terms. 

 

Over the past several months Americans have become familiar with a 40-something female candidate for Vice President who is the mother of five; a 30-something international film star and UN Goodwill Ambassador who is the mother of six; a newly appointed Senator from New York who is mother to two very young children; and now the 22-year old marquee star of the WNBA who is having a child in the early prime of her career.

 

In all cases, we see that women can be successful at work and can find their own way to manage their family responsibilities.

 

Yet I also felt a familiar pang of disappointment that when a women wrestles with these choices it makes for headlines and feature stories, whereas a man’s decision on work-life is a footnote, if mentioned at all. When will it stop being news, but rather business as usual, that women and men alike make hard choices to pursue their careers in conjunction with a family?

 

For those in the front office of the WNBA or Los Angeles Sparks who worry about the short-term challenge of losing Parker for several months, they might be heartened by lessons learned from the business world. 

 

Research conducted last year by our Institute and Catalyst shows that having the right fit between work and the rest of their lives was the third most important value to senior corporate leaders—both women and men. However, this study found that women were less likely than men to work in workplaces where their values were actually realized. When leaders worked in workplaces where they could manage their work and family life, they were much more likely to be engaged and to stay with their employers. 

 

The takeaway for an employer in professional sports: support your star employee in her (or his) life choice today and you have a much better chance of winning loyalty in the long term.  In the world of multi-million dollar athletes who often switch teams for the highest bidder, higher loyalty may pay very quantifiable dividends down the road.  Meanwhile, I look forward to the day when such every day support plays out in private offices, not the media, as do most personal employment issues.

 

Ellen Galinsky

President and Co-Founder

Families and Work Institute

The Friday work life watch

It's that time of the week when we wind down and reflect on the stories impacting our working and living experience. Here's some of the biggies that galvanized us,  and some of the more obscure stories that got me thinking.

1. Vice President Joe Biden's commentary in USA Today: Time to put Middle Class Front and Center. 
2. Obama launches Middle-Class task force: CNN.COM.
3. Hats off to Sue Shellenbarger for taking the Lilly Bedletter story on Obama's new wage discrimination law - in a different direction: Lilly Ledbetter Act: Are you being paid fairly?
4. At  WorkLifeNation.com: It's job security stupid: An unemployed Maverick weighs in by yours truly, Judy Martin. Thoughts from a market guru who was laid off four times in eight years.
5. Margaret Talev of McClatchy newspapers on Michele Obama laying groundwork for policy role.
6. A must read on mom entrepreneurs by Lisa Druxman on MSNBC.com. She write about where home and office intersect.
7. A big wave for Elisha Goldstein Ph.D. who posted on Mentalhealth.net on how the recession can lead to an emotional recession. He offered tips to straighten our disposition.
8. Just the numbers please: Must mention the record high unemployment. Check out Marketwatch for all the gloomy numbers. It's really a must read if you don't appreciate your job. And for those of you interested in the dive in the GDP: Check out the story on Fox on our "continuing disaster".
9.  Stress disrupts human thinking. Just in case you didn't know, check out the science linking our stress to brain activity in the Hindu News Update Service.
10.  Forbes; Flextime in a down economy. It's not your daddy's workplace anymore.

Work Life steals top honors as Obama's first signed law in office

Rumblings of work life balance were heard around the world early on in the 2008 presidential race. Right out of the gate, Michelle Obama made it very clear that her family, and in fact the lives of Malia and Sasha would be a top priority entering the White House. Then came President Obama's creation of the White House Task Force on Working Families. So the stage was set for a deep empathetic response to the needs of working families.

So it was no surprise, although quiet the attention-grabber, that President Obama's first penning of a law -  just happened to be equal pay legislation. The fact that it's his first law, is particularly telling. I wonder if it was just a fluke  that at this time in history as we endure the worst economic downturn since the great depression - that such an issue as wage discrimination would take the stage?

The Lilly Ledbetter Act removes obstacles to pay discrimination lawsuits by altering the structure of the statue of limitations, which governs the filing of such cases. Wage discrimination is arguably an important concern to the overall workforce, but this sends a message of, "I'm on the working families agenda," by President Obama. 

That this kicks off Mr. Obama's foray into the legaleeze responsibilities of his position as commander in chief, is particularly exciting. It also raises some red flags for everyone. How many of us are now doing a double take, as we gaze at our paychecks?

In Sue Shellenbarger's blog post on The Juggle in the Wall Street Journal, she raises the question of whether we might also be a bit more concerned with the pay of our co-workers. It brings up a disconcerting notion at a time when must of us are just concerned about keeping the paycheck coming. But how do you know if you are being paid fairly and is there really anything you can do about it short of hauling your employer into court in this climate?

Shellenbarger's post points to a number of dotcoms which list market pay rates for individual sectors. Check out Salary.com, Payscale.com, Salaryexpert.comand Glassdoor.com.

Your work life on steroids: The expectation conundrum

We run at a pace unimaginable 10 or 15 years ago. Remember when computers were a luxury? Now they are a necessity. You must recall when getting a cup of coffee meant filling a pot with water, and running it through the coffee maker at work - instead of heading to Starbucks. And there was a time (perhaps you were a toddler back then) when you'd have to wait for your colleague to return back to the office before knowing whether your company nailed the deal or not, cause there was no BlackBerry.

Our work life culture is running a bazillion miles an hour as if every moment is fueled by steroids. Here's the problem, the faster we go, the quicker we produce. And the more our bosses and clients get used to it - the higher the expectation in our jobs and careers. Not only are we becoming a society of "yes, I'll have it yesterday," but also, "of course It will be thorough and top notch."

This model of behavior sets a scary precedent. Soon we not only fall at the feet of others , but of our own pride and determination to succeed. It might have us sacrificing health, exacerbating an already stressed-out family life and toss us into a never ending desire to do more. We become super-humans at the risk of losing our status as mere human beings.

There are those of us who love our jobs (and I am one of them). I greatly enjoy being a broadcast journalist. But even in the throws of breaking news during our recent historic election, I made the time - for downtime. I've not always done this well, and in fact was completely blindsided yesterday when I managed to get so caught up with work and family drama's that I didn't call one of my best friends in the whole world to wish her a happy birthday. I beat myself up to no end.

Work life balance went out the window a long time ago.  Our working and living experience is merging, but integrating at that intersection has become more and more difficult. And at a blurry intersection, there's bound to be accidents and mistakes made because you can't see all that well. Mired in the need for survival sometimes we just go on autopilot -and life might not be so productive in that mode.

It takes discipline to navigate our work life culture which is so infused with steriodial behavior (made it up). And what's more - there's no National Work Life Association that's going to monitor our insane addiction to the speedy need for success. It's up to us as individuals,  to track our own brand of insanity and have the discipline to "just say no," while designing some sort of stress-busting routine so we don't burn out. When you continually raise the bar on expectation, the skies the limit. The highs will be high - but the low point - practically inconceivable. 

We are working and living in a 24/7 info-overloaded attention deficit culture. The question is - how do we navigate all the sensory overload while cultivating resilience so we can be successful? That my friends is the question for 2009 and beyond.