Work, Life and Peace: #TChat Recap
(Editor’s Note: All of us in the TalentCulture community mourn the loss of our dear friend, brilliant colleague and mindful mentor, Judy Martin, who passed away unexpectedly on January 31, 2014. Her message and her life are a lesson for us all. We will forever fondly remember her humor, warmth and wisdom.)
The TalentCulture World of Work community was rockin the Twitter stream yesterday, as #TChat-ters tackled the elusive quest for work-life balance. But before we delve into the pearls of wisdom that emerged from the chat, I’m happy to report some community news.
There’s an evolution taking place in the overall scope and reach of TalentCulture, as we move forward into our 3rd year. It’s not just about our popular Wednesday night Twitter chats, anymore. You may be noticing more content and channel choices, along with increased social media momentum. This action is purposeful – intended to add value for every one of us who participates in the weekly chats. We hope this enriches your community experience, and inspires you to invite others to participate. The more the merrier – and the richer, more diverse and more rewarding everyone’s experience will be.
“Work Life Week” in Review
- The action kicked off with Meghan M. Biro offering two fabulous posts – “5 Steps to Work Life Sanity…” at Forbes.com, followed by a preview of the work life focus here at TalentCulture.
- Several days prior, Tim McDonald and I dished on a Google+ Hangout, with an objective look at where our working and living experiences intersect with technology.
- Then on Tuesday we took to the airwaves (so to speak) with a live #TChat Radio broadcast (now available on-demand). Flexwork expert Cali Williams Yost and I joined hosts Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman to deconstruct the myths and challenges of work life issues in a 24/7 world.
- Finally yesterday, we fired up our Twitter engines for a dynamic discussion (as always) on the #TChat stream.
#TChat Highlights
NOTE: To see specific highlights from yesterday’s “work life balance” #TChat session, watch the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.
The #TChat crew came out of the gate with a discussion on how we track competing priorities in today’s social world and the types of HR technology that are crucial for prioritizing and relationship building. How do we use technology to separate the wheat from the chaff, and infuse meaning into our relationships without drowning in sensory overload?
Multiple people mentioned Yammer – a tool that makes it possible for businesses to create their own social networking sites and incorporate tools to help streamline workflows. This seems to be a big favorite for organizing technology and communications, although some said Yammer isn’t fully understood yet, and its capacity to organize still seems to be unfolding.
Most surprising, when speaking about planning and organizing ideas, classic paper “sticky notes” entered the discussion. It provided a chuckle and an interesting application of caveman like ideas melding with technology. Other ideas for ways to better manage workload and minimize stress included the simplicity of saying “no” to something that will only bring stress with it, and the need to recognize and respond when poor planning and others’ decisions have a direct impact your work.
A resounding proportion of contributors agreed that we are humans who are deeply connected “in real time” with and through our mobile devices. Many extolled the virtues of virtual work environments and tools. For example, social media phone apps truly make life more livable, with work at our fingertips. But what constitutes smart usage? How do we control what I call the “expectation of instant gratification” when that bell tolls on the phone?
That led to the idea that too often, we get caught up in business demands and lose sight of the “people” part of the work equation. Perhaps it is possible to enjoy a superior quality of life and still be productive. This prompted discussion around balancing our working and living experience with more consciousness. How? Lots of talk about meditation, deep breathing (which I endorse, as you can see in the attached video), and taking time to move beyond the virtual realm and meet work contacts in person.
Staying focused is a skill, but being mindful of the choices we make is also a decision. Sometimes, the very technology that connects us also allows just enough separation between work and family so that we can accomplish several goals from both worlds, almost simultaneously.
The question is, how far can we push that without suffering the downside consequences of multitasking? Ah, now that’s the ontological question of our #TChat times. And each of us is ultimately responsible for finding the best answer for our skills, sensibility and situation. The answer is not just about external tools, structure and processes. Ultimately, the answer comes from within.
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NOTE: To see specific highlights from yesterday’s “work life balance” #TChat session, watch the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.
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Closing Notes & Highlights Slideshow
Did you miss the #TChat preview? Look here.
SPECIAL THANKS from TalentCulture to Judy Martin (who also wrote the recap above) and Cali Williams Yost – the stars of this week’s #TChat triple-header” (Google Hangout – BlogTalkRadio – Twitter Chat). You bring passion and insight to every interaction. Thanks for your commitment and contributions to our community!
NOTE TO BLOGGERS: If this #TChat session inspired you to write about social learning or the value of work life balance, we’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (at #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll add it to our archives. There are many voices in this community, with many ideas worth sharing. Let’s capture as many of them as possible.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Join us next week, as we get into the spirit of the season with a very special theme, “Organizations and Social Good.” Tune in to #TChat Radio on Tuesday, Dec 11 at 7:30pm ET, when Mashable Community Manager Meghan Peters, and SVP of Social Impact at The Huffington Post/AOL, Brian Sirgutz talk with Kevin and Meghan about how organizations express gratitude and share with employees and the community at-large. Then join the #TChat Twitter discussion on Wednesday, Dec 12, 7-8pm ET to share your ideas and opinions. Look for a full preview early next week via @TalentCulture and #TChat. Thanks!
Image Credit: Julia Freeman-Woolpert at stock.xchng
#TChat INSIGHTS Slide Show: Work Life Balance
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#TChat INSIGHTS: The Quaint Notion of Work Life Balance
Storified by TalentCulture · Thu, Dec 06 2012 07:23:05
rget that at best tech helps people. #tchatMichael Clark
annual two-week retreat to Big Sur, CA without devices and internet connections. #tchatMichael Clark
Q5: What are the steps you use to deepen, improve your relationships in today’s world of work?
ocial media team competitions #tchatAshley Lauren Perez