Your work-life balance gets a makeover in 2012.

Work-life balance. We all strive for it, but few can honestly say they’ve found it. Whether you’re eyeing a raise, a new leadership role, thinking of starting your own business, or want to spend more time with your kids without losing your career, Fernwood’s National Franchise Manager Maree Rogers has some great advice.

Fernwood: What’s the number one thing that prevents people from making progress with their work goals?
Maree: It’s important that any goals you have are aligned with your values. If they’re not, you either won’t achieve your goals or you’ll end up unhappy. If your highest value is family, but your goal is career-focused, then you will always struggle with the inner turmoil of not being with family due to the pressures of your career. Likewise, if your highes value is job security, but your goal is to change career path, or perhaps purchase a business, you’ll need to accept an element of risk in order to achieve your goal.

F: How can busy women seeking a new career challenge find the balance between work and family commitments?
M: It’s about identifying what you want in your work. Is it a pipe dream or something you’re willing to commit to and do whatever it takes to achieve? It will come at a cost, and that may be time with the family. Then it becomes a matter of quality time versus quantity. You may not have 12 hours each day with your child, but the three hours you do have are precious. Instead of rushing home and falling into a panic about food and bathing, being very present as a parent becomes crucial. You learn to truly value that time. It’s not always easy, but it’s a choice you make and it’s important to be happy with that choice.

F: Some people decide to follow their career ambitions after having children. What benefits can this pathway bring to the workplace?
M: The experience of being a parent can take you to a whole new level in the workplace. You learn crucial life skills, including multitasking, being really effective with your time, and being accommodating of other people’s needs. Compassion and empathy for others, an ability to relate to people at different levels, and negotiating skills are other traits you learn as a parent that are very useful in the workplace.

F: What advice would you offer someone who has the desire to make a change but is lacking confidence to take the step?
M: At times we find ourselves not all that confident in what we’re doing, but projecting confidence can provide a boost to those around you. I used to work in corporate catering, and was a ‘fly on the wall’ in many boardrooms where CEOs of major corporations would meet. The majority of CEOs were men at the top of their field, but they were always nervous before these lunches. I realised in most cases, while they happened to be in a top role, they were an average person who still experienced the same inhibitions and fears as the rest of us. Everyone’s human, but some people come across as larger than life. That’s what they choose to project. So just fake it! It instils confidence in those around you, and eventually you’ll feel more confident as a result.