Simple Morning Routine For A Successful Day

by Online Business Mum

Healthy morning habits that will help you wake up early and happy. This simple morning routine is easy to do and can be adjusted to fit around your kids, partner and busy mum life.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why do you need a morning routine?

A morning routine is, simply put, a combination of activities you do every morning. Like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, making coffee etc. So pretty much every person has their own morning routine, whether they realise it or not. All these things you do first thing every morning condition your brain and set you up for your day. Either in a positive, energetic, productive way or in a less favourable ‘I’m late and I’m tired’ way.

So the question is not if you need a morning routine, but rather ‘How should your morning routine look like to set yourself up for a perfect day - with purpose and in line with your goals and dreams?

What should be part of your morning routine?

It has been reported again and again that certain habits, especially if done first thing in the morning, have a tremendous impact on your day. That’s why so many highly successful people, top performers and celebrities swear by their morning routine. Hal Elrod has taken all of these effective habits and combined them in one book - his bestseller The Miracle Morning. He calls them the S.A.V.E.R.S which is an acronym for:

S - Silence (e.g. praying, meditating, mindfulness exercises, deep breathing etc.)

A - Affirmations (e.g. saying your goals, top priorities or statements for self-confidence etc.)

V - Visualisation (visualising reaching your goals, short term and long term)

E - Exercise (e.g. yoga, walking, running, push-ups etc. anything to get your body moving)

R - Reading (something you want to learn about or that will help your self-development)

S - Scribing (journaling, e.g. things you are grateful for, learnings, challenges etc.)

Doing all of these 6 habits in the morning, even if it’s just for as little as 1 minute each, will help you start your day with energy, confidence and a positive mindset which will have a great impact on your whole day.

Hal Elrod typically recommends putting aside 1 hour for your whole morning routine, but it can be as long or as short as you want it to be. And let’s face it, as busy mums it can be very hard to carve out a whole hour for yourself, so I’d like to show you how I’ve adapted Hal’s morning routine to fit into my day and around my family’s needs.

If you are looking for tips and tricks specifically on how to create your own personal morning routine that works around your kids, check out my other blog post here: How To Build An Effective Morning Routine Around Your Kids

My morning routine

Getting up - 5 minutes: At 6:25am my alarm goes off. I have a daylight alarm (a Lumie body clock) to wake me up gently. And an alarm on my phone on the other side of the bedroom which forces me to get up and not hit the snooze button instead. I get up, make my bed, put on my running clothes, drink a glass of water, go to the loo, brush my teeth and splash cold water in my face to help me wake up and quietly sneak downstairs to start my morning practice.

Exercise - 5 minutes: I take out my yoga mat (I use the IUGA Pro which I absolutely love!) and start with a short yoga sequence (usually a few sun salutations) to stretch my body and get my blood flowing. After that I feel properly awake.

Silence - 15-20 minutes: Then I sit down on my yoga mat and medidate for 15 minutes. Sometimes it’s a bit more, sometimes a bit less. But I find that I usually come out of my meditation naturally after 15 - 20 minutes at the latest. I tried different meditation methods in the past - guided, unguided, using a mantra etc. But most of the times I prefer to just be still and empty my mind until I am in a deeply calm and relaxed state.

Scribing - 5 minutes: After my meditation I write out my goals in my journal and any ideas that popped into my head while meditating or anything else I want to bring on paper.

Affirmations & Visualisation - 10 minutes: Then I say my goals out aloud and visualise with my eyes closed how I feel when I have achieved them and the steps I need to take in order to get there. I focus on tasks I’m doing, people I’m interacting with and how I show up when working towards this goal - e.g. motivated, joyful, proactive, of service etc. I start the visualisation process with my daily goals - the 3 most important things I want to get done that day. And then I move on to my long term goals.

By then (about 40 minutes later) my son is awake. My husband takes care of him first thing in the morning so I can finish my morning routine. So at around 7:10am I take over so my partner can have some time for himself too, and I get the little one dressed and ready for nursery.

At 8 am I do the nursery run. It only takes us 5 minutes on the bike to get there. So at 8:15 am I’m back home.

Exercise & Reading - 15 minutes: Remember, I’m still in my running clothes I put on this morning. So I pop in my earbuds (I've been gifted these Soundcore Spirit Sports Earphones by my husband which are not too expensive and work great!) and go for a quick 10-15 minutes run whilst listening to an audiobook about a topic I want to learn about.

I’m back around 8:30 am, take a shower and get ready for work.

At 9 am I make myself a cup of tea, sit down at my desk and start work.

My evening routine

To make sure I get enough sleep and to be well rested for my morning routine and my day, my evening routine is actually equally as important as my morning routine. Even though it’s super short. This is how it goes:

I set myself a bedtime alarm and - same as in the morning - put my phone across the room so I have to get up. In this case from the comforts of my couch which can be a real struggle for me to abandon in order to go to bed. So at 9:30pm my bedtime alarm goes off, I get up and start to get myself ready for bed.

Scribing - 10 minutes: At 10pm I’m in bed, writing in my journal about how my day went. - My greatest successes, my learnings and the things I’m grateful for. I also write down the 3 most important tasks I want to get done on the next day.

If you want to find out more about the journal I'm using, I've done a whole blog post about it here: RETHiNK Planner Review: The Daily Planner to Help You Achieve Your Goals

By 10:30pm I’m asleep. :)

This daily routine, even though it’s divided over different times in my day to make it work with my family, really sets me up for success each day. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t always work out as planned, depending on when my little one wakes up in the morning or if he gets up throughout the night when he is unwell. Or simply when my bedtime gets delayed for various reasons like having friends over for example. So I might have to cut it short on some days or even skip some parts. But it’s my ideal routine I’m striving for every day. And every time I manage to do it, or even just parts of it, I can definitely feel the difference it makes to my mood and productivity on that day. Basically, a day that starts with my morning routine is usually a very positive and successful day for me!


Do you have your own morning routine? If so, what does it include? If not, why don’t you try your own routine for a few mornings? I would love to hear how it goes for you and what difference it makes to your days. Let me know in the comments! :)

How To Build An Effective Morning Routine Around Your Kids

by Online Business Mum

Tips on how to create a morning routine when you have kids that help you be more relaxed, focussed and successful in your business and as a mum.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Having a morning routine has been one of the most helpful practises for me to be more calm, relaxed and focussed. Which has a positive knock-on effect on all areas of my life, especially my family and my online business. But doing a morning routine around your kids can be challenging to say the least. I've been interrupted during my meditation, reading or yoga many times and had to cut it short or even skip it completely on more than one occasion. The benefits of having a morning practice for yourself are too great though to give up. So stick with me and learn some tips and tricks on how you can fit your routine around your kids so you can still get those amazing benefits that will help you boost your success in any area you want.

My morning routine is based on Hal Elrod's book The Miracle Morning by the way. If you are interested in creating your own routine, I would definitely recommend you check it out. 

If you want to learn more about the journal I'm using for my morning routine which is also my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly planner, I've written a blog post about it here: 

RETHiNK Planner Review: The Daily Planner to Help You Achieve Your Goals

#1. Get Up Early

Getting up before your kids will give you the best chances of getting some undisturbed me-time which will give you the cool and strength to face the craziness of the day ahead. I know it sounds hard. But what I found is, that getting up on my own terms at a time I choose is actually very empowering and therefore easier for me, rather than getting woken up by my toddler at whatever time he sees fit. On the days I get up early by myself I definitely feel more in charge, I am calmer and less stressed. I feel like I can control how the day goes rather than having to react to whatever is thrown at me. 

#2. Go To Bed Early

For me, the number one thing to help me get up early is going to bed on time. I really need my 8 hours of sleep to fully function throughout the day. This one is actually my biggest challenge. Once my little one is asleep, it's just so tempting and nice to chill on the sofa with my husband watching movies, interesting things on YouTube or playing video games. I absolutely LOVE these relaxing evenings with him. So much so that I've been really struggling to go to bed at a reasonable time. But there is a little hack that helps me to overcome this. 

Behold the Bedtime Alarm! 

All I have to do is set an alarm on my phone for the time I want to or rather should go to bed. And then I put my phone far across the room. This has two benefits. First of all, without my phone by my side, it's one less distraction I have to battle before going to bed. And secondly, the most important bit - once the alarm goes off I have to get up from the couch in order to turn it off. (Pick an alarm that's too annoying and too loud to ignore.) The magic is, once I get up, I don't actually feel like sitting down anymore and think to myself that I might as well go to bed now. Problem solved! This little hack absolutely works wonders for me. Try it out and let me know in the comments if it works for too. :)

Oh and, putting your alarm across the room also works amazingly well in the mornings to get out of bed! :)

#3. Prepare Everything For Your Routine The Night Before

This will set you up for success right from the start of the day. Have a glass of water next to your bed that you can drink right after getting up. This will help you wake up and re-hydrate your body. Have your workout clothes, your yoga mat or anything else you need easily accessible so you don't have to roam around the house. Have your journal, your diary or the book you want to read in next to you. Have everything you need laid out so you don't wake up your family unintentionally before you can finish or even start your routine. 

#4. Be Flexible

Our kids can be quite unpredictable at times. So even if we've prepped everything, gone to bed early, set our morning alarm, our kids might just decide to get up early. Or maybe they are sick and neither your kid nor you are getting any sleep that night. Just remember, your morning routine is not just another task on your to-do list. It's a habit that helps you feel better, be calm and ultimately be a better parent. If your baby or your kids need you, be there for them. You can try to do your practice or part of it later, maybe when the baby is napping. Or you might decide to just skip it for that day and try again the next day. Which is totally fine too. You could even do a mini routine for days when you don't have time or when you are just starting out and struggling to find any time at all. 

Example for a mini morning routine:

• 1 minute of silence/meditation/reflection
• 1 minute of journaling - write down any thoughts/ideas/challenges/wins etc. that linger in your brain. By doing that you will come up with solutions and insights you would have never thought of otherwise. It's also a great way to declutter your mind, just by writing things out on paper.
• 1 minute to say/read out your goals or affirmations
• 1 minute of visualisation practise where you envision yourself living your dream and reaching your goals
• 1 minute of workout like jumping jacks to get your heart pumping and to get oxygen in your bloodstream and to your brain
• 1 minute of reading a book you enjoy or a subject you want to learn more about. 

Usually, I would allocate 5-20 minutes for each of these habits so my morning routine would take about an hour in total. But even if you only do these habits for one minute each you will feel a difference and you can gradually increase the time as you go along or as things get better. Just don't give up because of one bad morning or a difficult week. Get back to it as soon as you can and enjoy the benefits it brings to you and your family.

#5. Involve Your Kids

This is one of my favourites as this can encourage your kids to have their own morning practice or adopt good habits for their life as they model you. Depending on your kids' age you could try sitting them next to you to play and explain to them what you are doing. They might just want to be near you and might be totally fine watching you or doing their own thing as long as they know you are there. 

When your kids are older you could actively involve them in your routine. They would probably love doing jumping jacks or a funny dance with you. My little one always wants to participate when he sees me doing yoga. Up to that point that he has pretty much memorized all the poses for sun salutations at 2 years old. 

Older kids might enjoy meditating/practising silence or doing breathing exercises with you. They could even say their own simple affirmations like "I am brave." "I believe in myself." "I have a big heart."

Instead of journaling, you could give your kids a piece of paper they can draw on.

These are just some ideas you could try. If you are looking for more tips or if you want to create a morning routine specifically for your kids, I can recommend The Miracle Morning for Parents and Families by Hal Elrod. This book is full of helpful tips and tricks on how you can implement a morning routine and a more peaceful and fulfilled life for your family and your children. It introduces daily practices specifically for kids that can help them become the best version of themselves and be better equipped for the challenges that life brings.

Why Mums Are Turning Their Back On Corporate Life To Master Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is fast becoming a popular option for parents who want to achieve a happier balance between work and family life. So what's it all about?

Everyone needs to adapt their lifestyle when they become parents. Some aspects are relatively easy to change. For example, no more term-time holidays - you might do this begrudgingly but you can adapt.

A big challenge for many is adapting to the demands placed upon them when trying to balance a job and being a parent. Suddenly having to factor in childcare and its many challenges, having to unexpectedly take time off when your child is sick, and you can't remember how many times you have said, 'I can't make the meeting if it's after 5pm'... sorry!

Affiliate marketing is something that you can learn and earn money from. If you are open to learning new skills and willing to invest your time it can generate a very healthy full-time income. The beauty of it is that you can work flexibly, from anywhere at anytime. It gives you flexibility and control. Sounds good right?

But what is affiliate marketing?

In short, affiliate marketing is when one person markets someone else's product and gains a commission when a sale is made. Commissions can range from 1% to as high as 75%.

I'll give an example of how this works.

Imagine this. Sarah has developed this great product and she's keen to start selling it.

How does she find customers? It doesn't matter how good her product is, without customers it's nothing.

She could set up a shop on her local high street. Great idea... in 1985! No, it's 2015 and there is this thing called the internet. The potential reach customers on her high street is really limited, restricted to just people who happen to live nearby. The potential reach for customers on the internet knows no bounds... we're talking billions.

Sarah needs no more convincing. After all, having a physical shop is very costly too.

So she will sell on the internet. She gets a website set up. But now for the big challenge. How to find the customers. She knows there are people out there who would want to buy her product, but how does she reach them and tell them about it?

She knows that she needs to advertise but doesn't have the skills to do that. What's more, she really doesn't want to invest time and money in learning those skills, she wants to stick to what she is good at - developing and selling her product.

This is where affiliate marketing comes in.

Hannah is an affiliate marketer. She is an expert in the niche of Sarah's product. She knows exactly how to bring people who want Sarah's product to her. In exchange, Hannah gets a commission on the price of the product sold.

Everyone is a winner. The customer got a product they wanted. Sarah sold her product (hooray!). Hannah received commission for making the introduction (and didn't have to fulfil the order, get involved in payment, shipping... all those hassles).

Okay, this is a really simple example. Merchants that offer affiliate programmes can vary greatly in terms of size, offerings, products etc. For example, Amazon is one of the largest and diverse affiliate programs.

Affiliate marketing is a low-cost way to raise awareness and showcase products. The difference between traditional marketing and affiliate marketing is that it's a win-win for the merchant because they pay nothing for advertising until the affiliate brings to them a buyer.

Why does affiliate marketing appeal to mums?

Affiliate marketing is a great choice for mums because it's a way to earn an income around balancing family commitments.

Working mums find it to be scalable to their needs and wants. For example, I know a stay-at-home-mum with two young children who built a really successful online business based on affiliate marketing from only working in the evenings - when all is quiet from the kids' bedrooms!

Similarly, I know a mum who after a few months, was able to quit her full-time professional job and earn significantly more, while working fewer hours, as an affiliate marketing entrepreneur.

I could go on with numerous examples and illustrations of how affiliate marketing works for busy mums but I won't. You can work anywhere, at any time, you are your own boss and it's flexible - you get it, I know.

Interestingly, in the UK (according to the Office for National Statistics) 4.2m people were working from home in 2014, which is 13.9% of the working population. Similarly, Forbes magazine posted an article stating that 1 in 5 Americans work from home. Working from home is a growing and totally respectable way to earn a living. We largely have advancements in technology and the digital economy to thank for that!

How do people get started with affiliate marketing?

You may be wondering how to get started, and perhaps asking yourself what skills and experience you need. The answer is that you don't need any prior skills or experience, because everything can be taught. Anyone who is open to learning and willing to put in some hard work can succeed.

I could launch into a long list of the steps, that if followed diligently, would stand you in good stead for success with affiliate marketing... but I won't! That's an entirely separate article which I will write very soon... Okay, I can't help myself. Here is my brain dump list of getting started... choose a niche, find products, join an affiliate program, get a domain name & hosting, find a mentor, join a community, set up a free website/blog, add content, focus on providing value (value value value!), build relationships, gain followers, learn targeted advertising...

Personally, I invested in training in online marketing, and the training company that I signed-up with, the Six Figure Mentors, also provided a one-stop-shop digital system in addition to the training (it includes lots of software that you need plus your hosting and website etc). This may not be for everyone, but for me, building my own affiliate marketing business has been a revelation. The digital system I used was a huge time saver, as I didn't have to piece together what I needed to learn - and you don't know what you don't know! I wanted support and mentors. I also thought that if I want to get really good at something - which I did, I'm competitive by nature so not one for doing things by halves - then I needed to invest in my own learning. In the same way that I have friends doing Open University courses and MBAs, I studied internet marketing and it has opened a whole world of exciting possibilities that don't leave me dependent on the corporate ladder!


I hope this has been useful to you and you now know a little more about what affiliate marketing is. If you are interested in learning more then please feel free to sign-up for my complimentary training series by visiting the Getting Started page on my website [http://mummyentrepreneur.co.uk/getting-started/]

by Amy Woods, Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9150526 

Being a Mumpreneur Vs Being an Entrepreneur

Besides having a screaming toddler clinging to her while she types up a business proposal, a Mumpreneur is quite a different creature from a typical entrepreneur. I have received my fair share of snickers and stifled laughter when I introduce myself as a Mumpreneur. In Asia, this new 'corporate organism' is still a fairly new concept for many business people. I attend courses and workshops that teach entrepreneurship. I network with entrepreneurs for business opportunities. I even partner with entrepreneurs on selected business ventures. (And no! They don't bring along their daughters/ sons for our business meetings.)

But always at the back of my mind, I know being a Mumpreneur puts me in a different spot. A separate category of its own, which I have come to embrace for its advantages

For one, I get to have a "Daughter Day" every 2 weeks. That's time I set aside for my 2-year-old. I am not afraid to announce it to my business partners, who seem both envious and amused. I celebrate work-family balance as a Mumpreneur and 4 working days (out of 22) is a fair ratio to devote to family. On 'Daughter Day', I don't take calls; don't answer emails nor attend business meetings. Most business contacts accept and respect that decision (since I am a MUMpreneur) and usually work around my schedule.

Mumpreneurs also get the chance to put pictures of their own children on their site/ blog/ Twitter page, without compromising on a professional image. Instead, if used in the correct context, personal sharing of certain information stands to help. One of the Mumpreneurs I support sells organic skincare products for children. Her 4-year old daughter is the "face" of her product. As she conducts her outreach programme to schools in Singapore, she is acutely aware that her own trust and belief in the product's benefits have greatly helped her to convince potential buyers. Her own daughter is the best testimonial of the product's benefits.

Ever since jumping on the Mumpreneur bandwagon, I have come to observe and appreciate the growing Mumpreneurs' network on cyberspace. A simple Google search will prove my point. Facebook pages of Mumpreneurs who add each other as fans or friends are evidence of a group determined to be pillars of support for one another. Instead of the usual competition that one sees with entrepreneurs, there seems to be an unspoken desire to help each other succeed. (And no, they don't accept Dads in these networks.)

Most of all, being a Mumpreneur means that we have to be creative. Entrepreneurs need creativity in designing business solutions. Mumpreneurs need to be creative with the business model, with our time, with our goals and with our skills. Not all mothers set up online or home businesses based on the skills they have. In fact, quite a large number turn to new businesses that they had no previous contact with. Accountants with an online bakery, PR consultants turned jewellery designers, Doctors who design and sew baby shoes, Lawyers with a newfound passion in hat making. (Etsy.com has its fair share of such talent)

Creativity with Time-management is critical for Mumpreneurs, as we no longer have an excuse. "Please mind Sarah, I need to work overtime" won't go down well with the husbands, since our business was started (in the first place) so we could have a work-family balance.

Last but not least, Mumpreneurs are fuelled by a different set of dreams and goals. Most of us do not design a business that can be sold off, that can obtain funding from a bank or be considered by venture capitalists. Most mothers who choose to be a Mumpreneur do so because they want more flexible time with their children. Profits are important, but unlike other entrepreneurs, it's the maternal love that started the business, propels it forward and keeps it going. And therein, lies all the difference.


The author is the founder of "Mums@Work" (Singapore), a portal for mothers who seek work-family balance through flexible work options or setting up small businesses. She conducts workshops on career coaching and Mumpreneur businesses. For more information, you can visit http://www.mumsatwork.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4832471

20 Time Management Tips For Working Moms (That ACTUALLY Work!!)

Some great time management tips for busy mums from Rachel Pedersen! Hope you find these helpful. :)

Work-Life Balance - What's With All the Hype?

What is the first thought or feeling that comes to mind when you hear the term "work-life balance"? Is it a sense of balance and control over your own life? Or does the thought leave you feeling like one aspect of your life is dominating everything else? Is your work causing you to miss out on special moments with loved ones and family? Or are your family responsibilities so overwhelming that you find you can no longer be as effective as you want to be at work? Are you experiencing balance or are things a bit imbalanced at the moment? 

There are many who still think of work-life balance as an issue that matters only to individuals with families. They think of work-life balance as a special (and sometimes unfair) concession that companies make to mommies and daddies so they can take their kids to the doctor, or attend a special school event or stay home and take care of them when they're sick. But those who take this view might not be looking at the full picture. 

In the traditional workplace the expectation is a commitment of 8 - 9 hours each weekday at your place of employment. In many situations this is typically non-negotiable. Most traditional workers will make their daily commutes to work, put in their hours and then close shop at the end of their shift to do it over again the next day. For many, this is the only way to do work. But let's think about it. How much work do people really get done in their offices? Let's face it. In an average day, employees including managers will have up to 2 meetings. That's 2 hours. Then lunch accounts for another hour. If the employee smokes, they might take anywhere from 3 - 5 fifteen minute smoke breaks. That's another hour and 15 minutes. In a single trip to the copier a person could discover that it needs CPR before it can spit out their print job. This could account for another 30 minutes of their time. Then there's the unplanned project update with the person they just ran into on the way to the elevator - another 10 minutes. Folks, so far we've chopped 4 hours and 50 minutes off the 8- 9 hour workday, and we haven't even accounted for the 5 minutes spent socializing at a best buddy's cube, or the phone calls from spouses, or children's schools, neither have we looked at the needed bio breaks nor just taking a moment to stretch and take a deep breath! So suddenly, the 8 - 9 hours spent in the workplace have been cut back to at most 4 hours where actual work can get done... Hmm! This is just food for thought. 

There are new work-life balance trends being set in 21st century workplace. Currently, the millennial generation, accounts for 22 percent of the US workforce, and over the next 4 years they will make up almost 47 percent! Millennials grew up with technology as a natural extension to themselves. They are connected to the world (and to their work) literally 24 hours a day. This generation also has strong views and expectations where work-life balance is concerned. They are OK with not being chained to a cubicle from 9 -5 everyday. They are very capable and willing to get things done wherever they are at whatever time of the day. As a matter of fact, internationally recognized workplace learning consultant, Jeanne Meister who authored the book The 2020 Workplace states that Millennials have an expectation for work-life flexibility which will soon replace what we now know as work-life balance. The Millennials are choosing where they will work based on many factors which include a company's use of technology and the company's attitude to work-life flexibility. Millennials do not believe in living to work. They believe in working to live. That is, who they are is not defined by their jobs. Where traditional workers were loyal to companies, spending 30 - 40 years of their lives at a single place of employment, Millennials are changing the landscape and will drop one situation for a more favorable one without batting an eyelash. And considering that by the end of the decade this generation will make up about 50% of the workforce, it behooves forward-thinking companies to be creative, beginning to implement innovative policies that allow for and frankly take advantage of this type of flexibility.

Work-life balance is so much more than the ability to spend more time doing personal things and less
time on work. The truth is, as humans we all have the need for balance in our lives. We are multi-dimensional beings balancing a variety of responsibilities between our careers and personal lives and luckily innovation in technology can make it a lot easier for us to balance what we need to get done.

When I worked in the corporate environment, I was lucky to be in a workplace that embraces the idea of flexibility. But if I wasn't careful, I could easily find myself spending up to 12 hours at work! For me, that would be a sure indication of imbalance between life and work. On a typical day, I would be up by 5:30 in the morning, getting my kids ready for school and then dedicating some time to me. This was a critical piece to my day. In order to take care of needs of others, I needed to take care of some of my own. Ideally, I would begin my office time at 10 in the morning, unless I needed to get in earlier for a meeting! See, starting my day at 10 ensured that I had more productive time in the office because my psyche is such that I am generally unproductive before 10 in the morning. I'm not a morning person. My brain cells don't really activate until mid morning. Being forced to sit in my cube from 8 or 9 in the morning would benefit no one. I would miss out on important 'me time' and my employer would miss out on 2 hours of meaningful, productive work. My employer was OK with being this flexible, and in turn I was OK with being at the office until 6, sometimes 7 in the evening. 

Consider the following facts:

1. Balance does not look the same for everyone
2. Balance does not look the same everyday 

Employers that understand balance and recognize its importance are among the best places to work today. Allowing people the flexibility to address life priorities is a sure way to cultivate a happy workplace. And when your employees are happy they are more productive. The concern for managers and organizations should be how much work is getting done not where employees are situated each hour of the workday. Technology today allows individuals to be connected 24 hours a day. This means the 21st century workplace is poised to be super productive having the ability to get work done around the clock. When people's lives are in balance, there is less stress and they are more willing to put in the extra time even at times when traditionally people did not do 'employer work'. 

Take Best Buy for example. Best Buy piloted a new concept in HR management called ROWE - Results Oriented Work Environment. The concept of ROWE basically dictates that "each person is free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as the work gets done." Employees manage and control their own time and only come into the office if there is need for them to be there. So if they can get their work done elsewhere, they have the freedom to decide where they will set up shop. What Best Buy found through this pilot was that employees were 35% more productive when they were allowed the flexibility to determine when, where and how they work. The key here is a focus on results. Is the work getting done? If it is, then it should not matter where that employee is situated or even how many hours they spend on task. If deadlines are being met and productivity is evidenced by results, I say it's off to the races. 

In the 21st century work environment people will be apt to give more when they know that their entire well-being is important to their employer. Today's employees are very aware that their employers do not own them. Neither do employers own a portion of their employees' time each day. It really is very simple. Employees owe results. Employers owe a paycheck. So in the case of the person who prefers to be in the office by 6 in the morning and can churn out a half a day's amount of work before anyone else gets there. That's OK. If the next individual prefers to see their kids off to school in the morning and then stop off at Starbucks to plug-in for a few 'quiet' moments while they have a latte, that should be OK too. And there are those who prefer to work from their home office so that they can be fully engaged and concentrate on their projects with minimal interruptions. This too, should be OK. If in all these situations, and others like them we have more productivity and people have some balance in their lives, who cares what their time cards looks like? 

(c)2013 Workplace Learning Solutions LLC Bridget C Lewis is a professional development coach/consultant with 30 years experience spanned across education, human resources and training and development. Working from home base in Atlanta GA, Ms. Lewis has worked with individuals and organizations across the globe including Great Britain and the Caribbean. In early 2010, she founded Workplace Learning Solutions LLC, a company dedicated to encouraging and implementing professional development strategies in small businesses and among professionally minded individuals.

 Some major clients for Ms. Lewis and Workplace Learning Solutions LLC include Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADV), Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, InterContinental Hotels Group, Best Practice Institute, the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program, and DeKalb Workforce Development. 

Learn more about Bridget C Lewis and Workplace Learning Solutions LLC by visiting the company website at http://www.workplace-learningsolutions.com. Read and follow our blog at http://performancepower.wordpress.com. 

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