& CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
August 2016
BUILDINGTOGETHER
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONNECTION: WORK-LIFE BALANCE? A new term you often hear these days is “Work-Life Balance.” On the surface, this idea is great because it recognizes that we can’t just work all the time, but instead we need to balance work with our “life.” Over time, I have begun to dislike this trendy term because it sounds as if your work and your life are completely separate entities that cannot overlap and are on opposite sides of a balance scale. Instead, I prefer to use the term “Work-Life Blending,” which I first heard from Mike Novakoski. To me, this term symbolizes that life and work are consistent and cohesive, instead of compartmentalizing work so we can enjoy life. Everyone in the company has had an opportunity to develop their own “U-Map,” which illustrates goals, priorities and commitments, both personally and professionally. One area of the U-Map that can be difficult for many of us to complete is the Personal Icon. It took me a great deal of time, effort and self-reflection to develop my icon. As you can see, it has several
components, but the main graphic is work family three overlapping circles labeled as Work, Family and Friends. In the center, where the circles overlap, is a shaded friends area that I call the “Sweet Spot.” It can be difficult to describe, but to me, the “Sweet Spot” symbolizes that I am thankful that my family is interested and engaged in what I do at work, that I’m lucky to have the opportunity to work with some of my family and that I hope my children will someday work for a company like E&V. I am blessed to work with my friends (coworkers, owners, trade contracts, etc.) and I appreciate that my family respects my work and my company respects and honors my family. While I very much enjoy having dedicated time in each of my “circles,” I am lucky that they overlap and that I’m able to enjoy all the benefits of “Work-Life Blending.” Joe Novakoski VP of Project Management