It was nice this year for the religious calendars to bless us all with Passover and Easter falling after we accomplished helping our clients meet or extend their individual tax filing for 2010. Of course, the IRS almost messed it up with a little known holiday in Washington, D.C. called “Emancipation Day” that pushed the filing date to April 18th from the 15th, adding another weekend to busy season. Normally, we are rushing home for a Seder dinner or having to work on Good Friday. However, this year’s calendar allowed our partners and staff to enjoy their holidays, take some vacation and spend time with their families last week.
We can’t ignore the value of appropriate work life balance. We all work hard at our individual jobs and the purpose, what makes it all worth it, is to be able to provide our families with a lifestyle they are comfortable with and the perks that come as a result of our efforts. Spending time with our families is probably the most enjoyable thing we can do. It allows us to relax, let our defenses down and forget about the pressure and madness we experience in our 40-60 hour work week.
From the perspective of a CEO, having our staff well rested and fulfilled means that they can approach their work week fresh and with enthusiasm. But most importantly, this is when ideas are developed and our valued employees perform with their best efforts.
In the end we must remember the value of family time and how we all come out ahead when we can strike the right balance.
Bill
