In Flight

I have to go on a business trip tomorrow for a couple of days. Before I had the girls, business travel was something I looked forward too…it was just another opportunity to experience a new place. But now I just dread leaving Bryan and the girls (even though I’m in a place where I’ve found a pretty good balance between work and family.) It’s still really difficult at times, but my job is interesting and fulfilling (and most of all flexible), which makes balancing a little easier.

I found this quote from Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO Ogilvy and Mather, flipping through Business 2.0 (we have a huge stack of business magazines at work), and I immediately ripped it out and taped it to my monitor:

"I am constantly asked by women how to balance careers with family. I know from experience there is no silver bullet answer; if there were, we would be seeing more women in the corner office. The truth is that balance is achieved through a host of individual dance steps, from being willing to suffer a little domestic chaos to insisting that performance be measured by results, not just time spent in the office. Unless you love your work, you won’t find the balance. How can you, if you resent the time away from family spent at a tedious job? I fell into a job and a company I loved. I never wanted to leave and never worried that my family suffered for it. Finding fulfilling work should be an early and deeply pursued part of everyone’s career path….”

I think she’s right on...but I’m still dreading my trip tomorrow.