Work Schedule

There is much written about a work schedule and what it means to different people depending on their field of endeavor. At the same time, there is one major issue with envisioning a work schedule that we will discuss.

Passion And A Work Schedule

Each individual has a definition of passion but not all of these definitions have to do with what you earn a living from. Some people have a passion for a certain hobby whether that is as an active participant or from a sideline fan, or something they have a great deal of pleasure doing as a hobby like golf, tennis, skiing, bowling, or building model planes.

“So try to pursue the very things that you are passionate about- that is the difference between good and great!” Shawn Doyle

Work Schedule If You Work From Home

One of the most challenging of positions, or, in other words, places of employment, is your own home. While thousands upon thousands of people would love to work from home there is a huge fallacy that this type of work would be far easier. Unfortunately, working from home is only suited for very few. Why do I say this? Let me explain.

Developing A Work Schedule For The Home Office

One of the very first steps to undertake even before you even think about working from home is to consider your own personality. By this I mean that if you are not a person who can self-direct, self-motivate, and self-drive your own work then you should not consider working from home. The reason for this self-exclusion from working at home is quite simple.

For some people, they need the on-going or daily direction and expectations set ny a team leader or supervisor. At your own home, there is no one to encourage you or keep you on track. There is no direct accountability throughout the day. However, if your work from home assignments set end of day targets then you may still be a candidate for working from home as ,long as you are able to meet these daily targets.

Why Not Work From Home

The number one problem, and I mean problem, is that there are far too many distractions at home that can throw you off meeting a set of expectations or even expectations from a leader or supervisor. There are distractions present by simply being able to walk throughout your home; television, radio, making coffee, doing a little chore, taking a non-work phone call, answering the door, or those family or friendsthat just drop by to visit for a few minutes not fully understanding that you are really working.

I understand this mind set very clearly because I still experience this day to day in my own work. The mind set of those drop ins or those interrupting, non-business phone calls simply tells them that anyone who is home is not really working. And, don’t think that simply by telling these types of people once or even twice that you are working will in any way affect their propensity to keep bothering you.

How To Quell The Bothering Types Of People

I am not naive enough to suggest what I am going to tell you will absolutely resolve the problem of unwelcome interruptions but some of these may help in some cases.

One option is to let every family relation, that you know or who you suspect might interrupt your work, that you will be unavailable for any phone calls or visits between stipulated hours, for example, between nine a.m. to five p.m., unless it is an emergency. And, if you get calls that are not emergencies make sure you stick to your plan and advise the caller that you are unable to talk and ask them to call you back when you are finished for the day.

You may also want to establish your own limitations in this same regard by not phoning or visiting any friend or family member between these same hours. In other words, do not behave any differently than you expect others to behave.

You may also want to arrange for a private business number especially if you are running your own business out of your home. Additionally, do not answer the doorbell. I know this may be hard to do intitally but you have to establish in your mind that you are at work and continually remind yourself that you would not answer a knock at the door if you were working in a traditional work environment.

Passion For Your Work?

In the realm of the work world, though, they are few people I meet who have an absolute passion about their work. Sure, there are lots of people who don’t mind their work and even those who enjoy it on the occasional day. However, the kind of passion I am talking about refers for to a true love of what you do to the point where you give it your all every minute of every workday.

An Example

I read a story recently about a person who served in a banquet hall doing everything from prepping the site, to setting the tables for lunch. He prides himself on every aspect of his work. In fact, his dedication and motivation is well known in his place of employment.

So, you may now wonder what could he possibly gain from being so passionate about setting up tables for banquets?

Apply These Points

Here are just a few points to think about that can also apply to your own work:

– A passion keeps you motivated and interested in each task no matter how menial
– It makes you day go really fast
– You have a sense of accomplishment in a job more than well done
– You set yourself as an inspiration to every other employee
– You will find that your productivity rises and you become more optimistic about achieving the tasks before you

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confucius

Work Schedules Beyond Passion

If you are not passionate in what you do, or cannot find it with you to be passionate about your current job, either change your attitude or change your job. On the other hand, sometimes a work schedule can either make or break how you feel towards the job you do and your attitude towards your employer.

One of the greatest hurdles for both employees and employers, though, is how to schedule work that both benefits the employer’s needs balanced with keeping employees happy and productive. If you are simply looking to find methods of scheduling work, you can easily find various software tools for this purpose. For example, simply conduct an Internet search for employee scheduling software and you will be able to pick and choose what is right for your situation.

If you work in an environment that needs to schedule work shifts and you have a preference based on a real need like being able to pick children up from school or daycare, alert your employer to your particular need. Do not, however, suggest a working schedule based on your desire to attend an evening baseball game or other recreational activities. Genuine and needed shift considerations will be more likely to be entertained than simply your desire to accommodate a unnecessary personal desire.

Inspirational Quotes for Reflection:

“If you strategize and choose a proper field, you will automatically be able to give time to your passions and enjoy a fruitful time at work.” Edward Eddington

“If you are pursuing a dream, but do not find that it incites your passions, draw that task to a close and keep searching until you find something that you can be passionate about.” Cary Bergeron

“If we focus on the things that are positive about our jobs, then we can tackle those activities we dont enjoy with a better attitude and, in some cases, actually learn to enjoy them.” Stephen Shaner