Work + Life: Finding the Fit That's Right for You [Hardcover]

Cali Williams Yost (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2004

Change when, how, and where you work; know why and how anyone can have more flexibility; be inspired to live life the way you want to live it.

Because the old nine-to-five corporate culture will never return, you need to change the way you think about, approach, and interact with work. Cali Williams Yost, a dynamic and innovative work/life expert who has both coached individuals and consulted for Fortune 500 companies, believes that you can choose how work fits into your life instead of work choosing how much life is left over for you.

Work + Life presents a practical, step-by-step process that helps you to create, propose, negotiate, and successfully implement a flexible arrangement that meets not only your needs but also the needs of your employer. Filled with inspiring success stories, as well as thought-provoking exercises focused on finding answers to every individual's unique work/life dilemmas, this is the only book that can be used by anyone to achieve any kind of flexibility, in any industry, at any stage of their career.

The 3 Steps to Help You Fit Work Into Your Life

Step 1: Change Your Mind-set
Get rid of misconceptions about work flexibility; claim responsibility for your own work and life choices; and redefine what it means to be a loyal employee.

Step 2: Identify and Bypass the Roadblocks
Reevaluate your definitions of success; cope with your fears; overcome resistance from your manager, coworkers, or spouse; and learn to think outside the box.

Step 3: Figure Out What You Really Want and How You'll Get It
Analyze the specific demands of your job and your life to determine the adjustments you'll need to make; write a formal business proposal; negotiate it with your manager; and implement it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Work is no longer necessarily a nine-to-five proposition: "Those external, company-mandated boundaries between your life and work disappeared; yet nothing replaced them," Yost writes. In this volume, the author argues that, in order to maintain a life outside work, one must think creatively and establish personal boundaries—what she calls the work+life fit. In this information-packed volume, she explains how to do it. Illustrating each point with stories of real people who found a good work and life fit, Yost takes readers through the process of seeing the possibilities for a creating non-standard work schedule, asking for what they want, getting to yes with the professional powers-that-be, and practical, logistical tips for making a program that works for them. It’s a goal-oriented book: each chapter has a clearly defined objective, such as "to ensure that your work+life fit is compatible with the tasks and responsibilities of your job, your workload and scheduling." With Americans working harder and longer today than they did 20 years ago, many readers may appreciate this scheduling guide, which is as much pro-business as it is pro-personal life.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"(Yost) offers guidance to employees for taking the initiative in developing and negotiating work/life arrangements tailored to their needs..." -- Philadelphia Inquirer, April 11, 2004

"Yost approaches this issue from a pro-business perspective, [and] Work+Life gets points for comprehensiveness, guiding readers step by step..." -- Washington Post, March 30,2004

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (April 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573222682
• ISBN-13: 978-1573222686
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,516,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discover, Plan, Sell, and Make Your Own Work-Life Balance (Fit), November 1, 2010

By 

Scott Petoff "VacationCounts" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Work + Life (Kindle Edition)

Work+Life is a well-written handbook which helps you to discover the work-life balance (she redefines it as "Fit") that is best for you and make it a reality step-by-step. The numerous examples of others who have dealt with and conquered this problem will inspire you to move forward with your own plan. For some reason this book wasn't easy to find at Amazon.com, but once I reviewed the table of contents and learned the qualifications of the author including her popular blog, I instantly downloaded it to my Kindle.

This book is useful for a wide variety of readers who have all come to the same conclusion - that working fewer hours or having a more flexible work schedule is essential to their lives right now. Cali knows from firsthand experience and training all the reasons for wanting greater work-life balance. She never limits the target of this book to just working mothers that want to spend more time with their children which is probably the most common reason, or maybe just the one most commonly cited by the media. She makes a clear point that it doesn't matter what the reason and it certainly shouldn't matter to your employer. All that matters is you have reached a stage in life and career where more time and flexibility are needed outside of the workplace and typical M-F 40+(+) hour work week. Her many stories of actual people seeking greater balance include life scenarios such as:

* Caring for a child or simply being there more often for your kids
* Caring for an aging parent
* Volunteering
* Pursuing an avocation including any hobby or travel (my personal favorite)
* Going back to school to continue your education (in any field)
* Working during retirement (to continue as a productive employee without a full-time job)

There is no one size fits all approach to work-life balance (fit) so while your employer may offer flexible policies, it is NOT up to them to figure out how to meet your specific needs. It is up to you to discover this through introspection, discussion with family and friends, and focused exercises (as supplied by this book) the right fit at this point in your life and then to go ask for it.

The book is divided into three sections:

Step 1: The Work+Life Fit Fundamentals - Defining the terms, process, and getting started

Step 2: The Work+Life Fit Roadblocks - Overcoming the reasons, both personal and career related, why so many never ask for a better Work+Life Fit.

Step 3: The Work+Life Fit Roadmap - Creating the vision and plan to propose, negotiate, and implement.

Of key importance is realizing and reaffirming the value you provide to the organization and how the relationship should be of mutual benefit. I would say Step 2 is the most useful part of this book as it is crucial to take the time to evaluate what is important to you from both a life and career perspective and not be blocked by cultural norms and expectations. This book works because there is no one right way to create balance - all you need is to build the right plan of action and an employer willing to listen and make the smart decision.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring!, April 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Work + Life: Finding the Fit That's Right for You (Hardcover)

As an at-home mother who has slowly let her work-life fade out, this book was an inspiration. I knew I could bring work back into my life, I just wasn't sure of how to do it. Yost walks you through the steps of identifying how much or how little work you want at a given point in your life and how to attain that schedule. The personal stories throughout bring up the common fears of missing promotions or losing the all-important "edge". Yost knows her business. She realistically addresses both the benefits and compromises of identifying your wants and making them heard.

This book has helped me create boundaries around my at-home work so I have time for some career. Making the boundaries helped me focus my time, my energy and my long-term vision.

Thank you Yost!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life!, April 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Work + Life: Finding the Fit That's Right for You (Hardcover)

After the birth of my first child, I found that the corporate 8-to-6 grind was no longer for me. Cali Yost's practical, easy-to-follow and well-thought-out approach helped me to consider, not only my personal needs, but also the realities of my work when tailoring a work+life fit that works for me. As a result, I am now working as an independent consultant, which allows me to have the flexibility I want while continuing to do the work that I love. With all of the negative articles of recent months focusing on women "opting out", Cali Yost's message that "work doesn't have to be all or nothing" is not only positive, it is empowering. I have now creating a work+life fit that works for me and I have never been happier!