Achieving Better Work/Life Balance

Juggling a career and personal life can seem impossible. At times it feels like an endless battle between competing priorities as we search for a sliver of space on an already-packed calendar. In today’s fast-paced world, the chant is the same inside or outside the workplace: “Do more with less.”

I want to give 100 percent to everything I do, whether it’s work or family. Being a single mother motivates me to balance the demands of a full-time career, successfully, and act as a role model for my daughters.

I have three very talented and active girls, all at different ages. They keep me on the move but also keep me smiling. With basketball, meetings, doctor appointments, and events all competing for my time, managing my day, personally and professionally, is a challenge.

I am always looking for new ways to help improve my work/life balance. As I strive to maintain my success, it is important to be mindful that what is “ideal” will change.

The solution that worked well in my 20s was not the same as the one that brought clarity in my 30s or the same as the one that provided stability in my 40s. I firmly believe that it is possible to manage your career and personal life while feeling satisfied with both.

The point in which you feel a balance is different for everyone. However, at this stage in my life, technology has been one of my greatest enablers, helping me find that perfect balance. Just mentioning the word technology may make some people cringe; I used to be one of them until I realized how effective the right technology can be. Don’t let technology intimidate you; let it benefit you.

Today’s workforce spends more than half its time on the road, working from home, or working remotely. As a result, business interactions have adapted, incorporating the use of mobile devices into daily routines. Having the capability of working from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop has never been more readily available. Often this phenomenon is referred to as “enterprise mobility.”

Simply stated, enterprise mobility provides the tools and flexibility I need to stay on top of work’s demands. Thankfully, I work for an organization that embraces enterprise mobility and has made it part of the culture. I have options instead of obstacles; I can be productive from anywhere, on any device, at any time.

Currently, I am a sales support specialist with United Datacom Networks, Inc. (UDNI). UDNI provides comprehensive IT solutions and services to small- and medium-sized businesses across a variety of industries.

Anyone who has worked in sales understands the importance of minimizing the time between decision and action. Having access to co-workers, customers, and information while having the same communication features and functionality, in or out of the office, is extremely beneficial to me and the rest of the UDNI team. In fact, mobility has become key to how we operate.

My daughter’s bout with a nasty sore throat proved to be an effective test of our mobility solution. When a child is sick there is nothing better than some TLC from mom. How was I able to be in two places at once, taking care of my sick daughter while taking care of business? Actually, quite easily.

The morning my daughter had her sore throat I was scheduled to attend a very important meeting. Without hesitation, I packed my daughter into the car and headed to the doctor’s office. Two or three years ago I would have worried about all the work waiting for me back at the office; this time I had a new outlook!

After her exam, we returned home. I tucked her into bed, put on her favorite movie, cracked the bedroom door, headed to the room across the hall and prepared for the meeting.

Sitting down in my favorite chair I opened my tablet, took a sip of tea, and joined the meeting. Our cloud computing and unified communications solution put all of the necessary documents, applications, and people right at my fingertips. I was able to participate and be productive.

After the meeting, her prescription was ready. We headed out to pick up medicine and some cold snacks. Throughout the day, when I received calls or emails for sales requests, I was able to submit orders the instant they were approved, instead of delaying them until I returned to the office. The sooner an order is placed, the sooner the final product or service is ready to be delivered. This, in turn, results in shorter delivery times and more satisfied customers.

With the systems and applications UDNI provides I was able to care for my daughter and stay on top of my tasks. Emails, reports, orders, and calls were all managed from my mobile device throughout the day at my discretion.

Staying on task, reviewing, and organizing data while remaining up to speed on daily activities have never been easier. Trust me, having the flexibility to fulfill my daughter’s request for a Popsicle, as easily as a sales order, is incredible.

Enterprise mobility has proven to be a huge advantage for me. It has helped me tremendously in achieving the type of work/life balance that’s right for me.

Additionally, I have witnessed the positive outcome it has had on our clients. To businesses that are on the fence, I would say the investment is well worth it. So many small- to medium-sized businesses are benefiting every day by having access to the same technologies as the big players.

I encourage anyone who struggles to find their balance to consider appropriate technologies as a means to get things back on track and to maintain their success. BW

Anita Moore Jennings, sales support specialist with United Datacom Networks, Inc., helps customers realize the benefit of receiving their entire core IT services from a single provider with the specialized technology solutions UDNI provides. www.udni.com