I’m not very good at New Year’s resolutions. It’s never made sense to me to pick an arbitrary date and pretend I’m going to start doing something—or everything—differently from that point on. Any gym owner can tell you how the weight room and spin classes swell each January, only to return to near-empty by […]
work-life
How My Parents Put the Lie to “Mad Men”
The whole concept of “work-family balance”—or however you choose to phrase it—often feels like a peculiarly modern concern, born of feminism, economic changes and other factors that led to the predominance of two-earner households and/or single parent homes. But of course, this is a strictly middle class view; many families have had to struggle along […]
The 8 Work-and-Life Changes I’m Grateful for This Thanksgiving
With the approach of Thanksgiving, I got to thinking about some of the things I’m grateful for. Not in my personal life, but in the world of work and life for Americans, in general. While there is much work still to be done to ensure everyone has the opportunity both to earn a living wage […]
Ten Random Takeaways from a Leading Work-Life Event
Last week, Working Mother Media convened the 2014 Work-Life Congress in New York City. The annual conference celebrates organizations on the year’s “100 Best Companies” list, bringing in representatives of those organizations plus numerous other players in the work-life world. I love going to events like these: if they are well-planned, featuring interesting topics and […]
The Great Divide: What the Overworked and Underemployed Have in Common
One morning last week I joined a small gathering in a conference room at New York City’s Baruch College to listen to a line-up of speakers and panelists talk on the subject of “Families and Flexibility.” The event was sponsored by Scott Stringer, our NYC Comptroller, who has been promoting city-wide “right to request” legislation. […]
Mika Cross Shares (a Few of) Her Secrets
Mika Cross is a powerhouse. If you’ve ever had the good fortune to meet her—and if you’re in the work-life field, there’s an excellent chance you have—you’ll know exactly what I mean. A work-life professional who contributes her considerable talents to federal workplaces—most recently with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (she’s […]