Work and Family

As research for my upcoming book, I’ve connected with so many interesting women nationwide. They’ve shared great wisdom about the impact of work and life decisions on their long-term financial security. In their words there is evidence that it’s smart to always “find the work that fits your life”—even small part-time jobs—as a cushion against…

Lean in or out? The smart answer has less to do with your career aspirations or parenting commitment and more to do with your pocketbook. Many women need to lean in the direction of financial security. If you are lucky to live in a high-income household that continually generates the right level of savings for a…

Work flexibility can seem like a fairytale—with a happy ending for only a lucky few. It really does exist in large scale ways at some big, progressive companies. It can also be found in smaller-scale, sometimes under-the-radar ways at many companies of every other size. This is a note I received from one woman who feels…

Lynn, a professional woman in Minnesota, read a post on Linked that mentioned the book I have underway, The Flexible Work Fix: A Caring Woman’s Guide to Blending Family, Work & Financial Security. She then posted this comment that shows both the challenges and rewards of going with the flow and trying hard to always find a…

In this early stage of Jane’s job search, she has witnessed the power of Linkedin. To up her chances of having a few online job applications noticed, she has contacted several first and second-degree connections who have in turn contacted influential insiders on her behalf. She has also found “ins” to companies that are on…

While Jane (the 56-year-old California woman navigating her way back to full-time work) has been laying the foundation for her job search, she tells me she can’t help but apply to some interesting jobs that she sees online. That’s OK, as long as she focuses only 5% of her job search time in what is all…

Recently I read that millennials are more focused on “finding the work that fits your life” than their mothers were at the same age. In my Baby Boomer generation women left the workforce in large numbers to be with family—and through my coaching practice I know that these off-rampers still tend to think that work…

Women who successfully blend work and life have a healthy dose of what I call “Vitamin C” or Confidence. They know that no area of your life will ever be perfect for a sustained period of time—and that it is possible to blend work and life without feeling like you’re shortchanging your job or your…

As the U.S. moves rapidly toward a self-directed workforce, more and more women will choose to start their own businesses. I find that many of my coaching clients are now thinking about entrepreneurial ventures—knowing that employers are trimming their ranks. In the workforce of the future employers will rely on a pool of independent contractors…

Recently an Ellevate Network poll asked members to name the smartest thing they’ve done as working mothers. Since conversations often seem skewed to musings on how working mothers could be shortchanging their children, I responded to the survey to promote a dialogue with a more positive spin. In my survey answer I said that I took…