Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, but what is Dad taking home in his office work sack?
Being at home for anything up to 2 weeks can be both a blessing and a curse as many families struggle to cope being together outside of the normal work/school routine. As dads it’s important therefore that we get one thing right this Christmas; that we give time to our families and play an active role in making things work.
A survey undertaken by Options Matter in 2009 showed that close to a quarter of UK adults agree that relationships with partners become more pressurized during the Christmas period. Some of this is down to revelations of a fling at the office party, financial worries, disappointing gifts or rows about in-laws. However it could be argued that these are the final straw issues of relationships already under strain.
London law firm, Lloyd Platt & Company, hit the headlines by offering gift vouchers, which entitle the recipient to a legal advice session with a lawyer. The firm reportedly sold more than 50 vouchers over the festive period. So what can we do to stop our relationship being a casualty this year?
The challenge for some of us is how to transition from hectic work mode to relaxed dad at home. To help you out we have come up with our top 10 tips for leaving work behind.
- Write a list now of what work has to be completed before you break for Christmas and what can be left until afterwards. Take the list to your line manger and discuss it with them.
- Block out some time to clear your desk / in-tray / emails before Christmas this might take a day or a week.
- Get involved in the present buying and wrapping its good relationship time with your partner and helps you get excited too.
- If you have a work phone or worst still a Blackberry or IPhones tell you boss and friends that it will be turned off. Then ban phone & email: or if a total ban won’t work then make a pre-agreement with your family ‘when’ is ok. Don’t forget to give your mates your land line number.
- Don’t be sneaky and take some “light reading” with you.
- Switch your head off from work mode on the way home on your last day.
- Pre plan ideas that you can do with the family over Christmas – sign up for our daily tips to get some festive thoughts and ideas.
- If you have one, leave the laptop at the office!
- Make a pact with any work colleagues that you socialise with that work conversations are a big no during the holidays.
- If you work from home lock the office door and get your partner or kids to hide the key!
I can’t recall who said it but as we shut the office door behind us and drive home let’s remember that great quote “Nobody will say on their deathbed: ‘I wish I had spent more time in the office’.
