Integrating Family Life with Work Life

There is a certain school of thought which claims that one should maintain a very clear differentiation between one's attitudes and behavior when at home and one's attitudes and behavior when at office.Considering the fact that our entire adult life is equally divided between home and office this mindset is not only foolish it is also self-defeating.Tet is is unfortunate that many people think that one should develop two personalities-one for home and another for office.Many readers of this blog would be able to identify such dual personalities in their work-place and amongst their friends and  relatives.It could be a person who is constantly rude and impatient in office but the personification of kindness and patience at home.Another person could be an inspiring,helpful boss in office but an uncommunicative,irritable,husband and father at home.A third person could be an indifferent,careless,unproductive employee in office but a methodical,careful and diligent head-of-the house at home.It is indeed strange that the same person can behave in such totally different ways in the office and at home.The fact is that we all need to develop a well balanced personality.If our inner self is divided in two then emotional happiness and contentment can never be achieved.Life will be plagued by frustration and unfulfillment. Therefore in order to develop this balanced personality family life and work life must be closely integrated.There must be just one personality for both home and office.Developing this needs some positive action.

Here are a few points on how to develop this single personality that easily blends with home and office.First there must be total dedication to one's job.

           One has to realize that it is the job that supports the family.In a country in which the economic growth rate is marginal and where the increase in the growth rate of the educated unemployed is alarming,a secure job must be considered as something very precious. Therefore it logically follows that since it is precious it is valuable and because it is valuable one has to be dedicated towards that job.But what does "dedication"mean?It means always doing one's best.Just as a father or mother is dedicated to his or her family is always doing one's best for the family,so too one must always strive to do one's best for the job.There is no point being dedicated to  one's family of one is not equally dedicated to one's job.In fact one will be able to constantly do one's best for the family only if one is able to constantly do one's best for the job.The same right attitudes must direct us both at home and in office.

Second one must set a good example to one's children about work ethics. 

          Imagine how a child's mind will develop if every evening the father comes home and starts grumbling about the work place and speaks disparagingly about his boss and his co-workers.Very soon the child will begin to imitate his father and start grumbling about the school and speak  disparagingly about the teachers.Worse how will a child re-act if he overhears the father describing to his wife,that is the child's mother,on how he submitted a sick note and took a day off in order to witness a cricket match or how he submits false overtime claims and gets some extra money with which he regularly buys 'goodies' for the children.Like any normal child who adores his father he will think that if his father does it,then there is nothing wrong in cheating.On the other hand consider what an excellent example a father will be for his children when he describes that because there was some important work to be done in office he did not go for the cricket match even though he  had a ticket or when he explains that even though others in the office put in false overtime claims he will not do it because he does not want to cheat his employer.A parents all of us have a great responsibility in developing the right values in our children.In this respect "home influence" is far great that "school influence".Therefore attitude towards job,bosses,colleagues an the way this attitude is expressed in our homes moulds the minds of our children.This is what they will carry with them into adulthood.

Third one must develop good habits both at home and office. 

                   How often do we hear fa father or mother telling a child "Don't waste" It can be a  reference to food,writing paper,ball-point pens or even toothpaste ! Irrespective of the actual price that was paid every time a parent notices something being wasted by a child a word of warning is given.Mothers and fathers  are always conscious of the fact that every item in the home cost something and every time that item is misused it means that money is being unnecessarily spent.

          Electricity bills,water bills,telephone bills are carefully  examined every month and if these costs keep going up a warning is given to the whole household "Be careful of how you use electricity,water,telephone-we have to pay for all these things".Then of course there is that most precious of all commodities-TIME.Mothers and fathers are so very critical of their  children when they waste time.Yet do these same mothers and fathers who are so very concerned about waste,specially about wasting  time and the careful use of water,electricity and telephone facilities, practice these same good habits in the office?Why is it that office property and that includes time and office facilities are regularly misused and wasted? In some mysterious way there is a personality change when people come to office ! We have to ask ourselves a simple question-if this were MY office how will I behave?

                      Being totally dedicated to one's job.Setting a good example to our children on work ethics.Developing good habits both at home and office.

These are 3 Golden Rules which when observed will give meaning and purpose to our lives.

                                  Let us be ever grateful that every morning we have a place of work to go to and every evening we have a home to return to.Let us develop our personalities so that in both places people look forward to our arrival.