I learned about Work + Life Fit early in my career and it’s been the most important element of my job satisfaction.

Work+Life “Fit” Transition #1 – Going Back to School/ Not Working Less, Just Differently When I started out in the health care industry I was working full-time and pursuing a masters degree. I negotiated a flexible schedule that allowed me to leave work a couple of hours early 3 nights a week in order to attend classes that started at 4:00pm. Since my education was directly related to the work I was doing, my boss viewed the classes as on-the-job training. Therefore, I didn’t have to add those hours back in to my schedule somewhere in order to attend school.

Work+Life “Fit” Transition #2 – Having First Baby/ Telecommuting Two Days a Week Several years later, as I was finishing my masters, I got pregnant and began to plan how to adjust my Work + Life Fit in order to work and raise a family. Fortunately, there was another mother at my job who had paved the way for a work-at-home arrangement. I spoke with her to find out how she negotiated with our boss, and what kind of arrangement she had.

I proposed working from home two days a week after my maternity leave. My boss agreed because I had demonstrated my work ethic and ability to work independently and get the job done during the three years that I was going to school. And since he had good experiences with the other mother working from home, this also helped my cause.

Work+Life “Fit” Transition #3 – Having Second Baby / Continuing to Telecommute Two Days a Week This arrangement worked well for three years, and then I got pregnant with my second daughter. My boss told me I could continue my telecommuting schedule, and even add an additional day at home.

Work+Life “Fit” Transition #4 – New Job with Even More Flexibility Five years ago I got a call from a recruiter asking me to consider a job with a different company. I was hesitant at first. I had come to value my flexible schedule and the ability to work from home so much that those factors were almost more important than my income. I also had accrued 4 weeks of vacation, and didn’t relish the thought of having to start a new job with only 2 weeks. I told the recruiter that I’d only consider the job if the new employer would be able to match or improve my flexible schedule and vacation time.

I was delighted when the new employer came back and said I could have all the flexibility I wanted. He told me I could work from home all the time if I chose to, and also offered a more generous time-off package. So not only could I take on a new and challenging job opportunity that would let me grow in my career, but that I could also have a better and more flexible working arrangement, and thereby improve my work + life fit.

Work+Life “Fit” Transition #5 – Finding Time for Myself and My Community As my children have gotten older, my work + life fit needs have evolved. I still work from home several days a week, but that’s only when I don’t have external meetings planned. My current work + life fit challenge is finding time to get in a workout at the gym (yes, finding time for me to keep healthy and fit), and volunteer with my daughters’ Girl Scout troops, pick my girls up from school periodically, and make sure that I never miss a school play. Now I find myself scheduling days to be in the office because I enjoy being part of the office camaraderie. I found that I missed my co-workers when I was constantly telecommuting.

My employer is extremely supportive, and has encouraged me to make my schedule meet my needs so that it affords me my best Work + Life Fit. My personal experiences have empowered me. I’ve learned that it’s okay to make requests of an employer for the work + life equation that works best for you, and if you demonstrate that you can be productive within that equation, then the results of what you can accomplish are unlimited.