RETURNING TO WORK

The idea of returning to work after taking a career break can be unnerving and leave you feeling insecure about your abilities and skills. This guide will help you to put together an action plan to help you tackle this change in a logical way, taking one manageable step at a time.

Assess your priorities

Consider your motivation and your fears about going back to work and discuss them honestly with your partner or friends and family. Think about the emotional implications of returning to work, as well as the financial ones. Are you aiming for the same kind of role that you had before your career break, or have your priorities changed since that time?

Practical considerations

Childcare is not just expensive, it can be emotionally tough to organise as well. Take time well in advance to explore the options available, try them out and give your children time to settle into their new arrangements. Remember to take into account that there may be financial help available like childcare vouchers. Plan your routine ahead and practice so you know what needs to be done and when each day. Give it a try to make sure it’s practical and to help everyone to become familiar their new daily routine. Also make sure you schedule time to look after yourself and do things that you enjoy so there’s space for you to relax and unwind.

’I grew to realise that in staying home for so long, I had developed other

strengths. I realised that I have a kind of calm assertiveness that I wouldn’t

have had in the first half in my career.’

Antigone

‘Re-entering the workforce after 15 years is a big step. You feel that the world

has moved on without you. You don’t know what to expect and it’s quite

daunting. I felt that the whole computer skills thing would be a hindrance –

offices were very paper-based when I was working, so all the software that is

now normal was a bit of an unknown for me. Part of you thinks that there’s so

much competition, you won’t get a look in.’

Antigone

Rediscover your professional identity

During your time away from the office, it’s easy to lose your sense of your professional self which can make going to back into employment seem more intimidating. Take time to practice thinking with a professional frame of mind again. Read the sector news to catch up with the latest trends and sign up for relevant email news alerts. Make a date and go for a coffee with your former work colleagues or meet up for lunch with an old boss.

Start to grow your LinkedIn network (there’s more information how to later in this article). Read other people’s profiles to help to give you some fresh ideas and update your own profile with the skills, strengths and achievements you’ve gained during your break from traditional work. Practice talking about the skills and achievements you bring from both your career break and your working life at local networking meetings, keep in touch days or at training courses until these conversations feel natural.

Build recent relevant experience

Find ways to refresh your skills and demonstrate your strengths. When you’re talking to your former colleagues or boss, or at networking meetings, discover if there is an opportunity for you to ease your way into work with a placement, contract or a special project. Maybe local groups need skilled volunteers to help them. The experience can beef up your CV, build your confidence and expand your network of contacts.

‘By the time I saw a local post I was interested in, I felt confident in my abilities, and I also

CABA can help to bridge the gap between your career break and returning to work. There are one day face-to-face courses like ‘Where next? Planning the next step in your career’ and ‘Managing personal change effectively’, or choose one of the online course available for you to start any time you like. Ask CABA if you’re interested in individual career coaching.

Find out more online at www.caba.org.uk/career

’I felt resilient enough to accept my weaknesses and to have strategies in place

to overcome them. I was delighted to secure a good position fairly quickly, and

I’m enjoying it a great deal’

Antigone

DISCOVER YOUR SKILLS

An ideal way to begin is with a skills assessment.

As well as helping you understand your strengths and weaknesses, it can also give you a better idea of the type of job and employer that would suit you best at this stage in your life.

First, ask yourself what you do well and what skills you enjoy using. Write them down and identify how you have demonstrated each. You may find each skill listed can be broken down into other related skills too.

As well as the obvious numeracy and computing skills, other areas you should consider include:

• Written communication

• Adaptability

• Negotiating and persuading

• Verbal communication

• Team working

• Decision making

• Problem solving

• Time management

• Motivation

• Leadership

Sample questions

To help get you started, here are some of the type of questions you should ask yourself. Remember you can draw on examples outside the workplace too:

• Are you confident communicating your thoughts and ideas to others?

• Do you consider yourself to be a good organiser?

• Do you enjoy taking responsibility?

• Do you motivate yourself and your colleagues?

• Do you enjoy working as part of a group?

• Do you find it easy to meet deadlines?

• Do you usually achieve your goals?

If you discover areas where you lack skills, consider how you could improve them if they’re important for your career development

WRITE A WINNING CV

Your CV is your chance to really sell yourself and highlight your skills.

Content is crucial but it should look good too, since studies suggest recruiters make decisions about CVs within the first 20 seconds. Here are some tips on content and presentation to help you produce a CV that will get you noticed:

Personal profile

After your name and contact details, the first section on your CV should be your personal profile. In 100 words or less, starting with a headline sentence that sums up your experience and the type of position you’re aiming for, your personal profile should be designed to catch an employer’s attention. Include your key qualifications, experience and your aspirations.

Work history

Unless you’re a recent graduate, the next section should outline your employment history. Include the dates you worked at each position, the company name, location, job title and – for large organisations – the department. A line describing each company is also useful, the industry they operate in; their size and number of employees.

If your work history is long, don’t go into detail about your earliest positions, and don’t list irrelevant roles like the Saturday job you had age 15.

Achievements and duties

List your key achievements as well as detailing the main duties of your current and previous positions. Give figures and evidence wherever possible.

Education and qualifications

If you have relevant work experience, summarise school qualifications rather than listing them individually. If a role requires a specific academic or professional qualification, go into more detail. When talking about your ACA qualification, give the year you gained membership and mention if you passed all your exams the first time.

Hobbies and interests

You don’t have to include a section on hobbies and interests, but if you do, make sure you can talk about them in an interview.

Format and layout

Keep your CV short – two pages are ideal. Use a fresh, modern font such as Arial, and a minimum font size of 10. Stick to black text and avoid putting things in boxes. Make sure all paragraphs and bullet points are aligned and formatted correctly.

Things not to include on your CV:

your date of birth, your marital status or how many children you have, and details of referees - simply state these are available on request.

Five point checklist

It’s important to combine your CV with an impressive covering letter.

Follow the five steps on our checklist:

Write a winning CV Five-point checklist

1. Use a computer and printer to produce your covering letter, don’t write it by hand. This is normal practice, as it makes your letter easier to read. Use the same font and text size as you used on your CV.

2. Address your letter to the most relevant person, even if you’re not applying for an advertised position. If you don’t have the name, ring the company or organisation and ask for the name of the head of the relevant department or person in charge of recruitment.

3. Write your letter using straightforward and professional language. Explain what you’re applying for and highlight your skills and achievements that are most relevant to that particular position, along with what you could offer the company if you were successful. If there are gaps on your CV, you may want to explain them in the letter too.

4. End your letter by inviting the reader to refer to your CV for more information about you and your work history, and point out the best way to contact you, whether by phone, post or email. Make sure your contact details are up to date.

5. Once you’ve composed your letter, it’s essential to make sure it doesn’t contain any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Don’t just rely on your computer’s spellchecker, ask someone to read it – and your CV – thoroughly.

Covering letters should be relatively short and to the point. Aim to write everything on a single page – five short paragraphs is sufficient

LOOKING FOR WORK

So you’ve carried out a skills assessment and you’ve perfected your CV and covering letter. The next step is to find the right opportunities. Job hunting can be a daunting prospect, not just for those who are starting out in their career but also for anyone who wants to get back to work or look for a new challenge. Here are 10 top job hunting tips to help you on your way:

1. Be prepared

A well-written CV is a must for any job hunter. Your email address is also part of the first impression you give to a potential new employer, so make sure you’re using something professional sounding– preferably one that’s separate from your other work or personal address – along with a business-like voicemail message on your mobile phone and answering machine.

2. Be flexible

Your skills assessment may have helped you decide which type of job you should be aiming for, but don’t be too blinkered when it comes to identifying the right positions for you. Try expanding your options by identifying different types of jobs you could apply for.

4. Search online

One of the most convenient ways to search for a new position is to look at jobs websites. For instance, icaewjobs.com lists the latest positions available for chartered accountants in the accountancy and finance markets.

You could also try the government’s Universal Jobmatch tool at gov.uk/jobsearch to look for full or part-time jobs in Britain and abroad. Don’t forget to upload your CV onto job sites to help recruiters find you and set up job alerts on job sites and linkedIn.

3. Harness the press

Newspapers and trade journals can often be ideal sources of job adverts, so find out which publications carry relevant job adverts and the days they go on sale. Reading trade publications can also help keep you informed about what’s happening in your market, including news of companies that are expanding - which means they may be hiring

5. Register with agencies

Many recruitment agencies specialise in particular types of work, so target those that recruit people with your skills. This may also be a good way of keeping up to date with the latest vacancies in your local area.

6. ‘Follow’ key companies

A growing number of organisations advertise jobs on social media websites too. So if there are companies that you’re interested in working for, ‘follow’ them on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Ensure your LinkedIn profile is fully completed and up to date, as a strong LinkedIn profile could bring new job opportunities to you (for more information, see page 17).

7. Build a network

Many job vacancies are also filled by word of mouth and recommendations. Try attending industry and trade conferences, as well as other meetings and lectures. This could help you meet more people in your industry – and make them more likely to remember you, should any suitable opportunities arise.

8. Go direct

As some job vacancies are never even advertised, it may be a good idea to contact companies that you’re interested in working for directly. You may feel uncomfortable asking about available vacancies at first, but remember that most employers are used to being approached in this way. Plus if you’re the right person for the job, it could save the company the cost of advertising.

9. Tailor your CV

It’s important to have an up-to-date CV so that you can apply immediately for jobs you’re interested in. Consider tailoring your CV for each different position you apply for by highlighting particular skills and accomplishments that are the most relevant for the job in question.

10. Stay focused

It’s easy to become negative about job hunting, especially if you’ve been trying for a while without any success. Don’t give up. Stay focused on your abilities and remember that persistence will get you that great new position soon.

Top tip

Keep track of all potential employers you’ve sent your CV to, jobs you’ve applied for, interviews you’ve attended and follow-up calls you’ve made in a notebook or online organiser.

CABA’s career development support includes face-to-face and online career coaching, career adaptability courses and back to the workplace events run in partnership with ICAEW. Career coaching provides access to job vacancy databases and is free of charge for trainee, current and former ICAEW chartered accountants and their immediate family who are out of work or facing redundancy. Find out more at caba.org.uk/career

DO’S AND DON’T’S FOR INTERVIEWS

So far, all your efforts have been leading to one thing – a job interview. Here are some of the things you should do – as well as some you shouldn’t – to make a good first impression.

DO your preparation

Look at the company’s website and read as much as you can about it. If you’ve been supplied with a job description ahead of time, read this thoroughly. As they say -‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’.- that being said, try not to script answers to common questions. These can often sound acted and an interviewer may not find you genuine.

DON’T be late

Aim to arrive at the company earlier than scheduled, but don’t overdo it. Ten minutes is acceptable, but more than fifteen minutes may inconvenience your interviewer. If you’re going to a town you don’t know, you may want to drive to the interview location the day before to make sure you know how to get there. If you come across bad traffic and know you’re going to be late, telephone ahead to warn your interviewer and give them the option to reschedule.

DO try to relax

In general people find interviews extremely stressful. The best thing you can do is to take the pressure off yourself; look at the interview as an adventure and remember that you’re likely to learn something new and useful about the company you’ve applied to, even if you aren’t selected to go forward to the next stage.

DON’T look nervous

While you may feel nervous, try not to show it – though a few nerves are normal. A weak handshake or lack of eye contact can make you appear uncomfortable and insecure, and if you slouch in your seat you may come across as uninterested. So stand or sit up straight, keep a good, positive posture as well as strong eye contact.

DO look happy

A warm smile goes a long way towards establishing a good first impression and rapport with your interviewer. Remember that during those first few minutes, very little of your interviewer’s impression of you will be formed by what you say. That’s why how you look and act is so important.

DON’T read from your CV

You may be asked to run through your career history during your interview, so it may help if you familiarise yourself with key dates and duties beforehand, rather than reading them direct from your CV. It’s also a good idea to take extra copies of your CV in case other members of the interview panel need a copy.

DO dress appropriately

Do some research into the dress code of the organisation. You want your potential employer to be able to imagine you as a member of the company. Good grooming and professional appearance are important. Even if you know the office is typically business casual, a well-fitting suit makes an excellent first impression. It’s better to be slightly smarter than the norm, rather than slightly more casual.

DON’T be lost for words

Prepare a few questions ahead of time to show your interest. This is your chance to turn the tables and get as much information as you can to find out whether the company will suit you professionally and culturally. Don’t forget an interview is two sided

DO take notes

Sometimes it may be appropriate to take notes, or you may like to write down questions if you tend to get nervous.

DON’T forget to say thank you

Remember to say thank for the opportunity and taking the time to interview you before you leave.

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

Take advantage of networking

As the saying goes, it’s not what you know but who you know that counts. Knowing the right people can bring the right career opportunities your way, which can give you more chances to market yourself. And the key to having great connections is networking. If you’re new to networking – or simply out of practice – here are some tips that may help:

Get into the habit

Networking can help build an essential resource that you can rely on when you need it. But you have to work at it, because like so many other things, the more you do it, the better you get. The trick is to make networking a habit, rather than something you do occasionally.

Start with the familiar

If you’re daunted by the idea of networking, make a start with people you already know, including family members, friends and acquaintances. This could help you gain the confidence you need to take the next step, such as seeking out likeminded people who graduated from your college or university, or people you trained with.

Join a networking group

Look for a networking group in your area that would suit your career aims. There are many business networking groups around the UK. Find one near where you live or work by doing an internet search. There are groups for different types of trades, so be specific about the type of group you want to find when you search. Don’t forget, there are online networking groups you can join too, such as LinkedIn groups.

Network at work

If you work in a large office, get to know people not just in your department but in other parts of the company too, rather than staying stuck behind your desk day after day. Networking at your workplace can be just as beneficial as networking outside, and making a little effort can go a long way.

Go professional

Whenever you have the chance to go to professional meetings, conferences, lectures or seminars, take the opportunity and get involved. These are just more ways of extending your business and

professional connections.

Focus on things you like

Remember that networking doesn’t have to just be a business activity. You can make connections with people outside of the business world that could be helpful in many ways. So if you’re an avid reader, why not join a book club?

If you’re passionate about film, find a film club; or if you’re enthusiastic about cookery, a food club. This can be useful if you’re not a natural networker, as it will get you in the habit of talking to people you don’t know – so when you’re in a business networking situation, you may feel more comfortable.

Realise the importance of giving

If all your networking attempts are one-sided – that is, you rely on the people you make connections with for information and opportunities and give nothing back – you won’t get very far. Don’t forget, you

may have valuable insights, information or contacts that could help others too.

Have a clear goal

Networking can be a time-consuming activity, so be clear about your networking goals and draw up a plan of how you’ll achieve them. Then, if a potentially useful contact asks you exactly what you want out of a business relationship, you’ll have the answer.

Be positive

While you’re in a networking situation, always be positive about yourself and your colleagues. While it may be tempting to be critical in certain circumstances, avoid using negative language. That way, you will build a reputation as being a positive and enthusiastic person, and others will respond positively and enthusiastically towards you in return.

Find business networking events in your region, town or city, including workshops, seminars and business shows by visiting findnetworkingevents.com

Action...

Find out more by attending the free one-day CABA course called Develop your personal brand, which includes the latest tools and techniques to explore what makes a successful personal brand. For more details visit caba.org.uk

DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

To make the most of your career, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. The secret to boosting your impact and becoming more effective, confident and persuasive is to discover, create and develop your own personal brand.

We all have qualities that shape and influence how people see us, as well as how we see ourselves. Personal branding can help you manage how other people see you, both instantly and in the long term, as well as improve your confidence.

To develop your personal brand, it’s essential to really know who you are. To give you an idea of how to get started, try the following:

Assess your skills and strengths

Knowing your strengths is a good place to start when developing your personal brand. Start by assessing yourself then ask other people such as your co-workers or even family members what they think your strongest points are, both personally and professionally.

Discover your values

Having a clear understanding of your values can help you understand who you are and why you do the things you do. Make a list of the values you think are the most important to you – such as integrity, loyalty, optimism or dependability, to name but a few.

Reveal your passions and purpose

Think about the things you’re passionate about, the type of people you like, your hobbies and activities, your political views and so on. Can you harness these passions at work? Also explore your purpose; what you want to achieve and why. How will you achieve it, and when?

Your skills, strengths, values, passions and purpose are all assets – the things that distinguish you – and can be used to market yourself effectively. Once you know what your assets are, you can put them to good use in any number of situations where you want to come across as confident and make a powerful first impression, both in and out of work.

Five point checklist

These days it’s important to make the most of every means of promoting yourself, which includes building a positive online profile:

1. LinkedIn and Twitter are popular social networking sites for career development. LinkedIn is the leading online business network.

2. You may want to have your own blog where you can talk about your views and ideas in detail, or publish articles you’ve written about your industry or your area of expertise.

Free blogging platforms includewordpress.com and blogger.com.

3. Think carefully about what you post online, as it may be read by prospective employers, managers, clients & colleagues. Any negative or inappropriate comments can be viewed years from now.

4. Adjust the security and privacy settings on social media sites that you prefer to use for personal rather than professional reasons. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have privacy settings that will allow you to restrict who sees your posts or, in the case of LinkedIn, how much of your profile can be seen.

5. Make your social media profiles or blog work for you. Join discussions and industry groups, as well as link with organisations, recruitment companies and leading figures in your sector, and post links to comments, websites and articles regularly. If you’re looking for work, make sure your online CV is up to date.

MAKE THE MOST OF LINKEDIN

LinkedIn can help you establish an online identity and build a professional network, both of which can be great for your career. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your LinkedIn presence:

Keep your CV updated

It may seem obvious, but if you don’t keep your CV up to date, you could miss out on potential job opportunities. So if you’re open to new job offers, review your CV regularly.

Choose your keywords

To make it easier for more people to find you on LinkedIn, use keywords in your profile. Keywords are the search terms people might use to find someone with your skills, like ‘chartered accountant’, ‘corporate finance’ or ‘finance manager’.

Add a suitable photo

The photograph you use in your profile should be professional, rather than a snap taken at a party or on holiday. Don’t avoid uploading your photo as profiles with a photo are more likely to be viewed than one without.

Join the right groups

Join LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your career and your personal interests – the more you join, the better your chances of expanding your professional network and furthering your career. Remember to interact with your groups by joining group discussions regularly.

Boost your recommendations

The ‘recommend’ feature on LinkedIn is valuable, so don’t be afraid to ask clients, colleagues and business partners to recommend you. Also ‘recommend’ others who you value and trust, as it may encourage them to endorse you too.

Link up

If you have a professional presence elsewhere on the internet – a Twitter feed, blog, company website or videos of business presentations on YouTube – include the links in your profile.

Your LinkedIn profile is a professional tool, so be polite and positive at all times and avoid leaving status updates that aren’t relevant to your professional career. Also make time to ‘like’ comments or articles that others in your network have shared with you, or congratulate contacts when they announce achievements. By supporting others it’s more likely they’ll support you in return

BOOST YOUR RESILIENCE

Having the right mental attitude to cope with challenges at work can help you flourish in difficult situations and deal effectively with pressure. Some people seem to be born with this ability. But the good news for those who aren’t naturally resilient is it’s possible to learn how to develop ‘bounce-backability’.

And it’s not as difficult as you may think. Here are ten ways to help you cope when the going gets tough at the office:

1. Don’t shy away from challenges

Instead, treat them as opportunities to learn new skills. When you’re confronted with problems, you can choose how to respond to them. So instead of reacting negatively, try to see the positive side of the situation.

2. Take stress in your stride

There’s no getting away from stress these days, especially in the workplace. But as with challenges, you can choose to respond to stress calmly or you can allow yourself to get upset. If you feel stressed often, make time to step back from it all and relax.

3. Think of the positives

At the end of every working day, try to think of at least one thing that you did well. This can help stop you dwelling on the things that don’t quite go to plan.

4. Believe in yourself

This is something all resilient people do, and it helps them survive stress and setbacks. Tell yourself you’re confident and that you trust your instincts each time you feel your self-confidence wavering.

5. Don’t give in to doubt

Resilient people rarely let negativity get in their way. Practise thinking positively, especially when you face a setback or criticism, or when something goes wrong. Break the habit of blaming yourself every time things don’t go your way and avoid negative thoughts.

6. Develop good work relationships

Not only does this make you more content at work, but it also means you’ll have a strong support network when you need it. The same idea can apply outside work too, as people who have lots of friends tend to be more resilient than those who don’t.

7. Be flexible

Nothing stays the same, especially in work environments. Sometimes plans you’ve been working on can be dropped or changed. If you can accept that things can and do change – and, better still, if you embrace those changes – it can boost your resilience.

8. Learn from your mistakes

If you look hard enough, there’s always a lesson to be learned from mistakes and failures. Look for ways that you can do things differently or better next time.

9. Look after yourself

Take care of your physical and mental health, because if you don’t, your resilience may suffer. If you’re in good health, you may be able to cope with stress and other challenges in and out of the office more effectively.

10. Keep things in perspective

When things don’t go well at work, ask yourself how important it will be tomorrow or in a week, a month or a year. Though they may seem critical at the time, realising that negative events don’t often have an impact in the long term can really help increase your resilience.

Put your resilience to the test by completing an online resilience questionnaire. There are several you could try, including one developed by UK psychology graduates at psychometrictest.org.uk/resilience-test

HOW TO BE INFLUENTIAL

Influencing skills can be a powerful tool for career advancement. Often described as ‘how to get what you want without making enemies’, they can help you gain support for an idea or project, help you to inspire others or encourage people to see your point of view. Most importantly, they don’t involve negative techniques such as manipulating, bullying, forcing, coercing or dictating. Anyone can learn how to use influencing skills and methods, which include the following:

Make a good impression

Your appearance is important, so make it a positive one by wearing appropriate clothing and being well groomed. Also be aware of how you behave. Relax and be yourself, smile, make eye contact and use a firm handshake. Good manners are also essential if you want people to be on your side.

Know what you want

Before you start any discussions or negotiations with your employer, work colleagues or clients, know what you’re aiming for. Having a clear picture of what you want to achieve also makes it easier for you to gauge how well you’re achieving it.

Be a good listener

Really listen to what the other person wants to say. Nod, smile and make eye contact, and acknowledge what they’re saying (feeling understood and appreciated will make them more likely to listen to you when it’s your turn to speak). Avoid losing your attention or looking for faults in their views, which isn’t a good tactic when you’re trying to influence someone.

Build trust

People are much more likely to believe and be influenced by someone they trust. Treat those you’re aiming to influence with honesty and integrity. Be tactful and diplomatic.

Be likeable

Likeability is as – if not more – important as trust when it comes to influencing. There are many ways to make yourself more likeable, including making people feel good about themselves. Pay them a compliment when it’s deserved, greet them with warmth and enthusiasm and use their name when you talk to them. These things may help show you understand their situation and feelings.

Ask questions

To make the person you’re trying to influence feel as if they’re an active participant in the discussion, ask them questions. For instance, use open questions to find out how they feel about what has been discussed so far, such as ‘How do you feel about what I’ve just proposed?’ Also ask questions that require simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to confirm facts, such as ‘Have I explained that clearly?’

Be assertive

Most people are far more likely to be influenced by someone who’s assertive than someone who’s aggressive or passive. Be straightforward and clear about what you want to say, and stick to your point. Also use assertive body language, such as steady eye contact, a firm voice and a relaxed rather than rigid posture, and try to avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly.

Use positive language

Even if you disagree with what someone you’re trying to influence says, avoid negative statements such as, ‘You’re completely wrong’, as it will just make them feel negatively towards you. If you disagree with someone, there’s a good chance they’ll disagree back. Instead, say what you want to say by using positive language, such as ‘Yes, you’re right, but have you considered... ‘, or, ‘I agree, but let’s look at that more closely...’.

Top tip...

If you have people at your workplace or in your social circle who are good influencers, try to work out what influencing skills they’re using - whether consciously or naturally - and practise using them yourself

A technique called rapport can also be a useful influencing tool. Observe the person you want to influence:

Notice how they move, how they behave, how quickly they speak, their tone of voice, the type of hand gestures they use and how they stand or sit. Then adopt a similar body language yourself – but make sure it looks natural.

GET THE BALANCE RIGHT

At some point or other it’s likely that you’ll have periods at work when you struggle to leave the office at a reasonable hour. Sometimes, when you’re really struggling to keep up with your tasks, it may also be hard to avoid taking work home.

With emails, mobile phones and laptops, it’s now more difficult than ever to avoid feeling preoccupied with work when you should be enjoying time with family and friends. Studies even suggest that some people check their emails while on holiday, including Christmas Day.

When not being able to switch off from the office becomes the norm, you may feel as if your life outside work is passing you by. In other words, your work/life balance is out of kilter.

When this happens, your health – both emotional and physical – can suffer. Here’s how to find out whether or not your work/life balance is in good shape, plus some tips on how to improve it.

Recognise the signs

Learn to spot when your work/life balance isn’t as good as it should be by asking yourself these questions:

• Do you find it difficult to relax when you’re not working?

• Have you been neglecting your hobbies and interests because of work commitments?

• Is your health suffering because you work long hours?

• Do your friends and family complain they hardly ever see you these days?

• Do you struggle to finish work on time and regularly carry forward holiday entitlement from the

previous year?

Answering ‘yes’ to one or more means your work/life balance needs some improvement. Here are some of the things you could do:

Take more time off

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics on the number hours people work in different countries throughout Europe, British people were found to be among the longest working. Another report suggests that 1 in 5 British employees makes a habit of working through their holidays. But using up all your holiday entitlement and not making a habit of working during the evenings and at weekends could do your work-life balance wonders.

Get active

Many studies suggest physical activity helps relieve stress by releasing endorphins. And if you’re less stressed, you may have more energy for fun activities outside work. So instead of working through your lunch hour, try to get outdoors and get active.

Learn how to say no

It may not make you popular initially, but being assertive and learning to say no when you’re working at maximum capacity could help save your family and social life – not to mention your job – in the long run.

Lay down rules

If your colleagues know you can’t be contacted outside work – even if it’s only at certain times – they may be less likely to email or phone you when you’re trying to relax. Make a point of letting them know that you’re out of bounds at specific times, and – most importantly – stick to your word.

Delegate

If you have an impossible workload that’s keeping you at work beyond normal office hours, pass some of your tasks on to a colleague. When you go on holiday, put someone else fully in charge of your work. You may feel more inclined to switch off if a capable colleague is covering for you.

Top tip...

Put activities with friends and family in your work diary and mark them as priorities. You could also schedule a particular day or time each week for a non-work activity, such as an outing with your family, a hobby or exercise, or just time for yourself doing nothing but relaxing

Promoting the idea of a positive work-life balance at your workplace may help others benefit too. One way to do that is to suggest your employer encourages a culture of ‘working smart, not long’. You could even put forward ideas for activities at the office such as a lunchtime relaxation class

Did you know...?

According to a study by University College London researchers, adults working for more than 11 hours a day are around 67% more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who work an 8 hour day

USEFUL RESOURCES

Job hunting

Universal Jobmatch gov.uk/jobsearch

ICAEW Jobs icaewjobs.com

Careers advice

CABA career coaching caba.org/career

National Careers Service nationalcareerservice.direct.gov.uk

ICAEW career support icaew.com/en/members/career-support/find-a-job

Courses

CABA’s career adaptability courses caba.org.uk/courses

Networking

Find Networking Events findnetworkingevents.com

Social networking

Linkedin linkedin.com

Twitter twitter.com

Blogging platforms

Wordpress wordpress.com

Blogger blogger.com