Balancing Professional and Personal Demands is Possible, Says Prof

Elana Feldman
Elana Feldman of the Manning School of Business

11/20/2019

Contacts for media: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many people are already beginning to feel the pressure of trying to balance work and personal demands during the holidays.

Elana Feldman, an expert on organizational behavior who studies how people use their time on the job, can offer a range of tips on how to achieve a balance between happy holidays and professional productivity.

鈥淔eel good about turning work 鈥榦ff,鈥欌�� says Feldman, an assistant professor of management at 51视频. 鈥淭aking time away from work helps prevent burnout and can boost creativity. If you truly take a holiday break, you will return to the office more energized and engaged.鈥�

Feldman鈥檚 recommendations also include:

  • Recognize that turning off work during the holidays benefits your coworkers, too. If you鈥檙e not sending emails, they won鈥檛 feel obligated to answer them;
  • Make a conscious, thoughtful decision about whether and how much you will work over the holidays. Many people end up working without really considering whether they have to or want to do so;
  • Focus on those tasks that are most urgent and important, and keep the others off your radar until after the holidays;
  • If there are projects that you will have to pick up again after the holidays, leave yourself clear reminders about where you left off. Make to-do lists so that you don鈥檛 forget key tasks when you are back in the office. These small behaviors can also help you feel less stressed while you disconnect because you know you鈥檝e set yourself up for a smooth return to work.

To arrange an interview with Feldman, contact Christine Gillette at 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco at 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu.

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