| Chances are your husband is a working dad who | | | | telecommuting arrangement--you would cut out four |
| wants more time with his family, even as he fills the | | | | time-draining commutes. Figure out how many saved |
| role of provider. Yet men, more than women, are | | | | hours a week that yields for you. What family-bonding |
| under societal and financial pressure to work full time. | | | | activities could you do with your kids in those chunks |
| That means job sharing or other part-time options are | | | | of time? |
| less-accepted and rarely used among men. | | | | You Can Scale Down Some of Your Extended |
| And the otherwise viable full-time work option of a | | | | Workdays |
| compressed workweek (four, 10-hour days) may be a | | | | You know what I'm talking about: The days that |
| tough sell if 10-hour days, five days a week, are the | | | | stretch for 10+ hours as you work on a crucial project |
| cultural work norm in his department. | | | | or a pressing deadline. |
| So mom, encourage your husband to seriously | | | | How does telecommuting whittle down the workday? |
| consider asking his manager for a telecommuting | | | | Double-digit productivity gains are well-documented |
| arrangement instead. Show him this article to get the | | | | among employees who work from a remote location. |
| process started. (It applies to working mothers, too.) | | | | (This is a selling point with your manager.) Working at |
| Are You a Good Telecommuting Candidate? | | | | home virtually eliminates all socializing and most |
| If your full-time employment is at an outside office | | | | interruptions. That means greater concentration, better |
| doing so-called "knowledge work," you may be a | | | | work flow, less time wasted, more productive work |
| suitable candidate for doing your current job from | | | | output in fewer hours. |
| home during part of the workweek. | | | | Result? You recoup those lost dinner hours with your |
| Here are three reasons why a telecommuting | | | | family, at least some of the time. |
| arrangement may work in a winning way: | | | | You Can Shift an Hour of Daily De-stressing to an |
| 1. There's no cut in salary or benefits. | | | | Hour With Your Family |
| Telecommuting allows you to retain your regular, | | | | Long days at the office and stressful commutes |
| full-time schedule so there's no need to sacrifice pay | | | | deliver a weary dad to the doorstep. Sure, you're |
| or benefits in exchange for more flexibility and time. | | | | home from work. You're there. The kids are there. But |
| 2. Your visibility can be maintained. | | | | when you're feeling tense and your energy is drained, |
| You can maintain an acceptable level of the | | | | it's hard to really "be there" with them, right? |
| "face-time factor" on your at-the-office days. On | | | | You may need an hour or so of peace and |
| work-at-home days, which are typically negotiated for | | | | quiet--alone--before engaging with your family. More |
| one or two days a week, others can reach you | | | | lost time... |
| through communication normally used at the office, | | | | Yet when you reap the combined benefits of the two |
| such as telephone, e-mail, instant messaging and VOIP. | | | | other pay-offs you just read about, playing or reading |
| 3. More time with your family! | | | | with the kids at the end of your less-stressed |
| Telecommuting from a home office can be a savvy | | | | telecommuting workday may be the perfect |
| way to carve out several more hours each week to | | | | prescription for the work-to-home transition time. |
| be with your family. Here's how: | | | | Put it all together and you can see that telecommuting |
| You Save Hours of Commuting Time | | | | works in winning ways for you and your kids--and |
| How many hours? If you successfully negotiate to | | | | your manager. Write your proposal to telecommute |
| work from home two days a week--a common | | | | today and start reaping the time rewards soon. |