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Balancing Your Conference

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If only a concierge could look after people's personal lives when they check in for a conference. It would mean that delegates could focus solely on thinking about the business of the conference - strategic planning, developing business goals and tactics or networking.

"The reality is that people don't leave their lives at the door at work, or with the concierge," says Lifestyle Strategist, lan Hutchinson and founder of work/life balance consultancy Life by Design®.

"Increasingly, people's motivations are based on lifestyle values, not just money, and innovative and successful organisations are attracting and retaining staff by providing an environment that understands and supports their changing lifestyle needs," lan says.

Companies are starting to recognise the strength of the work/life balance link and are using business conferences as an opportunity to dovetail work/life issues into a sometimes very busy conference programme.

Just as an off-site conference is a terrific opportunity to get away from the day-to-day issues of the business and think strategically about the future, the same model can be applied to help people consider their own work/life balance. lan says that even a short time to stop and think can help people start building a lifestyle blueprint that can be a catalyst to better balance and therefore even greater workplace productivity.

lan's keynote and seminar presentations give people an opportunity to start thinking about what's important in life. Lifestyle and balance can include looking at a number of life priorities such as: health, work, relationships, family, social, spiritual, contribution to society, hobbies, finances and intellectual growth.

"Many people spend days and weeks writing business plans and doing budgets for companies, but virtually no time planning steps for the future lifestyle they would like," says lan.

The practical processes that lan presents during his fun and interactive sessions are an opportunity to stop and take stock. "Sometimes small changes can make the biggest differences. For example, Crop Care, is an organisation focused on valuing people's personal goals together with their work goals," says lan, who was invited to present during their 'Grow with Confidence' conference at Couran Cove Resort on Stradbroke Island.

For many years he worked in tourism marketing for organisations such as Thredbo Alpine Village and Tourism NSW, so understands the difficulties behind trying to maintain balance.

lan combines his degree in business management and marketing, Graduate Diploma of Psychology, studies in career development and lifestyle planning overseas with some of the world's leaders in the field to build his knowledge. He now practices what he preaches and builds work/life balance into his own lifestyle. True to his plan, LAN also ensures he gets away to his beach house, has time for sport and spends time with family and friends.

"Had I not taken the time for a lifestyle review, I may well have been burnt out by now," says LAN

"Working with people to help them achieve a greater lifestyle balance, identify how to make their work more fulfilling - or help them enhance their current situation,
recognise obstacles, challenges and fears that may be holding them back and developing an action to make it happen, is an absolute thrill for me."

Travel and work are two aspects of lan's lifestyle blueprint and recently Hillross Financial Services invited LAN to present a programme in Egypt in May 2001 for their top financial planners on lifestyle planning.

LAN says that Pharmacia is another organisation that understands the importance of the work/life link. Partners were invited to attend a Life by Design work/life balance program at their Sales Academy held for some of the organisation's top gun sales team.

Marjan Mikel, director of sales for Pharmacia says: "lan's session was one of the highlights of the Sales Academy and helped our elite top performing sales team and their partners bring more focus and clarity into their work and life, allowing them to feel less stressed, more productive, balanced, happier and therefore more successful. The presentation was of great personal inspiration and his concepts really resonated with our team."

"Innovative companies are now starting to support employees in work/life programmes - and we all know that the more satisfied employees are, the more productively they perform in the workplace, thus adding to the company's bottom line," Mr Hutchinson says.

"I think it's because programmes like this give people the access to take time out for themselves. It's as if people need to give themselves permission to stop and think about what's really important to them, otherwise we just all keep going.... going and going".

The Life by Design® website www.lifebydesign.com.au has more information about work/life balance initiatives and statistics, tools, and information.

Ian Hutchinson (G.Dip.Psy, B.Bus, APS), Founder of Life by Design®, has built a reputation as Australia's leading lifestyle strategist. He has studied overseas with some of the world's leaders in lifestyle planning, and his lifestyle strategy work has been profiled throughout the media. His entertaining presentations are in demand throughout the world including Europe and the Middle East. Life by Design® can be contacted by phone on (02) 9979 4949, or visit www.lifebydesign.com.au.

For permission to reproduce this article article in whole or in part,
contact Tanya Mottl on may be contacted by
phone (+ 612) 9979 4949, fax (+ 612) 9979 4969,
or email info@lifebydesign.com.au

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