It’s been eight years since our world changed in an instant on September 11th 2001. Our world perspective was suddenly viewed through a new expanded lens courtesy the internet, globalization, international security and economic concerns. As a reporter for the national radio program, Marketplace Morning Report, my world was turned upside down as I reported from the rubble of the World Trade Center and Wall Street.

But from the chaos of 911 emerged a new passion for me: to identify and report on the drastic changes, dynamic innovations, and demons in our work life culture. Nearly three years ago I started blogging on the topic, then came podcasts (you can hear these at my Judy Martin Speaks site) and now I’m taking it up a notch into my comfort zone of television. This is the first episode of WorkLife Nation. Here’s the back story:

911 brought many painful but rich memories which will forever be etched into my heart and mind. Learning that my friend, News 12 Photographer and NYC Police Officer Glenn Pettit was killed in Tower 2, was deafening to the soul. But the camaraderie we all experienced always rings through this time of the year. I had the gift of volunteering with the children of the victims at Pier 94 where the families were offered services.

Our lives would never be the same again, nor would our work lives and careers, which fascinated me. 911 stirred the pot and had us questioning how we live our lives and how we work. Did we live to work  - or work to live?  Economic setbacks and shifts in our social structure continued to fuel a blur between work and life.

Furthermore, the idea that passion and profit were mutually exclusive was dealt a seismic shift in my brain regarding career and work. “It doesn’t have to be that way,” I thought, “We can rebuild him, we have the technology to make him better (theme song from The Bionic Man, The Bionic Woman) we have the capability to create a happier and more satisfying working experience – a vocation.”

911 catapulted me into a world where I felt compelled to examine and report on our work life culture from a more human perspective: from the post-911 workplace fears, to corporate malfeasance, to family leave, to the Americans with Disabilities Act, to employee engagement, to work life flexibility and the elusive work life balance debate. From the ashes of chaos during 911 emerged a passion to figure out how the work life merge might be navigated with more awareness and consciousness. Thus, WorkLife Nation was born.

WorkLife Nation Episode One: The Great Merge!

In the first episode of  WorkLifeNation Success, Serenity & Significance 24/7 –  you’ll hear about how the internet as a catalyst is changing the way we work and do business in a challenging new economy.  We’re more connected, and our workplace is evolving, entrepreneurs abound and many work from home. Be it baby boomer, Gen X or Gen Y, many thirst for more meaningful work,  but demand more family and me time. The lines have blurred in the quest for success, serenity and significance in our worklife .

We’re redefining success in terms of values, passion and profit. You’ll hear from author and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuck of WinelibraryTV.com. Passion is the underlying theme in his book: “Crush It.” Social Media Guru Chris Brogan who wrote “Trust Agents“ with colleague Julien Smith, talks about the core value of trust, when doing business on the internet.

But to succeed -we have to keep the flame going and that means Serenity: cultivating resilience while navigating sensory overload. Exercise, Yoga and mediation are gaining speed at work. That’s where  Andrew Newberg M.D shares from his book, “How God Changes your Brain.”

From there you’ll hear from Cali Williams Yost – CEO of WorkLIfeFit Inc. We’ve done some work together  and she’s got her finger on the pulse of worklife flex. The more flexible we are the easier it will be to make a difference -and that’s where significance comes in. Conscious work toward a greater purpose. Deepak Chopra weighs in on his thoughts.

In these radically changing times people are clamoring for more humanity in work and in business. Question is, how can we have more meaningful work and master success, serenity and significance  in the chaotic waters of a world that changes in an instant. You’ll hear a lot more from these pioneering voices in future episodes of WorkLifeNation.

Anxiety, fear, and frustration are abound, no matter the sector. Careers are being questioned, job security a concern and just the mention of any kind of work life balance  – placed on the back burner.

But this is precisely the time when the integration of our working and living experience - becomes most important. And as if on cue, October happens to be National Work and Family Month.

Employer-sponsored work life initiatives such as child care, wellness programs, and flexibility initiatives are believed to enhance employee attraction, retention and productivity. You can read more about the benefits in the Families and Work Institute's 2008 National Study of Employers. This study tracked such work life initiatives over the last decade. 

To learn about the companies which offer some of the best work life practices and programs check out Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies for Work For. This is a rundown of the top companies which is listed by state. Click here to view New York. From there you can access the other states.

The National Association of Mothers' Centers is also a good stop to delve into best practices on the elusive quest toward work life balance. Their annual work life conference is being held on Long Island on November 7th.

Are you work life balanced? There's really not such a thing. It's more a journey of evolution. Ask yourself the following questions in this Work Life Inquiry:

1. Have you sacrificed family  time for work?
2. Have your personal friendships suffered due to work?
3. Do you favor work above spending personal time?
4. Are you dissatisfied with your weekly achievements at home and at work?
5. Do your core working relationships need some attention?
6. Do you wish your job was more fulfilling?
7. Do you desire change but don't have time to make it happen?
8. Do your working conditions need a tune up?
9. Do you wish you were more engaged at your job?
10. Do you have a stress reducing routine or practice at work?

If you answered 'yes" to questions 1-9 then you have some work to do. If you answered "yes" to #10 keep up the good work. Cultivating work life resilience is key to productivity and sanity at work. You'll hear more about that in my next article.

Despite a looming 2.3 billion dollar deficit and anticipated steep cuts in services, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said that layoffs of city workers are, “not in the cards.” But thousands working through the dark days of Wall Street will not be as fortunate, especially with the demise of Lehman Brothers, and the merger of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch.

There will however be survivors after the hatchet makes its way through the financial and other sectors. Those left behind will be in arguably rocky waters. If you’re one of the few “lucky” ones trying to keep it together in the office, here are some strategies you can put to use to cultivate a resilient and safe disposition.

1. Be at your best, at all times. Don’t ever assume that the corporate sword won’t swing in your direction. Paranoia is not called for but instead patience with yourself. Keep to your deadlines and commitments and if you need to alter them for any reason be up front about it before the hour glass runs out.
2. Have your own at-work relaxation trigger. Place a simple picture on your desk or a piece of jewelry that reminds you to simply take a one- three minute break to stop what you are doing and decompress. Work Life balance starts with your own personal routine.
3. Suspend judgment of your co-workers. The quickest way to be thrust into the anger zone is to focus on what your colleagues are doing – or not doing. You don’t know what they are going through in this time of crisis and making assumptions about the way they are handling things will only cause you grief.
4. Relinquish the need for gossip. This is one of the most difficult things to do when word of chaos spread so quickly. The problem – you might get faulty information and act on it. What’s worse is that it’s an energy waster. Spend the time on being productive instead.
5. Take the initiative. In a downsized environment, most will be spread thin and overloaded with work. Taking on an extra project might be a way to stand out, but do it wisely. Suggest a better way of doing the work, a team to work on it together, or a way to combine a few necessary projects and then share the work among a few colleagues.
6. Reduce info-overload. Examine your behaviors with regard to the number of papers or websites you read every day. Obviously the sector you work in might impact your decisions. But you probably don’t have to head to YouTube every day to check out the latest music video. You can manage worklife flexibility by mindfully navigating sensory overload.
7. Develop unique skills and gifts. We never know if we’re even going to wake up the next day. Take the time to do now – what you have always promised yourself you would do. Whether it’s taking a knitting class, learning PowerPoint, or learning a new language – any additional skills you acquire that you have a heartfelt affinity for, might in some way make you more marketable in the future or even lay the foundation to start your own business.

The job hunt these days seems as tough as nailing down worklife balance - even if you have a job. Either way, a number of studies over the last few years indicate that about three-quarters of Americans hate their jobs. So, if you are faced with “down-time” or are completely unhappy in your current position – perhaps you can look at this time as an opportunity to find a “great” job?

Why not give yourself a gift, and target companies that are better suited for your fine self as a human being - working for a company that actually values human capital. If you’re done with the mediocrity of the standard nine to five gig, and are looking for a better worklife fit – you might try heading to a workplace that’s aligned with your value system. Or at least close to it.

Now there’s a website that can help you in your job quest for a small fee. GreatPlaceJobs.com. It’s got a handle on the companies which have garnered the seal of approval from a number of credible monitoring entities including Gallup, Fortune Magazine and the Society for Human Resource Management. It’s headed up by Asher Adelman, the same person who brought you eBossWatch.com and Workplace Democracy Association. Here’s a brief exchange we had this week to shed some light on the process.

I know it’s early in the game – but have you had feedback on the site?

Even though GreatPlaceJobs was only launched a few weeks ago, we are very fortunate to have been receiving a tremendous amount of support and enthusiasm for having developed an exclusive “great workplace” job site.

What types of companies are seeking you out?

In order to be featured on GreatPlaceJobs, we verify that each company has been officially recognized as an excellent employer. Examples of awards that GreatPlaceJobs companies have received are FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For and the Working Mother 100 Best Companies.

What is the main thrust behind GPJ – it seems to have a social responsibility component to it – that the value of human capital is taken more seriously at certain companies.

The main thrust behind GreatPlaceJobs is that people are no longer satisfied with a good salary. Other factors such as a positive workplace environment, work-life balance, and flexible work arrangements are becoming just as, if not more, important to workers. As a result, companies that provide “great workplaces” end up with motivated, engaged, and innovative employees, satisfied customers, and higher revenues and profits.

Being the founder of eBossWatch –  did this new site fill more of an inspirational need for you personally?

After founding eBossWatch, which is a leading career resource that provides job applicants with additional feedback about prospective employers during the interview process, I felt that there was room for a site which would help job seekers easily focus their search on award-winning companies that have been recognized as excellent employers.

Why was the paid subscription model important for your company? Does this better serve the clients or companies?

Our paid subscription model, in which job seekers pay $20 for a three-month subscription for full access to all “great workplace” jobs, is beneficial to the job seekers as well as to the recruiting companies. Charging the job seekers helps filter out all but the most qualified and serious applicants, which translates into less competition among job seekers than with the “free” job sites, and it prevents companies from being swamped with resumes. In addition, the fact that we don’t charge companies to post jobs enables us to provide a very comprehensive list of jobs at award-winning employers.  (There are currently more than 150,000 new jobs available on GreatPlaceJobs.)

The elusive quest toward worklife balance is a journey – thus the quest – it is not an overnight process. And the first part of that foray into such a commitment is apparently sleep - for some. Last night I met with a delightful group of women who are all shedding their skin of workaholic, defined by freedictionary.com as, "one who has a compulsive and unrelenting need to work."

One former corner-office corporate-type said the first symptom of shedding the workaholic skin was being able to sleep through the night. What an enormous step. That lead to an identity crisis in which she had to dig deep to figure out that perhaps she was meant for greater things in life.

Suddenly, this woman who was at the top of her game in the world of corporate event marketing, turned to rescuing animals. She went willingly into the quietude of her own being after being slammed with the corporate sledge hammer which demands success 24/7. Without notice, a new meaningful revelation unfolded. She had a knack for saving animals, and in recent weeks her heart opened in a whole new way. Poor little creatures in need of care started showing on her doorstep and now she had the time to explore this unheeded innate heartfelt passion.

Does this mean a new career? Will she become a vegan overnight? Will she turn into a dog-lady who locks herself up with her animals only to shun the humans who have occupied her time in the work world? I think not. Her path has yet to be defined.

It may not mean anything for her career, but it has a lot to do with balancing the working and living experience. This woman found meaning and a deeper purpose in her own life. She is happy. And no matter which line of work she ventures into – she has a new dimension to her being. It emerged from taking a step back to observe her life, sleeping a little, and getting quiet so her true passion could emerge.

We don't stop enough. Whether it's in the middle of our workday – or taking a risk toward a more meaningful career that will make our insides explode with passion, it just might be worth the risk of bucking the establishment. The baby step of just getting quiet enough to hear the inner voice can lead to more balance, and in the case of my new friend – a more purpose driven life.

Traditional retirement seems passé these days. Especially  to baby boomers still trying to shore up their nest egg. Still, a recent survey suggests a good majority of them might be choosing the work they do -  more with their hearts – instead of their financial prowess. There’s a new class of boomers who are rewiring their work life in order to give back while making a buck. The survey was done by Boomer tracker, Civic Ventures and the MetLife Foundation.

The story highlights some of the challenges boomers will face in following this path such as the need for flexibility, health care coverage and income; it also looks at the rewards of the encore career and better worklife integration.

You can listen to my most recent story on NPR by Clicking on the link below:

Boomers Find Way to Make Social Impact, Money

It happened behind closed doors, but I suspect the juicy details of the settlement between writers and producers regarding BlackBerry use after-hours at ABC News, is the stuff of much gossip and concern in an industry where the “news” never sleeps. It should also be the concern of companies in just about any sector as we are living in a time of instant information and instant gratification.

BlackBerrys afford instant access, which can put a deal to bed successfully before competitors, get the last work in on a project, and be a great tool for flexible working conditions as workers can share vital information while traveling between meetings. It can also be another thorn in anyones worklife balance profile. The perception that workers are accessible after-hours or 24/7, will inevitably bring employees to a new burnout threshold while putting pressure on employers to review their labor policies.

Here are the challenges:

1. What is permissible use of the gadgets? “Hmmm – I’ll answer my BB till PM?”
2. Where do you draw the line in defining what constitutes after-hours work? A simple reply or “Gee – let me read that report and then get back to you.”
3. Is it ok to answer emails with a few words without having to punch in to the company time clock? “If I my answer requires another call or research, I want overtime.”
4. What information is ok to share after-hours, and will it alter the business dynamic of a company? “Hey – I can get that embargoed report before anyone and be blogging by AM the next morning.”
5. Even if a company creates guidelines – who will enforce them? “BBB – BlackBerry Bean counters”
6. If an employee complains and refuses to be available – will they be frowned upon as not being a loyal employee? “When Friday night comes, Karen’s BB interaction is nonexistent, maybe she doesn’t want a promotion?’

Bottom line is that the BlackBerry phenomenon and its implications are just in their infancy. It behooves companies to get a head start on guidelines for usage, before a labor dispute does it for them.

Check out other BlackBerry posts:

BlackBerry Overload

For Whom the BlackBerry Tolls

Battling Sensory Overload on a Bus

I've never thought a whole lot about nursery school until yesterday. I was in an audience with about thirty people listening to a Tibetan Lama in New York City who had not been to the city since the events of September 11th, 2001. He spoke about the resilience of New Yorkers and how the tragedy unified people toward one cause, even for a short time. It was a lesson in sharing peace among people who had lived through chaos, and yet made the time to value quietness and contemplation - likely out of the necessity to stay sane through the pain.

The Lama went on to discuss that our busy lives have overshadowed what we learned in that time. We have forgotten to be quiet and peaceful. In fact, it's not so surprising that we fell off the wagon. We really don't teach peace, the benefits of quiet time and play in school – let alone in our corporate culture. That's what brought nursery school to mind.

Nursery school is a divine few hours of learning social skills, playing with others, taking naps, and creating. There is little structure. The regiment is designed to allow children to explore, and in fact, there is often quiet time. Value is placed on the unanticipated, the unknown, just being so that something genuine emerges from these little lives.

Our 24/7 high tech global market place generally frowns on such non-activity in the workplace. It does not allow for that quiet-time unless we plan for it. The truth is, while more and more companies are making time for worklife balance, and more flexible working practices in the workplace, we have a long way to go.

It's not just enough for corporate America to react to the fears of a tightening job market, employee retention and engagement. Big business needs to pony up and better identify what is working toward integrating our working and home lives and then start teaching these practices.

Employees must be educated the second they walk in the door on worklife balance initiatives and how to take control of their own worklife profile. A nod of approval indicating a more advanced worklife culture which allows for better balance and flexibility is not good enough to hold onto workers who are already stressed and overworked.

Companies need to educate their employees about worklife initiatives. They need to lay a stronger foundation of transparency so that their workers know they are just as free as those kids in nursery school to innovate, create, be heard without retaliation and perhaps even take a nap toward a better worklife experience.

On my business trip to Boston this week, I’ve been keenly aware of the transportation choices. Driving, biking, the “T”, and the Trolley. But battling 90 plus temperatures is almost enough to make me drive (with air conditioning blasting) to Harvard Square – almost. Yesterday, a colleague and I compromised. We drove to the “T” and took the train into Harvard. We figured we’d save some gas, along with having a taste of air conditioning which was all but brief – and didn’t make up for the mental stress that ensued.

We weren’t in the car more than a few seconds when we immediately looked at the gas gauge which read – less than a quarter of a tank. It was off to the gas station and the four-bucks-plus a gallon prices which triggered an immediate spiral of dialogue into, “This is just ridiculous, maybe we should have taken the trolley to the train,” I said exasperated, to which my colleauge responded,”Maybe we should have just stayed home.”

The conversation then dipped into talk of recession, food prices, credit card overload, and the miniscule amount of money left in our retirement funds. It was depressing, and quite frankly gave me a head ache which lasted well into the evening. Then I saw a new poll just released by The Associated Press and AOL which reinforced my diagnosis of my head ache – I was suffering with a bout of “debt stress” which was not helping in my quest for worklife balance.

The health report claims that due to rising debt, from 10 to 16 million people are suffering with physical ailments such as digestion problems, ulcers, anxiety, depression and stress. In fact, in an index linked to this poll, claims debt stress is on the rise -  14% higher than it was in 2004.

The findings of “debt stress” are not surprising. And arguably, high gas prices is just part of the current economic chaos. But it’s precisely that, which reminds me of the need for a different kind of fuel. Our inner fuel tank which needs a shot of resilience, stamina, and stillness. Whether in the workplace or in business, we’re all seeking inner calm that allows us to respond the the tumult around us, without reacting in a negative way or allowing our bodies to take the brunt of the stress. But that requires patience, tolerance, and a new way of doing things.

We spend so much time, with good reason, worrying about our bills and how we are going to pay for the gas to fuel our cars –  that we neglect our own bodies and minds. Whether it’s exercise, meditating, knitting or just finding an enjoyable hobby – creating our own fuel of stamina and resilience might make the gas lines a bit easier to bare. Anyone for a walk?

With Obama clinching the democratic nomination, you can be sure that water cooler talk is heating up in workplaces across America. It might go something like this:

Worker A "Obama has hit a racial milestone, we have truly evolved in this country."

Worker B "What about the strides Hillary has made for women in this country."

Worker C "Why did she stay in the race so long, it's really divided the party."

Worker B "Why are you blaming the disruption on Hillary? If she were a man would you make that judgment?"         

The former discourse is just a sampling of ideas circulating which begs another look at political etiquette during this tumultuous season of political drama. It's a cast of characters that creates a rich tapestry of stories, perspectives and conversation. But this is a time when work/life balance takes an important role. We need to have a keen awareness to afford a smooth transition come November in the workplace. Well after the shift of power, we'd like to think that prior political dissagreements are water under the bridge.  

A few months ago I posted on this topic: When Political Talk Trumps Workplace Etiquette. In that article I suggested some guidelines that might help you navigate the workplace political experience. It's a fine line between speaking your truth and not offending others. So consider the following as the conversation has now escalated in the political sphere:

1. Be conscious about the way you express your views. Sharing is one thing, proselytizing is another.
2. There is no right and wrong candidate or opinion. You might be a die hard supporter of one camp, but it doesn't mean your political prowess trumps the likes of your colleagues.
3. Mutual respect. Discussing politics might be taboo for certain colleagues and juicy lunchtime conversation for others. If someone prefers not to comment – leave them alone.
4. If you and your boss don't see eye to eye. Heck – leave that conversation for another time – or ditch it all together.
5. Remember that the workplace is for work, not for campaigning. You might feel passionate about a topic or candidate, but know when enough is enough.