As a manager of more than 35 employees and mom of 3-year-old-twins, making time for myself is always a challenge. Making time for others is even harder – but ever so important. I love my job and take my role as a service provider very seriously. But last night, when I got the 11 PM email from a customer who urgently needs 400 pages of PDFs and Helps for an entirely new release within the week, I didn’t have to take a long pause before giving my answer.
Tomorrow morning I’ll be swimming the Kinneret to raise money for a wonderful charity called Sadnat Shiluv. I got sponsors, I got in the pool and I am ready. A few years ago, I probably would have cancelled my participation in the swim to make sure this project got off the ground. Instead, I am going to trust the amazing team of writers and support staff I have put in place and go swimming instead. I don’t have to sacrifice my personal goal…the work will get done and we’ll make the deadline. We always do.
It is so important to recognize that, like you, your employees are people who have families, struggles, relationships, needs, aspirations and goals. Don’t force yourself or your employees to choose between personal goals and work deadlines. They can co-exist if you build and foster the right working environment to support it. It really is win-win for everyone.
If you’d like to sponsor the Tech-Tav team of swimmers that includes myself, Tech-Tav writer Rivka Bernstein and Rachel Edelman (wife of Tech-Tav writer Yehuda Berlinger) click here.
Miriam Lottner, CEO of Tech-Tav, is a “single sorceress” and technical documentation innovator whose professional passion is helping her
I first heard about the swim on Miriam's FB page. Decided to take the plunge and do it with her. Took 1.5 days of work and it was an amazing experience. We all need to take time off and "smell the roses".
On a sadder but inspiring note: I worked with a wonderful writer David Marcus z"l, who died much too young of cancer. When writing a letter to David (after he died) I said that the main message I wanted to remember him by was his love of life. To sum this up I wrote the following as I believed this is how David lived. "Live life well whilst you have life to live"
To my honor and surprise, this is what is written on David's stone.
This is how I intend living my life and hope and pray that we all have the strength to take this wonderful lesson of David's with us every single day of our lives.
When I see the children who we swam for, and hope to facilitate homes for another 10, I know in my heart that they certainly live life well. This too is the greatest lesson we can take away.
Adriane Rivka Bernstein
Technical Writer Tech-Tav
So many companies crush the spirits of their employees by dehumanising them. They encourage a work-all-hours competition amongst their employees (those 3am emails, for example), making the working day 24 hours and leaving the employee burnt out trying to keep up. And of course, ther's no extra thanks for those lost evenings and weekends...it's what is expected. Most people I know who were made redundant in the last 2-3 years happily took their months of being on the dole as some down time, eager to reconnect with their inner self and their families, rather than looking straight away for a new job.
Employees are first and foremost people. We want to work hard and derrive great satisfaction from seeing projects through. But we need to be able to recharge our batteries, slow down, and enjoy life too! That's why employers who get that concept are gold. Because with the right support, we are all the more eager to deliver!
All I can say is hat's off to you! You are such an inspiration to work for. It's so important to make time for more than just the latest release. Knowing your busy schedule (did I say busy? Incomprehensible! When do you sleep?), it is inspiring for all of us to see how you manage to squeeze in Chessed. For all working mothers, juggling work, husband, kids, and household responsibilities is quite a challenge (did anyone mention making personal time?), yet this is especially true for technical writers and project managers who work at home, where work can completely take over. It takes courage, vision, and talent -and sometimes dropping a ball or so and having to get everything back up in the air.
May we all have the courage and ability to make time for all of the important things, and know how to delegate when necessary.
Thanks Miriam for the inspiration!!
Shoshan Levy
Technical Writer, Translator
Tech-Tav Documentation, Ltd.
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