Personal Work/Life Decision
Making
Why Use It
This technique can be used to help make
decisions about changes in your personal work-life. It simply has you look at
the advantages and disadvantages associated with making a particular change. By
making a conscious statement on why a certain course of action is correct, it
becomes easier to implement.
How to Use It
The following is a straightforward
balance sheet of benefits and losses.
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Step |
Action Description |
|
1 |
Take a sheet of paper and
draw a line down the middle or use the template provided below. On one side of the page write the heading
‘Advantages’ and on the other side write ‘Disadvantages’. |
|
2 |
Think of the change you
are contemplating and list as many of its positive advantages and negative
disadvantages as you can. Be sure to consider all parts of your life. Set the
list aside for a few days and then see if you can add to the list after. |
|
3 |
Look at your list of
disadvantages. Study the list and realize that it is understandable to be
concerned about the potential dangers of change. Try to think of how you
might be able to reduce the negatives or plan on handling them. |
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4 |
Look at your list of
advantages. Think of the positive opportunities this change could bring - not
only for yourself but your family, organization, company and everyone
involved with your life. |
|
5 |
Weigh the advantages and
disadvantages. If you want to make a
quantitative judgment; give each a relative weight of 1 through 5 1= not very important or little
effect on change. 5= very important or large effect
on change. |
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6 |
Total you score |
|
7 |
If positives outweigh the
negatives you might decide to proceed with the change. If negatives outweigh the positives you
most likely would not pursue the change. Also, if there are any disadvantages
that would be considered ‘Fatal’, do not make the change. |
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Personal
Work-life Change Balance Sheet
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Describe the work-life
change. |
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List
the positives or expected benefits for making the change.# |
Weight 1-5 |
List
the disadvantages or expected losses for making the change.# |
Weight 1-5 |
For You
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0 |
For You
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
For Others
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0 |
For Others
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Total Score |
0 |
Total Score |
0 |
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If the negatives outweigh
the positives, what can be done to reduce the negatives? What can be done to
improve the positives? |
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# Be sure to consider all parts of your life both tangible and subjective.