Today many of us work in highly competitive environments where we are constantly striving to achieve greater and greater success. As a result we are pressured to work longer hours. According to the Australian Institute, Aussies are working longer hours than our counterparts in Europe. Even worse research shows that 41% of Australian women do not even take their full annual leave entitlements in many cases claiming time constraints as the major reason. But the consequences of this for Aussie women just like you, is that you have less time for love, less time for friends, less time for your family and risk Career Burnout.

Take care of yourself and follow our CareersCoach tips to achieving a better work/life balance:

Tip 1. Hire a Flexible Employer

Some employers believe that giving their staff flexible work hours increases loyalty and improves work output. They are right! Other employers have the opposite view. To these employers the longer the hours you work, the better you are at your job and the more career opportunities you will be offered. In short, if you know that you can get results in a reasonable timeframe and want to achieve better work life balance then you need to hire an employer that shares this view. Look for an employer that links promotion and pay increases and to results rather than to hours worked and watch your career grow.

Tip 2. Work hard today so that you can play tomorrow

At different times in your career it is important to put in extra effort in order to gain flexibility in the future. If you are a new employee, starting a new business or changing career direction then you will need to put in a lot of groundwork in order to position yourself for success. This may initially involve working long hours and combining work effort with strategic planning. Once you have set clear work processes and proven yourself you are well positioned to pull back your work hours whist increasing work output.

Tip 3. Be a Star Performer

Star performers always get results, they amaze their colleagues and exceed the expectations of their employers. If you are a star performer then your employer will not want to lose you. This means that you are in an ideal position to negotiate flexible work hours. Just be sure that your performance continues to amaze as your work hours decrease.

Tip 4. Time Management

Take time out of your day to effectively time manage your activities. Think about how important each task is and analyse the best time of day and most effective way to complete a task. We all know someone who works insane hours but just never seems to get on top of their work. This person is usually the person that arrives at work before everyone else and leaves late at night but somehow the pile of papers on their desk just seems to grow and grow. In contrast we all know someone who can whiz through work so fast that we question how it was possible. The difference between these people is time management. Put simply a task can take as much time or as little time as you want it to take. It is all about identifying the best way to complete a task and then making it happen.

By Lisa O'Brien www.onlinecareercoaching.com