Recently, Sheryl Sandberg- the COO of Facebook (formerly Google) was interviewed (In a video for Makers.com, a video project compiling videos of accomplished women) and of all the golden nuggets of wisdom this smart, fascinating driven executive could have given us, the coverage of the interview became about one stupid, idiotic and frankly ridiculous fact.
Mrs. Sandberg leaves work at 5:30pm every day.
Um, and your point is Mrs. Sandberg?
Great -so what you are telling me is after many many years of working insanely long hours, taking reports home over the weekend and working up pitches and presentations on the holidays- the now 43 yr old executive who has one of the highest paid, and most desirable positions in America can insist that she leaves the office at 5:30?
BIG dang DEAL.
She didn’t start off this way. She worked 80 hour weeks to be able to be in a position to make this happen. And I would bet about 9 million dollars (I would have to use my off shore account if I had to pay up) that after little Timmy (or what ever the ‘opps I forgot to have children’ kids names are) goes to bed- she hops back on email and makes a few calls. She says herself (in the SAME interview) to ‘not make sacrifices in advancing your career for children you don’t have yet’….which lightly translates into- if you don’t have kids- then YOU DAMN WELL BETTER STAY AT WORK TILL THE LAST PERSON LEAVES.
This is a woman who makes 30 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. I am pretty sure she is no longer worries about getting fired or replaced with a younger model. She isn’t trying to achieve success or prove her value.
SHE HAS ARRIVED.
So thanks a lot Sheryl. All you have done with your ‘coming out of the mommy closet’ is show us all- that once we no longer have to worry about losing our jobs or getting the promotion we want we might be able to go home at 5:30 too. Great. Thanks so so much for releasing us all from the bondage of working hard for a living.
(insert eyeroll here)
And on the flip side of this- are the women (like me) WHO LIKE to work long hours. I hit my screens by 6am and do not officially walk away until about 9pm. Of course I stop to take kids to school, make dinner, or write a blog post…but the point is- now I feel like a SANDBERG FAILURE because GOD FORBID I like to work.
And one more thing. Why is this only an issue for women? Should men be leaving work at 5:30 too? Funny she doesn’t mention that…so while she prattles on about equality and women running the world (watch the video) she seems to claim that this ‘getting home to be with the children’ is OUR problem more than working men. Thanks Mrs. Sandberg. Cuz we women needed MORE guilt.
It is true- I have written on this issue before (here) - because I get asked DAILY how I manage it. And here is the advice I always give:
The idea of ‘work life balance’ is a fantasy.
To do it well, is to let it all mush together.
That’s right people-
Work/Life Mush is where its at.
As I was writing this, I mentioned on twitter what I doing. I received a few DMs from people who thought it was hypocritical for me have an opinion because I work from home. Which is true. I work from home. I MADE THAT HAPPEN though. And, don’t forget I fly somewhere about every 12 days too. Which I think sorta off-sets the benefit of working from home. Plus? I used to work in an office. And hell yeah- I was the last one to leave and the first one to arrive. Maybe if Mrs. Sandberg stayed a little longer each night she could have prevented Zuckerberg from spending ONE BILLION dollars on Instagram. And maybe ya know- spent one Billion dollars on helping the poor and starving. Since after all she claims to be working in technology ‘because she wants to help people’. Just sayin.
OFFICIAL A$$ KISS disclaimer:
Sheryl- don’t be mad. Let’s do dinner. Er I mean LUNCH.
Cuz I know you don’t do business dinners EVER. Got it. : )
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