Balancing act: This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for better work/life balance

I also appreciate his belief in work/life balance, which was made clear to me even before I started my job on the day after Labor Day in 2011. The week before that first day, I sent my soon-to-be boss an email, asking whether there was anything I should be researching or studying to prepare. He responded with a few suggestions, then added, "But don’t at all feel obligated; it’s important to me that you have a restful Labor Day holiday."

That stuck with me, because I've seen since then that he was sincere. In that way and many others, he has set a good example for me as a manager.

— My team. I'm privileged to work with some of the most intelligent, skilled, dedicated and hard-working people I've ever met. They've been patient with me as the "new guy" and have bent over backwards to help me learn the ropes.

But they're also an extremely fun and close-knit group, showing repeatedly how much they care for each other, not just as coworkers, but as a work family. Even when the job gets a bit stressful or challenging, they're always looking out for each other and willing to pick up the slack when someone needs to get away for a morning or an afternoon for family reasons.

I like the culture we've developed and the way they've welcomed new members to the team during the year. They teach me something new every day, both about the job and about being a better person. I truly appreciate them.

As you can see from this list, my life has been blessed in many ways. I hope yours has likewise, both in terms of work/life balance and just life in general.

And here's hoping all of us will remember to show gratitude in our homes, our communities and our workplaces through our service to others in the year to come. If we do, we might end up on someone else's list of things for which they're grateful, and that would make for a happy Thanksgiving, indeed.

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