Using Assessment 9-1, assess your day-to-day work (your job, classes, family caretaking) flow. Is your day-to-day work high, medium, or low on flow? What parts of your work did you rate highest and lowest? Why? What can you do to increase flow in your day-to-day life? If you are responsible for others, what can you do to increase flow in their day-to-day life?

Tom and Kate Chappell founded Tom's of Maine and organic toothpaste and other personal-care products because they wanted to give people organic personal-care options. John Scully left his job as president of Pepsi-Cola to become CEO of Apple Computer because he felt that “personal computers could change the way we live and learn.”^[156] What makes your day-to-day work—at the workplace, at school, or at home—meaningful?

If you could hire a perfectionist or someone with Type A personality characteristics, would you want to? Why or why not? Would you want to work for a perfectionist? Why or why not? What professions do you think would benefit from having a perfectionist, which would have no impact, and which would be hurt? Why?

Take Assessment 9-3, “The Polychronicity Scale: How Many Things Do You Like to Do at Once?” Are you more monochronic (lower scores) or polychronic (higher scores) in your use of time? In what situations is your style helpful in managing your life? Not helpful?

Assume you are managing a high-performing working parent. The employee missed a key deadline recently and seemed unprepared for a presentation yesterday. Otherwise, the employee's work continues to be among the best in the department. You've heard that the employee recently started caring for an elderly and ailing parent at home. You are about to meet with the employee for a performance review. What will you say, and how can you help? Why?