“The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself” (work / life balance)
All the holiday “time off” can lend itself to a lot of burnout. We put pressure on ourselves to make the season magical & squeeze in as much as we can. Unfortunately, business doesn’t stop & there is still work to be done & clients to be served. Finding a happy medium is crucial year round. Here are a few things I have learned (and some I am continuing to work on) to make sure that I'm present & effective in both my professional and personal life:
Quitting time
Hustle culture & guilt can make us feel like we have to be everything to everyone all the time. Let’s make it a priority in 2024 to check in with our personal lives & not be “on duty” 24/7.
Sleep
Once the day is over, I (and lots of mothers I know) have a bad habit of staying up way too late because it’s the only time we really get “to ourselves”. Lack of sleep can lead to a long list of really bad things. Forgetfulness, depression, inability to fight off illness & just being miserable to be around. Powering down & getting a good night’s sleep is not only better for your body, but puts your brain in a better spot to make good decisions.
Not everything is an emergency
There’s no law that says you have to handle everything as soon as it pops up. It’s okay to answer emails at 10 pm (or a weekend, or a holiday) if that’s what works for you, but think about scheduling that email to deliver at a more reasonable time to help manage client’s expectations about your availability. An out of office message can also go a long way for drawing strong boundaries around things that don’t need to be addressed immediately.
Do not disturb
Using the “focus” function on my phone has been a game changer for me. I am less likely to be distracted when I need to be productive. Conversely, I am able to focus on myself & my family if I’m not tempted to answer work emails at all hours. A friend used to say “my phone is for MY convenience” and I have made it a goal to remind myself of that when I find my focus drifting.
Do you have a favorite trick / tip / app for keeping yourself accountable when it comes to work / life balance? Drop it in the comments!
