Girl Boss Tips

8 Ways to Improve Work/Life Balance

My Outfit Details:

Probably the question I get asked most is how do I do it all? It makes me cringe a bit when I get asked this because I hope I never come off that I got it all together. And that I can do it all. I do not, in the slightest. I struggle with navigating how to be a mom of 4 and how to balance work and a business. Not to mention having even a little bit of social life and time for self-care. It’s been rough, so when you come over to this little corner of mine, please know that I am out there trying to figure it out just like you are. However, I have been taking steps to be able to have balance and not deplete myself. By nature, I am a goal-getter. I am always trying to achieve more and find ways to go after it. While this isn’t a bad thing, it certainly can be the recipe for running yourself down quickly.

First, I would not be able to show up to my community daily if it weren’t for my husband doing all that he does.  From him working to helping with the kids. It definitely has helped me go after my goals. 

Create a schedule and be firm with it

If you are all over the place and unable to be productive and get things done. Look at creating a daily routine, or if you already have one, assess if tweaks need to be made to that existing schedule. Create blocks through every portion of your day. Being a mother, I even block out family time. In my workday, it can get easy to get to 5 pm and you realize you haven’t even accomplished anything because you were all over the place. Be specific in your time blocks. Example – 10am-11am Emails. That will tell your mind exactly what you have to achieve during that time block—ultimately allowing you to have a more productive workday. When I have a productive day, I know that it makes it even easier to put everything down at the end of the day.

Prioritize

I know it sometimes feels like everything should be priority #1, but everything cannot be your top priority. You will have to sort through what responsibilities are most important and which ones are not. Ask yourself what the non-negotiable things are? What is urgent? What can wait until tomorrow? In addition, to start working through your tasks, it is crucial to prioritize. Without prioritizing, it can cause you to be at the end of the workday and realize you haven’t finished an urgent task. Which then leads to your day being extended.

As you are creating your to-do list, prioritize. I will color code my tasks based on urgent, important, and non-important. Prioritizing also applies more than just your to-do list; you should practice this in your life as well.

Once you have prioritized you will be able to set healthy boundaries.

Learn to say no

For a while I was committing to a lot of thing personal and professional.  This was honestly a recipe for disaster. It left me feeling depleted and worn down. I was over-working and didn’t have time to rest. I had to pull back and really assess everything I was juggling. Are the things that you are doing aligned with your long-term and short-term goals? If they aren’t consider saying no. We can become so far off our journey because we have not allowed us to say no.

Saying no allows you to not take on more than your schedule can allow. It also allows you ensure that you are focusing on the items that are important to you, and no overwork yourself.

Ask for help

This was a big one for me to accept. I often have the mentality that it is easier for me to do it all because I know my vision and how I want things to be. That wasn’t efficient or productive. Build a team around you professionally. Have your family help you with household responsibilities. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is simply honest with yourself to know your limitations. Yes, you can do it all, but should you? Delegating also will help promote work/life balance.

Take time-off

We are in a time where everything is grinding hard 24/7. And that if you aren’t working, then you aren’t a boss. Well, for me, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. And it has been for me at one point in my life. So, yes, go after your goals. Work hard! However, also know when it is time to step away. That could be for vacation, the weekend off, or simply putting it down at the end of the workday. Rome was not built in a day, and sometimes it is ok to let things go for another day.

Self-care

Only way to balance as much as you do, it to pour into yourself. You a managing a lot, show up for yourself! Think about what do you enjoy doing that rejuvenates you? Go get your nails done, schedule a massage, exercise, or even allow yourself time to get lost in a book. Recharging your batteries will only allow you to be 100% to wear the many hats that you wear.

Be flexible

I’ve had to realize that life won’t ever happen precisely how you planned. Something will always come up, and a change of plans will happen. Take a deep breath, and be present at the moment and enjoy the life you live. Work can wait and adjust, and pivot should the unexpected happen. Often we will get so worked up when curveballs come our way, making it where we can keep our focus. Be flexible.

Turn off distractions

Distractions can be such a time suck and cause you to lose focus on your goals. It also can cause your day not to be productive. Every minute is essential in the workday. Sometimes I will be working on a task and easily get distracted with online shopping, scrolling through IG, or anything else. Whatever is distracting you from giving 100% to a job. Turn it off or remove it. To achieve work/life balance, you have to be able to be fully present.

These are strategies that has helped me with working towards work/life balance. I by no means have fully accomplished this, but it has improved. This was crucial for me to prioritize my family.