Here's how you can maintain work-life balance during a career change.

Try to establish specific work hours and stick to them, ensuring you have time to unwind and engage in activities you enjoy outside of work. Prioritize self-care by incorporating regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient sleep into your routine. It's also helpful to stay connected with your support network—friends, family, or even a mentor—who can offer guidance and encouragement. Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep-breathing exercises to manage stress and stay grounded. Remember to be patient with yourself; adjusting to a new career path takes time, and it's okay to seek help if you feel overwhelmed!

Career change can be both inspiring and draining process. You may fee that you have to do a lot of various activities to succeed in your new career...and it's easy to loose energy and get overwhelmed. Stop worrying and start prioritising! Identify top 5 activities that account for 80% of your success and focus on them as a the first priority.

"When you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one." - Russian Proverb Think about what is the top focused action for your week, and then break it into smaller pieces, and assign these tasks to a day? Why? It creates space. Space allows the brain peace and pace to find more solutions and correctly prioritize your tasks. All of this create a pace and calm that will make you more RECEPTIVE to the change you are seeking.

There are many techniques I can suggest for helping to maintain work-life balance but to be honest, I believe work-life balance is a fallacy. I much prefer the concept of work-life integration...but that's a conversation for another time. But, let's be honest, change is hard...any change, and among the big life changes that we, as humans, can experience, career change goes down as one of the biggies. Simply acknowledging that will go a long way in helping calm the mind (and when you can calm the mind, calming the body becomes that much easier). What I suggest is doing grounding exercises. The more you can ground, the more you can be present, and the more you can be present, the more options available to you.

Most of the things that we worry about do not happen. Set boundaries between your career transition activities and the thoughts that create distractive emotions and feelings by scheduling 20 mins per day to worry about things. During that time write down all the things that you are worried about and live this moment to the fullest, but only during this scheduled time.

Invest your time only for meaningful and purposeful activities. Set a routine and protect yourself from “energy vampires” and stressors that take you away from your important scheduled tasks. Break away from distractions and envision yourself accomplishing your goals. Reset when you feel tired and find new inspiration to keep you on track.

When you know what a no feels like in your body, it frees you to stand by your Yes. If this is not a relatable feeling to you yet, start small and build up from there. Try with buffering 15 minutes between a zoom call, or allowing a break between pitches. Small physical space builds your comfort with spaciousness and clarity over forcing or overwhelming yourself to success.

Maintain work-life balance during a career change by setting clear boundaries between work and personal time. Prioritize tasks and create a structured schedule to manage your time effectively. Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout. Communicate your needs and limits with family and friends for support. Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques to manage stress. Focus on self-care activities like exercise, hobbies, and adequate sleep. Stay organized and flexible, allowing for adjustments as needed. By balancing your responsibilities and well-being, you can navigate the transition smoothly and sustainably.

Embrace possibilities with an open mind and remember that nothing is ever fixed. Life is a flux, an endless fluctuation of complexities. You have to be ready for surprises and be brave to shift to a new mindset when needed. #lifeisaflux

While having a clear plan is crucial for reaching your goals, being flexible is equally important. Flexibility allows you to reprioritize and adjust as needed. Concentrate on what you can control, rather than what's beyond your control. Celebrate each step forward and practice self-compassion along the way.

Mindfulness was invaluable to me when I switched careers from finance to tech. However, I noticed that I sometimes viewed meditation as a 'stress ball,' something to blow off steam. This led to thoughts like, "I can’t wait to get home and meditate; I really need it today." On reflection, I’ve recognized that this approach has two issues. First, it focuses on an imagined, future, more peaceful state rather than the present, and second, it treats meditation as the only source of calm. The real power of mindfulness is recognizing that you can 'get off the ride' during mental states that are not useful to you. By being present, you can manage stress more effectively throughout the day, not just during meditation sessions.

Set Realistic Goals: Break down your career transition into manageable steps. Setting realistic, achievable goals can prevent overwhelming feelings and help you maintain control over your career path. Maintain a Routine: Try to keep a consistent daily routine, regular sleep patterns, eating healthy, exercising, and carving out time for relaxation. Practice Mindfulness: Engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga. These practices can help centre your thoughts, calm your mind, and reduce anxiety. Seek Professional Advice: Don’t hesitate to seek advice from career coaches, mentors, or counsellors who can guide and support your career transition.

1. Take a breath. 2. Place your left hand on your heart. 3. Don't just read #3, do it. 4. Notice your exhale. 5. Stay here for 5 breaths. 6. You've just soothed your own nervous system. Repeat as needed.

Maintaining and nurturing relationships is especially important during a career change, as these can be sources of support. Communicate Openly: Keep lines of communication open with your family and friends. Share your experiences, challenges, and successes. Prioritise Important Relationships: Identify the most important relationships to you and make a conscious effort to nurture them. Network Actively: Networking isn’t just for professional gain; it can also offer emotional support and advice. Engage with peers, join professional groups, or attend industry events to connect with people. Show Appreciation: A simple thank you, whether through a note, a message, or a small gesture, can go a long way in maintaining strong relationships.

As you change your career you are likely to change your social circle reflecting your new activity and identity. However, you will also need a lot of support from your loved ones in this process. Try to find a balance between creating new connections and nurturing the relationships with those dearest to you. Reconnect with yourself and others in a mindful way.

Daily reflection is an untapped resource for many. Morning Reflection: Start your day with a few minutes of reflection to set intentions and plan. Evening Reflection: End your day by reviewing what went well, what could be improved, and how you felt. You can do this by journaling or meditating; and remember to celebrate your small wins!

Don't have time to reflect? Then set a timer for 10 minutes and do nothing. Watch your reaction. Then, send me a note on LI and let me know how it goes. 10 minutes of unfilled space, which means no scrolling too, will give you a quick check in with your mindset, which is very valuable information.

How do we know which way to go? What job to choose? What meal to eat? The answer is the same: Intention. When you know why you are doing something it is easier to do it. In life, when we have an intention set, we can bank on the fact that opposing forces will arise. Things that seem to be answers but really are tests of our resolve; this is part of clarifying and distilling the intention to its essence. It is not an indication of you doing anything incorrectly. In fact, it is best to expect the response to your resolve. We can’t do all the things at once though, but we can listen to Smokey Robinson: “Sooner or later it will all fall in line, if we take it one heart beat at a time.” Trust yourself; set your intention, see what follows.