How can you balance your work and personal life in a content strategy career?

Determine what is the most important thing for you and where your responsibilities fall. Once you learn what is the most important, make sure to set boundaries otherwise you will be dealing with 3AM fire drills on a regular basis.

Balancing your work and personal life in a content strategy career comes down to what is most important to you at any given time - and setting boundaries where needed. When first starting in your career, you might feel that you are at the whim of a boss or a client. You might need to set aside more time for work at that stage in your career. But as you move up in your career, you can make moves to protect valuable personal time. Here are my Top Two Tips after working from home for 13 years, raising 4 kids, and with a husband who also works from home. ?? Add a disclaimer to your email that you will get back to them within 24 hours. ?? No working from a phone. If it's important enough to disrupt personal time, go to a computer.

The boundaries between work and personal life become especially blurred for anyone who works remotely. Recently, I reinstated a boundary-setting practice that works best for me: No screens before 8am or after 8pm. So many of us allow our mornings and evenings to be dominated by digital information—whether that's found in our inboxes, social feeds, YouTube comments...the list goes on. You've gotta "take the power back," as I like to say. If you allow external forces to dictate how you start and end your day, you won't be in control. When you lose this, you'll feel like you're always at the mercy of others—and you and your work will suffer. So, take the power back by setting boundaries in a way that works best for you.

Maintain a healthy work-life balance by establishing clear boundaries. Define your work hours, communicate them, and create a dedicated workspace to minimize distractions. Surprisingly, 78% of employees who set clear work-life boundaries report lower stress levels. Resist checking emails or messages outside work hours to prevent burnout and respect your time. Setting these boundaries not only fosters a balanced life but also enhances productivity and overall well-being, contributing to a more sustainable and fulfilling work routine.

Boundaries are everything. Especially if you're a freelance content strategist. If you don't specifically state it in the deliverables, your clients will take advantage of you, so make sure you write down everything that's included/not included. By doing so, you will have a clear scope of work and plan your free time accordingly.

Maintain work-life balance by planning and prioritizing tasks. Clearly define goals, deadlines, and expectations, breaking them into manageable steps. Surprisingly, 92% of professionals find productivity increases with effective prioritization. Leverage tools like calendars and project management software for organized workflow. Planning ahead enhances focus and efficiency, reducing the likelihood of procrastination and overwhelm. Prioritization not only fosters a balanced life but also elevates overall productivity, ensuring a smoother journey in both professional and personal domains.

There are so many varieties of project management framework and method, whether you use OKR, KPI, Sprint, 12 weeks year or anything else. Planning ahead can also gives you a vision on when you can slow down and rest

Strike a balance by delegating and collaborating in your professional and personal life. Know when to seek assistance or outsource tasks, leading to a 20% increase in productivity for those who effectively delegate. Collaborate with diverse professionals to enhance ideas and content quality. Leveraging a collaborative approach not only saves time and resources but also enriches your work, fostering a dynamic and supportive work environment. Embrace delegation and collaboration for a more efficient and well-rounded work-life integration.

Ever since I've put a focus on connecting with other creatives in my specialized space I've been able to delegate much more with confidence. This has really helped with my work life balance. These are a few takeaways from having hired on over 30 different contractors for my agency's projects: 1. Hiring the right people amplifies your content. When I went from freelancer who filmed and edited everything to agency, I feel that it made my brand jump 20 more years of experience. 2. Alway hire the outgoing, self doesers. Everyone on a set is a reflection of your company. Having great collaborator and fun people to bring good energy onto the project amplifies the collaboration and client experience.