How can you maintain a healthy work-life balance as a self-employed corporate communications professional?

Well to use a cliche, I love what I do and do what I love. I find conceptualising a new production most daunting, that’s where everything I have read, the movies I have seen, the music I have heard, the people I have met, my travels converge. It then starts to come together and at a moment of inspiration falls into place. The pre production, scripting, production and post follow. Here it is distributed leadership with talented collaborators and that is fun. Over years I have learnt to carry this out with short breaks. What I am not very good at is marketing the final product also because I get on to the next production. Over years I find I enjoy the journey and not only the final product. May I add, long walks and meditation helps.

In my experience some jobs pay very well with no major impact on your family life but others only take on freelancers to handle the jobs other team members don’t want to and promises are made in handling emergency projects which do take major time and resources to deliver. Honesty only takes you so far and I generally commit far more than I have agreed too or the project will fail. Don’t be unrealistic and make sure that commitment is well compensated.

A healthy work-life balance begins with you understanding that you have to be well mentally and physically to be able to perform at your optimum. As a corporate communications senior manager, I have to show by example how to manage my time and how to prioritize the important things. Wellness, mental health and the ability to be your true self are crucial to getting the team to enjoy their work. Creating an environment that allows for everyone to embrace the challenges even as we celebrate successes reminds everyone that a balance is needed to ensure you live a positive life and enjoy what you do. These two elements are crucial to any team seeking to ensure not only a healthy work-life balance but a thriving team that is productive & happy.

Boundaries are so important. Define your working hours and communicate it proactively. Do not over-commit and agree to only that much work that you can handle. As a self-employed professional myself, I understand the need to accept all work that comes our way; however, it is essential to create a work-life balance proactively to avoid stress and burnout.

For me it was really hard because my clients and business always had priority. In one instance this prioritization actually saved my life, because as I was seeking to insure myself as a "key-man" in the business the insurance company I went to demanded that I get a medical check-up, one that found I had an advanced stage of prostate cancer--fortunately at a point where it was still treatable. This was a fluke. It is much more common for entrepreneurs to work themselves to death through neglect of their own health. Knowing this risk and that as a dead person they will not be able to run anything on this earth, sane entrepreneurs build into their plans routines that address their own health needs.

It’s important to learn your own rhythms … when you are your most productive, most creative and also when you are at the point of diminishing returns. Then, plan your schedule around what works best for you personally.

I like to take things slow on Mondays. One of the anxiety measurements I had in the past was Blue Mondays and Sunday's stress pre-start of the week. I don't want to experience that ever again! I now begin work for my clients in the mid-day on Mondays, reserving my Monday mornings for non-work tasks that bring me happiness. This approach provides me with the motivation and energy needed to kickstart the week properly ?? The important action here is to do what works best for you.

Time track even if you don’t have a stop watch. Plan per client, per task. Focus on your client’s objective and forecast time needed. Start and stop as needed. Record what you’re doing, how much time it took, how you were successful, and where. List and categorize each period of time as a campaign. Repeat daily or weekly.

I agree that it’s so important to plan your time and include your personal stuff - those hobbies, time for walks, the gym if that’s your thing. Planning these in - and making them visible to others if possible - demonstrates how important it is to you, and allows you to ‘give yourself permission’ to do it when the time comes. Regular breaks mean you come back with fresh perspective and feel refreshed, even in the most stressful of times.

Asana + Google Calendar are my top two tools to plan my work schedule. These two helps to organise and measure productivity, and maintain client deliverables.

One thing that has thus far stood out in my communications career is the huge benefit derived from collaborating with like minds. The assumption that one can go it alone can be quite limiting and counter productive. Suffice to say that it is also pertinent to carefully identify the specific areas where in-house delegation, outright outsourcing and hybrid collaboration, are to be deployed on needs basis.

Outsourcing or delegating to the right persons is key for productivity and success in corporate communications. Knowing who, when and what to delegate that can ease stress and improve productivity for both you and yours clients. I have freed up productive time and be able to prioritise strategic deliverables by simply outsourcing or delegating

Another way to look at outsourcing is to make use of social media management tools. You can use these tools to schedule social media posts in advance and at any time of the day or night. This is especially useful if you have international clients outside your time zone.

You won't be great at everything, and there are always tasks in self-employment that you'll hate doing. The benefit is that you know the value of your time, usually down to the dollar. If you can delegate a task at a lower cost that your own value for the time - it's really a simple cost/benefit analysis. Factoring in the management of a contractor, of course.

Outsourcing is always the perfect way to ensure you balance your work and life as a corporate communication proffessional. Corporate Communication field involves accomplishing many tasks and mostly, one can not implement them alone. I have a team of proffessional associates that I work with all the time and i know their strengths in each task. That greatly helps me to mostly supervise and iam able to have more time with enjoying life, while strategically working??

Yes! Vacations! You earned it and you need to step away from work. Explore new places or revisit favorites. Reconnect with others. Learn something new about a community, eat foods specific to where your are visiting, or try a new experience such as a class or activity from that region. Meet new people, whether on your travels or at your destination. Sleep in. Or not. Pause and reflect. Gain a new perspective or appreciation. All of that has to be done by closing the laptop, setting down your phone, and taking time off.

It’s important to build community as a communications professional - whether as a self employed person or as an in-house communications expert. It's essential to seek regular support and validation from others in the field to ensure that your work aligns with best practices and industry standards. Working as a self-employed corporate communications professional can indeed be isolating, and having a community of peers can provide you with valuable feedback, guidance, and a sense of belonging. Networking with fellow professionals not only enhances your knowledge and skills but also opens doors to new opportunities and collaborations.

Community is very important and can help a professional identify those elements -such as tools, calendars, or routines- that make work-life balance possible. I've just returned from such a community event and the knowledge, learning, and camaraderie were priceless. It costs time and money to belong but for the inspiration, it is worth the price.

LinkedIn helps A LOT to learn from other professionals. I like to interact and share my opinions with colleagues to build relationships with them. One thing that I do is to not limit my interactions to the professional realm or keep my communications too formal. Having a laugh or two in DMs helps me to feel better throughout the day, especially in the self-isolating environment our profession has. Just as I'd do at the office!

Networking for Support: Connect with fellow freelancers for shared experiences and support. Set boundaries Embracing Flexibility with Structure: Establish a structured routine for stability while leveraging the flexibility of self-employment. Mindfulness Practices: Incorporate mindfulness activities to alleviate stress and create mental space. Periodically evaluate commitments and be willing to delegate or adjust timelines. Invest in ongoing professional development to enhance efficiency. Regularly align projects with personal and professional goals. Acknowledge and celebrate milestones to foster a positive mindset. Embracing a Learning Mindset Introduce moments of digital detox to promote mental relaxation.

Again, this is where a tribe or community is priceless. Often, friends and even family do not understand. To many, they have little understanding of the entrepreneurial spirit and its challenges. If the community is not enough, hire a professional coach in your field. If it's too overwhelming, seek help from a therapist.

Like with any self employed jobs, setting clear boundaries and managing time effectively is essential. Prioritize tasks by distinguishing between urgent and important activities, and leverage productivity tools to stay organized. Allocate specific times for work and adhere to them as you would for a meeting. Learn to say no to projects that exceed your capacity, and consider outsourcing or automating certain tasks to focus on core activities. Cultivate interests outside work to foster a sense of well-being, and ensure you disconnect from work during off-hours to spend time with family and friends, rejuvenating your mind and spirit for the challenges of a dynamic work environment.

?? Clients deserve top-notch work and solid results regardless of one's position. A salient point here is the importance of having a community to exchange ideas, spot trends, talk tricks of the trade and to discuss pitfalls. Internal and external pressures drive perfectionism which is pervasive in the workplace.

Prendre du recul Un indépendant est constamment au premier rang de son business, les mains dans le cambouis. être cet expert est indispensable pour faire progresser son affaire… mais pas suffisant. Pour mener son entreprise à un niveau supérieur, il faut aussi savoir prendre du recul et saisir cette ??big picture??, bref ne pas laisser le quotidien avaler tout notre temps et notre énergie. S’agira-t-il des moments dédiés dans la semaine ? Des congés ? Retraites ? à chacun sa formule. Au besoin, inscrivez ces moments dans votre agenda. Et comment faire ? Prendre le pouls du marché, sonder votre ressenti pour telle ou telle tache, analyser les forces et les faiblesses de vos projets récents… bref prendre de la hauteur pour mieux piloter.

Do what's best for you. It might take trial and error - are you a morning person? Do you work best with deadlines? Is a midday break helpful to your general mindset? Everyone is full of "best practice" advice, but only you can know what makes you successful. The emergence of the remote workplace allows everyone to do their best work without the constraints of the typical workday structure. Take advantage of this.