The Critical Importance of Creating Balance

I have been a part of the remote workforce for years now with a tendency to be a workaholic and to be honest, I have been trying to create this thing called “balance” for over 10 years.

2020 brought the reality check….

Pushing too hard will create exhaustion and demotivation for the things once loved. It will force you to choose a side, leaving those that need you the most as second choice. It will leave your body unhealthy and tired and create a mental guilt for all the balls you think you have dropped.

The fix often sounds so simple:

• Drink more water
• Make sure you exercise
• Spend more time with your family
• Make sure you pick a time to switch off and stick to it….

But in reality, it is not always that easy to do when you have a burning desire to go above and beyond, when deadlines and bills are a reality and when customer experience means more to you than just a buzzword.

My advice—YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE YOU FIRST EVERY SINGLE DAY!

You have to make a schedule that works for you and that makes you feel fulfilled and not exhausted and create a routine that allows you the time with those most important to you, so you won’t have regrets later.

Here are a few tips based on my learnings from 2020:                                                                                  

• Create time in your diary to be with your kids, to have coffee with your friends and to make family a priority
• Time manage yourself by using a digital app on your phone which will help you prioritise your day
• Streamline the operations of your business with skilled, trusted contractors/freelancers that can help you do the heavy lifting, giving you the flexibility to scale up or down as required and frees up your time for you to focus on your areas of strength
• Install software where possible without removing the human touch to increase your productivity
• Pick a time when you have your most energy to exercise
• Have someone as your safe place that you can chat to about the good, the bad and the ugly. A sounding board is more of a stress reliever than you could ever imagine.
• Be kind to yourself. Don’t let the pressures of perfection ruin your peace. It will take you longer to get things done with this mindset.
• Remove yourself from people that drain your energy and add no value to your life. Your energy is valuable, don’t waste it.
• Give yourself the weekends (or at least 1 day in the weekend) to rest, recoup and regain focus. Working 7 days a week is unsustainable and will leave you feeling drained and unproductive in the long term.

I too am still learning to take my own advice but am grateful for the lessons of 2020 – I have developed a new perspective as a small business owner, I have wonderful clients who are kind and compassionate and I have a renewed gratitude for the things that are truly important in life – family!

Happy New Year to you all!

In this coming year I CHOOSE ME! Make sure you choose you!