Health, friendships, and my relationship with God are the first three things in my life to go when life get’s a little chaotic and let me tell you with wedding planning, moving into a new home, and starting the Sassy Club, life is crazier than it has ever been.
I love to work. I often say, it’s my biggest asset but my greatest downfall. I wake up hungry to hustle. It’s not about the money, the numbers, or the growth, it’s about the hustle. Not saying it’s a good thing, just being honest. The more I hustle, the more I see the other parts of my life starting to suffer. THIS is where I see the lack of work-life balance the most.
You’ve heard the age old advice, “Work to live, don’t live to work.” Sounds lovely, right? Yes, let’s all live by this motto. But holy heck, y’all…it’s not always so simple. I often find myself asking whether work-life balance really exists. Is it possible to actually have it all? In the ultimate pursuit of happiness, it seems like an impossible goal.
Sometimes life feels like a juggling act…and guys, I’m clearly not working at the circus. (People that watch my IG stories may disagree.)
Now, I’m no expert, and I’m figuring things out as I go, but here’s two things I know for sure: 1.) LOVE your work. 2.) Manage it effectively.
So what’s that mean? Lemme tell you some of the ways I am trying to create a better work life balance.
GO AFTER THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. Remember when you were a senior in high school and trying to figure out what the HECK to do with your life? Remember how your crazy Aunt Ida imparted a little nugget of wisdom: Find what you love, and find a way to make a living doing that. Well, turns out Aunt Ida wasn’t so crazy after all. It’s true—doing what you love makes work much more enjoyable and goes a long way in the quest for work-life balance BUT love the challenge to go after the change you want to impart on the world.
For me, it stemmed from scrolling Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook, etc and seeing some beautiful girls but now seeing their beautiful souls. I wanted to start a movement for transparency on the internet. So no. I don’t LOVE researching SEO strategy, brand deals, or even taking outfit pics when I don’t feel like it. However, I DO LOVE the mission that I am after and it makes every minute spent on my laptop worth it.
VALUE YOUR TIME. Managing your time is critical. Yeah, it’s great to be eager, proactive, and determined (hello, that’s what Sassy gals are all about!), but being a workaholic can be damaging. You gotta know when to take five, ladies. This start with knowing your time is VALUABLE.
FIND TIME TO TAKE FIVE. There will be times when the never-ending workday takes over your week (or month!), but those intervals MUST be balanced by down time. So what’dya like to do? What are your hobbies? For me, I like to go for runs in the park or do a devotional to really remind myself what’s important at the end of the day. It’s also important to surround yourself with people who bring you happiness (hello, FIANCE JORDAN). So whether it’s going out for drinks with your girlfriends, binge watching Netflix with your love, or going for a walk with your fur baby…companionship is KEY to keeping mental health in check.
MAKE YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE. Stress is an interesting thing…A little bit of it can actually be a good thing (Say what!?). Yes! In small doses, stress can act as a motivator and keep you focused. But too much can do the opposite and can even lead to illness (been there, done that).
LET GO OF MEASURING YOURSELF BY THE NUMBERS. I’ve started to run 6 days a week but I run for time, not for the mile markers. I used to be so concerned with getting to a certain marker by a certain time – but I’ve had to let go of competing with myself in every aspect of my life. I feel my body getting stronger, I persevere in the mornings its 32 degrees outside (like this morning I looked like a numbnut trying to stay warm lol see photo…)
In fact this morning, I ran longer than I had in almost 4 years (63 minutes straight!! I wasn’t even tired). Some of the biggest challenges for me are letting go of my perfectionism during the work day and forcing myself to be content where I am at life, and accept that sometimes I will be on my top game and other times; maybe not but IT IS OKAY. IT IS A PROCESS. And in a career like mine where I literally am my own job, it’s important not to put so much pressure on myself.
BALANCE THE SCALE. There’s a recurring dream that features a scale…On one side: Jordan, Hazel, my running shoes, the TV remote, and my sleep mask. On the other side: my laptop, planner, piles of notes and paperwork, and a phone that doesn’t stop ringing. (AHHHHHH…wake up! Wake up! Oh wait, I am awake. This is my life). The scale tips one way or the other from time to time, but mostly I do my best to keep it level.
So, does work-life balance really exist? I want to know how you deal with work-balance? What’s your story?
The truth is, there’s no right or wrong answer to this hotly debated question. What works for one gal might not work for the next. Everyone has different expectations, so I wanna know: What does work-life balance mean to you?
xo,
Dani
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