Is Work/Life Balance Achievable?
Creating Healthy Habits
Hi, friends!
A not-so-little known fact about me: I’m BIG into self-care.
Self-care is the cornerstone of my approach to mental health treatment, and I am building businesses on self-care as a powerful health and wellness tool.
I’ve been curious lately about how other women have been taking care of themselves. I’ve been asking friends and colleagues, “So, what’s your healthy habit?” Potentially annoying…but I always think we can learn from each other and come up with new ways to take care of ourselves.
My healthy habit that I have definitely leaned into more this year is running. Running has always been a helpful tool to have in my back pocket, not only for the fitness aspects, but to help clear my head. It’s my therapy, my medicine, my meditation. As a busy working mom, I need SOMETHING! Like many busy moms, I struggle with work/life balance and all the things on my plate. The passion around running comes in waves for me and the waves always seem to hit me when I need them the most.
How Running and I Became Friends
Sidebar - I learned to run from my mom. When I was in late elementary school/middle school, she would literally drag me out of bed in the freezing cold while dark to run around the neighborhood with her. Freezing. We would sprint at the end of each run, her technique I still use today. In an effort to teach me to use my arms to help propel me forward during a sprint, my mom taught me to visualize I was pulling a rope with my hands to help me go faster. It works. I’ll never win any speed races, but I consider myself a decent sprinter. Thanks, mom!
For most of my “running career” I have consistently averaged about twenty miles per week. This equates to about 3-5 miles per day, 5 days per week. These days, though, I run pretty far and get pretty lost in my thoughts. I generally run as far as I can in about 1-1.5 hours, averaging upwards of forty miles per week. I explore my thoughts about things like family stuff, the work I want to do with upcoming clients, the type of mother I want to be, creative ways to prioritize my marriage, what’s going on with my career, the directions I want my businesses to go in…you get the picture. I find this time to be great for problem-solving and planning.
What this time most days of the week allows me is to assess my plate. I talked about this a bit the last time I wrote you a note. I’ve learned in my work with clients that most people have difficulty balancing their plates at ALL times. I shared with you that I’ve been giving too much to work lately. Despite having good reasons at times to focus too much in one area and maybe neglect others, it’s probably a good idea to work on balance.
Time Management is the Key to Achieving Balance
Ultimately, balancing the plate looks like good time management. I know I’ve NEVER been good with time management and tend to procrastinate and avoid. But this is a skill I work hard with my clients to develop because I know it is an effective skill and my clients can change their worlds through mastery. So, I try to work on it myself so I can say I practice what I preach. 😊
The best way to balance your plate is by scheduling, scheduling, scheduling.
Setting a strict schedule and practicing adherence is the MOST effective way to manage time and balance your plate. A balanced plate means you are giving the most you can for a defined period of time to each area of your plate. I tell all of my clients – this is NOT easy! But, with practice, achieving work/life balance can be one of the most profound habits for health, self-care, work efficiency, family prioritization…you name it!
3 Steps to Get Started
Create a Schedule - To get started, I always suggest to my clients they determine if a handwritten schedule or virtual calendar is going to be the better option for them. I personally prefer the formal feel of putting pen to paper and using an actual planner to schedule out my days, weeks, months. And, I like to use pretty ones with stickers.
Fill in Your Day - Once a form of scheduling is identified, I think it can be helpful to fill in as much of a normal day as possible with times these tasks typically take place. Then, try to stick to those times. This could include wake-up times, mealtimes, dropping kids off/picking kids up times, getting to work/leaving work times, meetings and appointments, etc. For a few weeks, just stick to this schedule. Practice and see how closely you are able to follow this schedule.
Add Self-care - As you notice adherence, begin to add in things to the schedule that you hadn’t thought of or that you’d like to include. Maybe picking up the kitchen for fifteen minutes after your 7am cup of coffee is made. Or, a 30-minute telephone call to your best friend every Tuesday at 3pm. How about forty-five minutes at the gym on Fridays at noon? Whatever it may be, WRITE IT DOWN.
You’ve Got This!
The schedule will grow as you practice. Over time, you can compare the schedule to your plate to be sure each area receives the necessary attention each day/week/month.
What’s on my schedule this week?? Practicing giving more of my time to family and friends. My oldest daughter and I are planning a girls’ trip to visit friends out of the area – and I’m super excited.
What about you? What is unbalanced on YOUR plate and how can you schedule things differently for yourself in the upcoming week?
I hope included in your schedule this week is time to take care of yourself.
