Dress: Jessica Simpson | Heels: Similar | Purse: Michael Kors (new version) | Earrings: Kendra Scott | Ring: Charming Charlie
I will be the first to say that I definitely don’t have everything figured out when it comes to having a work-life balance and I am still trying to get a handle on working 2 jobs. I guess you could say that I have always bitten off more than I can chew. I think that stems from a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out). Yes that is a real thing, and yes I definitely suffer from this insane disease.
From taking a look at my Instagram or other social media, I probably look like I have my stuff together. (And if I don’t, feel free to continue letting myself think that I do). But in all actuality, most days I am teetering on the edge of insanity. My poor body no longer knows what sleep is. My full time job is not getting the 100% undivided attention that it deserves. Blog deadlines have come and gone. And to top it all off my social life is hanging by a thread. Let’s not even attempt to throw a boy into that mix because that would really make things come crashing down.
So to help myself try to gain a little more control and take back my work-life balance, I’ve tried to enforce a few rules. I am definitely failing on several of these accounts but slowly but surely I think they will be a good base to get to where I want and need to be. Not just for sanity’s sake, but for an overall health stand point.
Plan. Plan. Plan
My friends hate to be “penciled” in and I hate being the friend that never has time to hang out, so I’ve started purposely leaving days open in my ever-growing planner. Most of my weeks are scheduled 2-4 weeks in advance with blog events, happy hours, meeting new people, and anything else that pops up. Having so many things to do can be stressful at times, but planning it all out and making sure I specifically pencil in personal time on top of blog or work events is a must.
Practice Saying No
It is not in my DNA to turn anything down, especially something that sounds like a fun opportunity! I like to think of myself as a “yes girl” that is always up for anything and let’s not forget the FOMO problem. Well even super heroes need a break every once and a while to cool off and recharge the batteries. You cannot function at your prime if you are overrunning yourself or not penciling in down time.
Avoid Multitasking
I don’t care if you claim to be a pro multitasker, it’s not possible. Each area of your life deserves your undivided attention and if you want “balance” while still maintaining dedication to each area of your life, then give 100% to each area. I am the queen of trying to do 3 things at once and failing to get a single thing done. For some reason we have this idea in our head that we have to get everything done in as little time as possible so we try to do multiple things at once. I’ve quickly learned that this ends up stressing me out even more than if I had I just completed one task at a time. So when you are with friends or family put your phone down. When you are working, don’t tempt yourself to watch TV.
Eliminate Wasted Time
This is not to say don’t ever take time for yourself. This is more so a reminder that there are several things that we do throughout the day where we could have made better use of our time. Who else spends an ungodly amount of time on social media? I am the first to admit that it is the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check before bed. That’s probably at least an hour out of my day that I waste on social media that I could be doing something productive. Some things we don’t even realize we waste time on. For example maybe it is spending too much time getting ready in the morning, running errands in an inefficient manner, or pressing snooze one too many times.
Have Fun
This probably sounds like a no brainer but for us #girlbosses sometimes we need that reminder. I know I get so caught up in what I constantly need to be doing that I worry more about deadlines and to-do lists than what really matters in life. Somehow I easily forget what a night off with friends and laughter does for the soul. I don’t know about y’all but wine and girlfriends make for some pretty fun nights and always leave me refreshed (if i don’t go overboard with the wine that is) and inspired.
One of my favorite quotes reads “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life”. I’ve been under this impression that if I can just get a grasp on 2 jobs, a social life, and dating that I will finally have everything figured out. Well after almost 9 months of having 2 jobs and a teetering social life, I can tell you that it is easier said than done. I am slowly but surely trying to live up to that saying though, even if I have to constantly remind myself to have fun every once and a while or that I have to turn down some events. I would love to hear how you do it all and any tips that you have for me! O and if you have any remedies for a serious case of FOMO I’d love to hear your suggestions on that one too!
Photography by: Julie Soefer