Zapped! Day in and day out I am working. Rarely, do I ever get to rest or enjoy my life. Not only do I work over sixty hours a week, but I also have to maintain typical adult responsibilities while trying to be a good friend, daughter, sister, aunt, wife. To top it off, I also have to find time to take care of me! This is all such a difficult undertaking. I may make it through my days, but often times I am exhausted and crash hard by the end of the day. Unfortunately, I am not the only person who lives their life in this manner. To help those who are dealing with similar problems, I would love to share some advice that I heard recently:
It is all a juggling act. At some point, you’re going to have to drop the ball in order to catch another.
This literally means you have to prioritize your tasks. Sometimes you’ll have to drop the family ball in order to catch your ball or drop your ball to catch the career ball. The ball has to be dropped because
- You are not perfect. No one is. Stop trying to be perfect all the time and everything to everyone.
- You need balance. Realize that certain things are more important than others in that moment. A few examples:
- Are you going to miss your kid’s baseball game to meet a deadline at work? Yes, because it’s okay to not be at every game. Especially if this deadline is vital to your career and maintaining a job.
- Are you going to miss your kid’s baseball game to file paperwork or get your nails done? No, because those things can wait.
- You’ve been running around all week helping co-workers, friends, and family. It’s time to take care of yourself. Have a bubble bath. Pour a glass of wine. Unwind, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You are no good to anyone, if you are stressed and unhappy.
Find your balance and what works for you. Here are a few more key tips to helping you along the way:
Stop guilt tripping yourself!
Everyone will be just fine if you don’t give them 100% of your attention all the time. In fact, learning how to juggle all the various facets of your life will teach others how much you value your time and that you expect your boundaries to be respected.
Integrate work life and personal life.
They don’t have to be separate. Show your family what you do and ask them for help. Fresh eyes and different minds could be helpful to anything you’re working on.
Identify your priorities & reevaluate your various roles.
To find the balance, you need to let go of certain duties and focus on others. Ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to do this alone. I’m sure friends and family will love to be supportive any way they can.
Write a to-do list everyday & rank each task by importance.
Always start with the more time sensitive tasks. This will help focus your mind and allow you to work at a set pace. It’s all right if you don’t check everything off the list. You will get around to it.
Manage your stress.
Workout, meditate, take a nap, or whatever it is that helps you get rid of the anxiety and calm down. Being relaxed will make it better for you to cope with all types of situations and you will be more pleasant to be around.
Mastering this juggling act isn’t easy, but it will lead to a healthier, happier, and more sane person.
