“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”
– Alan Cohen
Do you ever go through a time in your life that is exciting and full of promise but also kicks you in the ass on a regular basis? That has been my 2020.
I’m sure most of you read that last sentence and thought, “Yeah, me too lady”!
The year 2020 will forever be defined as the year of perseverance and perspective and one that for me has been equally amazing and challenging.
My business grew like crazy this year which is really exciting, but like most of 2020, the influx of business came in quick and fast. I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare and quite honestly, I burned out trying to keep up.
As we grow close to the end of the year, I have been reflecting on where I am at in both my business and personal life which forced me to do a little digging into my soul. The main theme that kept coming up is balance (or lack thereof). Yearning to find it and prioritize it for the sake of my personal and professional health is no longer an option.
I have been known to push through and ignore my body when it’s telling me that I need to rest it and for a long time, I thought pushing through was somehow being bad-assed!
I often put others ahead of me and after burning myself out again and again, I have decided to draw a line in the sand (she says writing this blog at 11:30pm the night before it’s due). NO MORE!
I am tired of constantly burning the candle at both ends and then the middle too. I want to be able to shut down after my workday is done and be able to rest and spend time with my husband and boys laughing and just being present. (And when I say workday, that’s 8 hours, not 12!)
What really shook me was last week I went upstairs when we normally have dinner and I went up to see that my husband and boys were almost done with dinner. They have learned to not wait for me because I get so wrapped up in what I am doing. It was a huge sucker punch to the gut. My husband was trying to be kind about it, but he said that we don’t expect you and just do our own thing.
This is not good enough and not what I signed up for when I started my business!
When I started my business, it was with the intention of freeing up more time and being available to my family more. Honestly, so far… all it’s done is tied me to working 60-70 hour weeks and missing out on moments that I can’t get back.
So I am choosing to draw a line in the sand.
I am choosing to hustle less and live more and quite honestly I am so ready!
I don’t want to build my business at the cost of my family. I don’t want to put my health at risk at the cost of building a business but I also don’t want to put my business dreams aside either. I want to be happy and inspired for my clients and to really show up for them because I have the balance I need to make my life fun again! I want to dance in the kitchen and make silly jokes with my boys because that’s what we do!
So I have decided to share my goals with you to live a more balanced life! These goals are so I can show up better for family, clients, myself and my goals!
I am going to stop:
- Saying yes to jobs and tasks that I shouldn’t.
- Answering client emails and calls outside of business hours.
- Overscheduling myself with client calls, tasks, expectations, etc.
- Agreeing to help when I really don’t have the time.
- Putting other businesses ahead of my own all the time.
- Eating garbage and not taking care of myself
- Being glued to my desk and get up to move my body more
- Staying up late to complete work
- Ignoring my body when it tells me to rest.
Instead, I will:
- Only agree to work on projects that light my soul on fire!
- Set up boundaries with clients and protect my time!
- Be more intentional with my time and how I choose to use it!
- Make time for my own business by blocking off CEO days!
- Make a plan to eat healthier and drink more water!
- Make a commitment to move my body for 30 minutes every day!
- Invest in better sleep by making sure to get my 8 hours which means being in bed by 10:30 pm.
- Listen to my body when it needs to rest and honouring that it knows best.
To finish my very long and vulnerable point, setting boundaries in your business and finding balance isn’t a privilege, it’s a right that you owe your business and those that matter most to you.
There is a reason why the phrase work/ life balance is so popular.
I really believe that this is something that we all struggle with on occasion and getting your priorities/ boundaries established early will help you love your business and feel more fulfilled as you navigate through life.
Let me know if any of these goals or stories resonate with you by commenting below. We are all human and I appreciate you letting me be vulnerable today.
If you are struggling like I am or interested in being a part of my free community, please click here. The Lumiera Lounge is a collaborative and positive place for female business owners like you, to come together and support each other. The Lumiera Lounge is a place to ask questions, share your knowledge, offer and give support to those who are where you were and to be motivated by those who are where you want to be!
Have a great week!
