Women's Mindset Revolution

The elusive work life balance! LOL! What I've done to give myself back some time and some sanity is using the technology to work for me. I've learned not to react to every email that pushes through my inbox. I may read it as soon as it comes in but I remind myself that not everything is an emergency. This comes in handy after hours (i.e., 6 pm). Most often, anyone that needs to work on this is no longer available and if it's an emergency, you have process in place to handle these things. Also as a rule, I don't take any action on Saturdays to give myself and my team a break. Still does not translate to not being informed, however, knowing that I have one day to focus on my own personal well being, brings that balance to you. My team is aware that Saturdays are sacred however, if it is warranted, I am reachable. That's all anyone can really ask for. Good luck!

This is a very familiar scenario! Technology has made the opportunity to step away from work nearly impossible. I have a couple of ground rules I've incorporated into my daily routines in the last few years that have really helped. First, I plan a 30-minute quiet period in the morning where I can center myself for the day and thoughtfully review the day before (more about that later). I guess some people call this meditation, I call it centering. But whatever. I also schedule time for exercise. If I don't schedule it, it won't happen. And if it doesn't happen, my whole life falls apart. I also plan to eat regularly -- for me, that means breakfast and dinner. During these scheduled events, I don't answer the phone; however, my team knows if they really need me to text me -- I will respond to texts. And finally, I write about my day every night and then review it the next morning. This helps me focus on what I did well, what I would change in future situations, etc. This has been a very helpful exercise for me helping me be better! And finally, I've stopped answering my phone after 10 pm and before 5 am. If it's an emergency, I'll get a text -- and my whole team knows that. And, in reality, it's surprising how few emergencies there really are. You need some down time. Schedule it. It's challenging adjusting to this 24-hour / 7 days a week world and it will eat you alive if you don't set up parameters for your own well being. Once people are in the swing of it, it's better for your team, too. Everybody needs a little down time. Also, every day I intentionally think about things I'm grateful for and why they matter. That just keeps my state-of-mind healthy. Much success to you!