Work Life Balance: The Struggle is Real

I was recently lucky enough to be featured on the new and fabulous Agency Life Podcast: a podcast with marketers sharing their stories and experiences in the fast paced industry. One of the first questions I was asked was “how do you do it all?”

Well. I don’t.

Haven’t we all been asked that at one point or another? How do we find the balance between bustling careers and a happy home life? As a new-ish entrepreneur, I remember the pure joy of taking the leap to quit my job and start my own business. The fantasy of endless vacation days, building my own schedule and cooking a homemade meal every evening for dinner was quickly squashed by the reality of business ownership: it never stops.

Over the course of the last year, I have experienced the ups and downs, anxiety attacks and pure glee at the score of a new client, and too many WTF moments to count. I learned quickly that if I wanted to have a balanced life I had to create a balanced life. It was no one else’s responsibility to do this for me, and in fact, most people were going to actively work against my goals. The reality is, everyone is trying to wrap up work and get the monkey off his or her back just like I am; and it will never end.

So what do we do? Skip out on family activities because we don’t have time? (No). Let our gel nails grow out too long so they become unsightly? (Hell no). We need to schedule and prioritize in order to achieve the ultimate goal of business ownership bliss. Here are my best tips for finding your balance and reducing the chaos:

1. ​Pick meeting days: One of the biggest issues I had right up front was scheduling a meeting every day, therefore removing me from the office and taking away from the time I needed to actually get work done. Pick 2-3 days per week you are willing to meet with people and leave the other two free and clear to check emails and conduct business. I do Mondays and Fridays so I feel like I’m starting and ending the week right.
2. Pre-schedule days off: Even if you don’t have a single vacation planned, you’re going to need a day off. Plan for long weekends when you know important life events are happening, or maybe when you know the weather will warm up. You cannot pour from an empty glass: take care of you first.
3. Take mental health days: If you are feeling overwhelmed, dizzy, anxious, whatever, are you really producing your best work? Nope. Not even close. Mistakes are made when we’re burnt out or feeling exhausted. Spare yourself the hassle of redoing work you screwed up when you weren’t feeling your best self. People will understand.
4. Say no: This is a scary one for entrepreneurs. As a business owner with clients, I am constantly worrying about disappointing people. I try to accommodate, accommodate, accommodate! And then what happens? I show up late, I forget things, or I snap at people. When something is infringing on your schedule, say no. Or say, “later.” You are your best advocate and you know your limitations.
5. Shut the tech off and set boundaries: A few weeks ago I had to send a (loving, I swear) email to my team asking them to please stop texting outside of the 8am-6pm workday. I ask clients not to text me business-related things, rather email me. And if they do text, I respond with “can you please email me?”  I also refuse to do business over Facebook messenger. We as a culture need to be more respectful of one another’s boundaries. Every evening between 7-8pm I sit down, eat dinner, and watch Jeopardy (yes, really) with my husband, phone free. It may seem like a small window of time, but even just one-hour tech free helps me unwind from the day.

Above all, you know what is best for you. Spend some time setting up the life you want and stick to it. Only you can ensure you’re getting what you need from your daily life; go out there and get it, Chik!
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-Meghan Rothschild

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