The hardest balance known to mankind. Or at least it seems that way!
Owning a small business, and working for one, requires those who LOVE to work, and LOVE what they do. That being said, it is so hard to learn the perfect balance of work and life, and we are not sure anyone has actually figured this balance out. For those of you in your own careers, we would love to hear your thoughts on this fragile balance. Our team each has our own way of staying afloat, and below are some of our individual thoughts!
Janet
“So, I’m the queen of terrible work-life balance. Just ask anyone. All things Louisa Jane are my passion for obvious reasons – and since all my hobbies turned into my job, I pretty much eat, sleep, breathe….you get the picture. My brain is constantly running in all sorts of directions, and it’s really hard for me to shut it off. I don’t sleep well, I’m a chronic yawner (per my team), and I multi-task 24-7, which all adds up to me being somewhat distracted most of the time. I’m sure I drive the team crazy. However, I love it, which is why I do it! (My work, that is, NOT driving the team crazy. Lol!)
The balancing act is a non-stop work in progress. My husband helps me with that – a lot. He is the reason I want to go home at night instead of staying at the office when I have it to myself. He loves to vacation as much as I do, which is the ultimate de-stresser for me. Getting away, preferably out of the country, is the one way I can totally leave it all behind. I don’t have a global phone plan exactly for that reason! Spending time in peaceful places is so relaxing, but trekking around in old cities or quaint towns is super inspiring to me and I love that just as much.
I’m also blessed with a fabulous group of friends and family. People are a NECESSITY to me and I’m blessed with the ones I have around me. Our social calendar is always full (probably an unhealthy amount sometimes), but too much alone time has never done me any favors. Good thing I married an outgoing man! In the middle of it all, I listen to music. Music is a huge part of my life and it brings me back to the center of things. Sometimes you just have to crank up the worship tunes and praise our God who created us and gave us talents to further His Kingdom. He is good, all the time.”
Brenda E.
“I am constantly trying to figure out how to do this! One thing I try to stick by as best I can is to have a set time to leave work each day. Period. That way I can get home to eat dinner with my family as much as possible and have some down time in the evenings, which I need! I book “plans” on the calendar to keep some free time outside of work to just catch up on life and family and not overbook my personal life either! My family is super important to me, especially as a mother!”
Katy
“All I can say from my perspective as a wife and a working mother-of-boys (ages 6 and 2), is that it’s a daily balancing act. I wouldn’t even say some days are better than others, but I will say I have started to give myself a little more slack when I don’t meet my own expectations. Life is not slowing down and I can not speed up anymore. We have such busy schedules ALL the time that I would be lost without my google calendar ( I schedule way more things than I thought I would ever need) – it helps me stay organized. I truly appreciate the technology we have in 2020 and how fast that has evolved. We are able to stay connected with people in so many ways! That being said, I will also say that my balancing act for this fast-paced life is to turn it all off and just be with the people I love. It calms my mind and sits well with my soul.”
Danielle
“I believe this is not an easy task at all but it IS knowing what you value in life. This also comes from the season of life that you’re in at the moment. As a single woman, work was easily more of a high priority in my life then then life in general. It was a matter of working to get ahead and working to be the best that I can be. Now that I have a husband and a baby on the way, balancing work and life is something I strive for more because at the end of day it is these moments that count! These are the memories that I’ll take to the grave with me.
So how do I do that? By saying “no”. I’m probably the biggest hypocrite by saying this because I am terrible at saying no, but I’m in this season of life right now where at the end of the day I’m stressed and overwhelmed and feel I’ve spread myself too thin for too many people and not for myself. I regret not saying no way too often, so currently I am working on the “no” word! This helps me be more present in every situation and event that takes place in my life.
My other secret is making lists! We always have tasks flashing through our minds to be done – write it down! Whether it is simple taks like getting groceries or making the bed or running to the post office – write it down and check it off. It is mentally rewarding that I’ve accomplished something.
My third and final way of balancing is just knowing when to walk away. Knowing that your job for today is done and everything else can wait for tomorrow. I am learning to not force myself to spend the extra hours completing it – literally learning to just drop the pen, clock out, and walk away.”
Reuben
“I have a different approach – while also plays into my personality. There is no “balance” for me – I just let both flow together rather than trying to keep them separate. This works for me as long as I feel I have consistent time for both and don’t become overwhelmed. Having a job with seasons that fluctuate also allows room for “catching up”. I enjoy being needed and trusted to do whatever needs done and this helps create motivaton at work. Having freedom to pursue creative outlets outside of work that challenge me also helps me to have a sense of personal satisfaction, which then in turn creates more ambition and creative insight in my job. Staying positive and spending time with true friends and good food helps me to balance any inequalities of life and work.”
So there you have it! We all have a slightly different take on this balancing act. At the end of the day, however, we would all admit that this is a constant learning curve in our lives – different seasons require different amounts of both life and work. We are okay with this ebb and flow, because we love what we do. For YOU.
What are your thoughts on this balancing act? We would love to hear!
