Work / Life Balance, Is There Really Such A Thing?
April showers bring May flowers. April also brings spring break, baseball and the peak of the real estate season.
It’s enough to make even the most organized feel stressed.
How do you manage it all and keep some semblance of balance in your life?
Admittedly, I’m not a fan of the word balance when used in this way. I think it’s misleading and sets us up for failure.
A series of decisions about getting the RIGHT things done.
Here’s a mindset shift for you: Checking everything off your to do list is never going to happen. Even if it does, just wait 5 minutes and something else will magically appear. No amount of time blocking, meditating, or delegating is going to make that list go away.
- Does it make you money?
- Does it bring you joy?
If it doesn’t fit into one of those categories, it doesn’t need to be done. Or at least, it doesn’t need to be done by you.
Now you might be thinking, laundry doesn’t fit either of those categories but it still has to happen. Good point. Although, you could argue that it does make you money. It’s hard to get a Buyer to ride in the car with you if your clothes are dirty and smelly.
Your goal is to take everything that doesn’t fit into those 2 categories and see if you can outsource or eliminate it.
We all have things on our to do list because we think they are “supposed” to be there. Not because we want to do them or they benefit us. Hint: if it’s been on your list for more than 2 weeks it probably falls into this category. Cross 5 of them off your list right now.
Ahhhh. See, don’t you feel more balanced already?
Your next step is to allow someone else to do something for you. Maybe the receptionist puts together your next mailing, or you hire a book-keeper so that you are not up to 1am reconciling your accounts.
It doesn’t mean that you hire lots of full-time staff, but each thing you let go of brings you closer to being in balance with your true priorities in life.
I find that the people who are the most stressed and out of balance are the ones who have the hardest time letting go. They feel like they have to do everything themselves. Here’s something to consider. There are people out there who do certain things better and faster than you. Let them help you.
Also know that as your business and life evolves, so should your list of what you delegate. Just because you did certain tasks in the past doesn’t mean you should still be doing them today.
Make it your goal to delegate something in the next week.
Here is one last mindset shift that I’d like to leave you with today:
There is seemingly never time for what is important or to be balanced. Successful and happy people make the time for it.
Never confuse busy with successful.
Nicole
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