WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:15.304 --> 00:00:19.854 Booth: Today's topic on the podcast is kind of perfect timing because 00:00:19.854 --> 00:00:23.044 this is the end of Season 2. 00:00:23.454 --> 00:00:26.654 So after this episode, I'm going to take a couple months off during 00:00:26.654 --> 00:00:31.564 the summer and then we'll be back in August to bring you Season 3. 00:00:31.791 --> 00:00:35.591 So I'm taking the summer off from doing the podcast because I wanted to take a 00:00:35.591 --> 00:00:40.771 few things off of my plate and create a little more time to spend with family. 00:00:41.101 --> 00:00:46.361 My son has just finished his junior year in high school and the summers 00:00:46.361 --> 00:00:50.311 with him are quickly, quickly dwindling and so I want to make sure 00:00:50.311 --> 00:00:55.181 I have as much time as possible to be present with my family this summer. 00:00:55.559 --> 00:01:00.729 So that leads me right into today's topic on the podcast, 00:01:01.109 --> 00:01:04.549 and that is work life balance. 00:01:05.249 --> 00:01:11.249 Seems to be the million dollar question everyone always asks, especially us moms. 00:01:11.949 --> 00:01:17.229 An easy answer would be great, but the truth is there is not an easy answer to 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:21.469 how to find work life balance, and it looks a little differently for everyone, 00:01:21.479 --> 00:01:25.419 and it looks different depending on what phase or season of life you are in. 00:01:25.729 --> 00:01:29.269 So, what you have to focus on is what works for you. 00:01:29.596 --> 00:01:33.336 For example, when my son was small, I worked outside the home. 00:01:33.626 --> 00:01:38.236 My approach to work life balance, certain things I had to do, were much different 00:01:38.246 --> 00:01:40.666 than they are now that I'm self employed. 00:01:40.666 --> 00:01:41.856 He's a teenager. 00:01:41.866 --> 00:01:43.236 He can drive himself. 00:01:43.351 --> 00:01:44.061 Things like that. 00:01:44.181 --> 00:01:47.971 So, the calendar looks a little different as well as home life. 00:01:48.413 --> 00:01:52.393 Today I'm going to run through some tips, some little ideas for you to 00:01:52.393 --> 00:01:56.413 think about if you are struggling to find some work life balance. 00:01:57.113 --> 00:02:00.193 So, the first one is time management. 00:02:00.233 --> 00:02:05.998 It seems like a no brainer, But it's not always easy to manage time. 00:02:06.408 --> 00:02:08.408 Some people are better at it than others. 00:02:08.448 --> 00:02:13.178 So those of us who are not good at managing time definitely need to kind 00:02:13.178 --> 00:02:18.898 of have a plan of attack to make sure they wrangle in their time management. 00:02:19.034 --> 00:02:22.654 One of my absolute favorite things to do, and you've probably heard me talk 00:02:22.664 --> 00:02:25.804 about it before, is time blocking. 00:02:26.124 --> 00:02:30.704 Time blocking is a game changer for your schedule. 00:02:31.010 --> 00:02:35.620 And it also is easier said than done, and if you've never done it, it's 00:02:35.620 --> 00:02:39.420 going to take a little trial and error to figure out the little cushions you 00:02:39.420 --> 00:02:43.360 have to leave in for drive times and things like that, because focusing 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:47.145 on those details and making sure you allocate proper time really helps. 00:02:47.175 --> 00:02:51.845 Really is the key to making time blocking work and having ample time 00:02:51.855 --> 00:02:57.535 to get everything done in the actual amount of time that it takes to do it. 00:02:57.720 --> 00:03:01.300 So Google Calendar is a great tool to use on the go. 00:03:01.310 --> 00:03:05.140 You can put appointments in, it'll give you a little reminder, 00:03:05.150 --> 00:03:06.490 all of those kinds of things. 00:03:06.740 --> 00:03:12.040 But when it comes to time blocking, the old school pen and paper 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.280 generally seems to work better. 00:03:14.350 --> 00:03:16.220 And that is for a few reasons. 00:03:16.220 --> 00:03:19.350 So I like to sit down, usually on the weekends or something, and do 00:03:19.370 --> 00:03:24.280 a week at a glance style calendar for the week ahead to plan it out. 00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:28.710 I actually have linked a free download in the show notes if you want to 00:03:28.710 --> 00:03:32.970 print your own week at a glance to use to do your time blocking. 00:03:32.970 --> 00:03:36.990 And I start with my time blocking by putting in appointments that I have, maybe 00:03:36.990 --> 00:03:39.300 doctor's appointments, things like that. 00:03:39.330 --> 00:03:43.910 And then from there you prioritize what gets on the calendar and what doesn't. 00:03:43.910 --> 00:03:46.690 And color coding is a great tool. 00:03:46.990 --> 00:03:51.820 So I like to do all my work things in yellow, family things, things for my son 00:03:51.830 --> 00:03:56.750 in blue, and then my personal things like a yoga class, something like that in pink. 00:03:57.010 --> 00:04:03.565 So this visual that you get looking at your week at a glance, the task of 00:04:03.565 --> 00:04:08.015 writing it down, all of those kind of things, helps your brain process what 00:04:08.015 --> 00:04:12.055 you're going to have to do this coming week, and already kind of gets a game 00:04:12.055 --> 00:04:14.175 plan for how it's going to happen. 00:04:14.875 --> 00:04:18.275 And maybe you have clients that make appointments in something like a 00:04:18.285 --> 00:04:20.385 Calendly, or something like that. 00:04:20.385 --> 00:04:24.455 Be sure you link those kind of things to that Google Calendar, so 00:04:24.455 --> 00:04:28.925 when you're doing your week at a glance, you prioritize those client 00:04:28.925 --> 00:04:30.295 appointments that have been set. 00:04:30.438 --> 00:04:34.658 Additionally, I like to look at the month ahead periodically as well. 00:04:34.938 --> 00:04:38.078 It helps for planning out any long term projects so that you can 00:04:38.078 --> 00:04:41.868 break them down into pieces into that week at a glance calendar. 00:04:42.178 --> 00:04:45.458 And then you don't end up procrastinating things and then they 00:04:45.458 --> 00:04:48.588 become stressful and overwhelmed because they take over your schedule. 00:04:49.288 --> 00:04:52.028 Additionally, if there are any other goals or something you're trying to 00:04:52.028 --> 00:04:57.208 achieve, mapping them out on a long term and then having that into your 00:04:57.208 --> 00:05:00.908 week at a glance will help you achieve those and stay on track with them. 00:05:00.908 --> 00:05:04.288 And, of course, being able to achieve the things we want to do, get the things 00:05:04.288 --> 00:05:09.368 done we want to do, that creates a good mindset, keeps us from being stressed, 00:05:09.398 --> 00:05:12.798 and that is one key to work life balance. 00:05:13.498 --> 00:05:18.718 I also like to prioritize family time on the calendar before any other 00:05:18.718 --> 00:05:20.858 social obligations get put on it. 00:05:20.858 --> 00:05:25.238 We oftentimes find ourselves overwhelmed throughout the week with work. 00:05:25.258 --> 00:05:27.588 And then the weekend comes and all of a sudden we have a 00:05:27.588 --> 00:05:31.818 bunch of social obligations and family is what takes the hit. 00:05:31.932 --> 00:05:33.492 So don't let that happen. 00:05:33.502 --> 00:05:37.322 Go ahead and prioritize which social obligations are important 00:05:37.322 --> 00:05:42.392 to you and you can decline an invitation and it will still be okay. 00:05:42.492 --> 00:05:46.872 You will regret not spending the time with your family more than anything. 00:05:47.258 --> 00:05:51.233 So number two on my list is next is an organized household. 00:05:51.573 --> 00:05:56.303 And again, this one is much easier said than done and some people have an easier 00:05:56.303 --> 00:05:58.413 time with staying organized than others. 00:05:58.853 --> 00:06:02.763 So I'm going to give you some tips that will help you wrangle in the 00:06:02.763 --> 00:06:07.853 household and keep that from being another stressful part of your life. 00:06:08.553 --> 00:06:14.433 So communicate with your spouse about household duties, chores, tasks, all 00:06:14.433 --> 00:06:16.013 those things that need to happen. 00:06:16.713 --> 00:06:20.923 We, as moms, we tend to try to do it all, and then one day the 00:06:20.933 --> 00:06:24.863 overwhelm just boils up, and we kind of snap, and then everybody thinks 00:06:24.863 --> 00:06:26.553 we're the mean person, or whatever. 00:06:26.913 --> 00:06:28.753 So you want to avoid that happening. 00:06:28.753 --> 00:06:33.653 It's not good for anyone's mindset in the house, and it becomes a stressor. 00:06:34.353 --> 00:06:39.473 If you are a single parent, or maybe your spouse travels extensively, and 00:06:39.483 --> 00:06:43.053 you are are the one that's going to have to be in charge and getting a lot 00:06:43.123 --> 00:06:48.363 or almost all of the tasks done, then here are some tips for you as well. 00:06:49.063 --> 00:06:53.863 And this one works even if your spouse helps, but assign your kids chores. 00:06:54.193 --> 00:06:57.733 Feel like we all grew up with chores, but so many kids today 00:06:57.753 --> 00:07:00.253 don't really have chores anymore. 00:07:00.253 --> 00:07:04.913 Kids can help starting at a young age with things like dishes, laundry, feeding 00:07:04.913 --> 00:07:08.923 the dogs, taking out the trash, all sorts of things that have to get done. 00:07:09.623 --> 00:07:13.643 Chore charts can be a great way to make sure every task 00:07:13.653 --> 00:07:16.063 has someone assigned to it. 00:07:16.403 --> 00:07:21.003 It's also a great way to make your child feel accomplished and maybe there's a 00:07:21.003 --> 00:07:23.333 little prize or incentive tied to it. 00:07:23.383 --> 00:07:27.403 So the chore chart can be fun and it's a great way to know. 00:07:27.753 --> 00:07:31.293 All the household duties that need to get done have been assigned 00:07:31.303 --> 00:07:33.363 to someone other than you. 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:38.520 And while hiring someone to help doesn't fit everyone's budget, 00:07:39.030 --> 00:07:43.220 if that does fit your budget, do consider hiring someone to help. 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:46.000 Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. 00:07:46.050 --> 00:07:49.430 It's a sign of keeping your mind in check. 00:07:49.789 --> 00:07:53.879 Your time, your peace of mind is very, very valuable. 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:58.109 So, weigh your options with deciding to use some outside help. 00:07:58.219 --> 00:08:03.289 One of my favorite tried and true tips is to meal plan and prep. 00:08:03.369 --> 00:08:09.119 And, I will say that I'm not as dedicated to this as I was when my 00:08:09.119 --> 00:08:14.079 son was younger and it was, It's much, much more important to do it, but it 00:08:14.229 --> 00:08:20.299 still is such an effective tool for keeping both your calendar and your 00:08:20.299 --> 00:08:22.679 household organized and on track. 00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:28.849 It removes so much overwhelm from your evenings and saves so much time long term. 00:08:29.549 --> 00:08:34.109 I actually have done a course where I show you how to prep the entire 00:08:34.109 --> 00:08:38.759 week's worth of suppers in one hour, and in that time, you're also 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:40.859 prepping some lunches for the week. 00:08:40.909 --> 00:08:43.479 So I'll link that in the show notes as well. 00:08:43.479 --> 00:08:48.609 But when you can walk in the door after a long day at work and just slide a 00:08:48.609 --> 00:08:54.639 casserole into the oven, and then you have time to go walk the dog, get that walk 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:58.789 in you need, or sit down and help with homework, all of those kinds of things, 00:08:59.129 --> 00:09:03.189 your mindset is just much less stressed. 00:09:03.889 --> 00:09:08.339 And another thing is to make sure the backpacks are packed the night before. 00:09:08.339 --> 00:09:12.199 If there's any special outfits or things that need to go to school, 00:09:12.199 --> 00:09:13.579 that they're packed and ready. 00:09:13.839 --> 00:09:19.519 And I was never the type to make the sandwich the night before, but you 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:23.619 can always do other things to get the lunchbox ready the night before and 00:09:23.629 --> 00:09:26.019 help speed that along in the morning. 00:09:26.019 --> 00:09:29.209 When you're running around frantically in the morning trying to get out the 00:09:29.209 --> 00:09:34.229 door on time and not be late, it throws your whole mindset off for the day. 00:09:34.249 --> 00:09:36.439 It is much more stressful than you realize. 00:09:36.469 --> 00:09:37.869 It gets you in a bad mood. 00:09:38.179 --> 00:09:42.719 It gets you kind of being short with other people; it is basically getting you out of 00:09:42.729 --> 00:09:44.819 balance right from the start for the day. 00:09:44.859 --> 00:09:47.029 So do as much as you can the night before. 00:09:47.329 --> 00:09:51.029 You have time to do it the night before when you've taken other things off your 00:09:51.029 --> 00:09:55.719 plate, like trying to decide what to have for supper and then either stopping 00:09:55.719 --> 00:09:59.329 to get ingredients or having to chop ingredients and all of that kind of stuff. 00:09:59.416 --> 00:10:01.636 So It's almost kind of like a domino effect, right? 00:10:01.636 --> 00:10:06.046 Like you do one thing and it just makes everything else flow in this perfect line. 00:10:06.746 --> 00:10:07.586 Number three. 00:10:08.216 --> 00:10:10.586 Taking care of yourself. 00:10:10.586 --> 00:10:11.916 And you're probably thinking, wait, what? 00:10:11.946 --> 00:10:13.986 I'm supposed to take care of me too? 00:10:13.986 --> 00:10:15.756 I feel like we often feel that way. 00:10:15.756 --> 00:10:17.636 Like, oh no, there's no time for me. 00:10:17.636 --> 00:10:19.156 I have to take care of everyone else. 00:10:19.569 --> 00:10:23.469 And as mothers, we are nurturers, we are carers, all of those kinds of 00:10:23.469 --> 00:10:29.409 things we tend to want to do for the others before we do for ourselves. 00:10:30.109 --> 00:10:33.099 But it is important to take care of us, too. 00:10:33.099 --> 00:10:38.609 I really like to use the analogy of a mask on a plane, the oxygen mask, that is. 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:42.899 So they always say that if you're traveling with someone else, put 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:47.559 your mask on first before assisting the person besides you, the person 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:48.844 you're traveling with, whomever. 00:10:49.504 --> 00:10:53.864 And the reason they tell you to do this is because you are not going to be 00:10:53.864 --> 00:10:58.014 able to give someone else assistance if you've already passed out, basically. 00:10:58.774 --> 00:11:02.314 So, think about that with your own self care. 00:11:03.014 --> 00:11:08.094 If you're exhausted, if you're burnt out, If you're physically just unwell, 00:11:08.094 --> 00:11:12.574 you are not going to be the person your family needs and you're not going to 00:11:12.574 --> 00:11:15.204 take care of them as well as you want to. 00:11:15.214 --> 00:11:21.294 So prioritizing taking care of yourself is very important for work life balance. 00:11:21.304 --> 00:11:23.904 It's very, very important for mindset. 00:11:24.068 --> 00:11:27.078 Self care is a real thing and it's a daily thing. 00:11:27.098 --> 00:11:29.728 It's not a once a year big spa day. 00:11:29.933 --> 00:11:32.833 Although those are great and you can add that to the list too. 00:11:32.953 --> 00:11:33.573 Sure, why not? 00:11:34.183 --> 00:11:38.486 Um, but it's taking care of our physical bodies each day, making 00:11:38.486 --> 00:11:39.926 sure you have plenty of rest. 00:11:40.133 --> 00:11:44.373 When you have your time managed and your home organized, it's a lot easier 00:11:44.373 --> 00:11:46.783 to get in the bed at a reasonable time. 00:11:46.783 --> 00:11:48.253 And your diet matters too. 00:11:48.263 --> 00:11:51.683 When you're eating junk food and fast food and all of these 00:11:51.703 --> 00:11:54.633 things, they make you feel bad. 00:11:54.633 --> 00:11:59.733 They drain you of your energy and it just makes everything else spiral downhill. 00:11:59.733 --> 00:12:03.603 The meal planning and prepping is a super way to keep your diet on track 00:12:03.613 --> 00:12:07.233 and keep eating healthy things that make you feel good and give you energy. 00:12:07.233 --> 00:12:10.313 And of course, you have to get that exercise in too, but exercise 00:12:10.313 --> 00:12:13.243 really does give you more energy and makes you feel better. 00:12:13.243 --> 00:12:18.533 A simple 30 to 45 minute walk, maybe with the dogs, maybe a weekly 00:12:18.533 --> 00:12:22.203 yoga class does it for you, and it really helps you just stop, 00:12:22.223 --> 00:12:25.063 decompress, and refocus for the week. 00:12:25.063 --> 00:12:29.753 Whatever it is you enjoy doing, make sure when you're doing that time blocking, you 00:12:29.753 --> 00:12:32.993 find some time for you to do those things. 00:12:33.003 --> 00:12:36.143 It's very, very important to your overall balance. 00:12:36.843 --> 00:12:42.793 And while we are saying yes to things that nurture us and our bodies, we also 00:12:42.933 --> 00:12:45.933 must say no to things that don't, right? 00:12:45.933 --> 00:12:49.883 So we must say no to things that are not aligned with our season 00:12:49.883 --> 00:12:54.603 of life, our current goals, our current family's lifestyle and 00:12:54.603 --> 00:12:56.103 calendar and things like that. 00:12:56.123 --> 00:12:57.523 There are a lot of pressures. 00:12:57.693 --> 00:13:00.863 Social media does make it worse, but there are a lot of pressures 00:13:00.883 --> 00:13:04.493 to do what other people are doing, and it's not always aligned. 00:13:04.503 --> 00:13:09.583 And that is where you have to say no, because it will be stressful trying 00:13:09.593 --> 00:13:14.133 to do things that aren't fitting where you are in life right now. 00:13:14.833 --> 00:13:19.873 And number four is creating boundaries between work and family time. 00:13:19.873 --> 00:13:24.803 As a society, we have become a culture of always available. 00:13:25.043 --> 00:13:28.033 And that is not necessarily a good thing. 00:13:28.256 --> 00:13:32.606 That's why it's so important to set boundaries between work and family time, 00:13:32.886 --> 00:13:38.006 but you also have to communicate those boundaries so that people's expectations 00:13:38.436 --> 00:13:40.996 are aligned with your intentions. 00:13:40.996 --> 00:13:44.066 So some simple ideas to create those boundaries. 00:13:44.066 --> 00:13:48.811 When you get home in the evening, Put your phone on Do Not Disturb. 00:13:49.511 --> 00:13:53.101 So this will keep your phone from being a distraction, but it will 00:13:53.101 --> 00:13:57.001 also notify the person that you have your notifications silenced. 00:13:57.031 --> 00:13:59.721 So they won't feel like you are ignoring them. 00:14:00.421 --> 00:14:04.771 Additionally, turn off read receipts and things like that on your phone, 00:14:04.781 --> 00:14:08.626 because if people see that you have read their message, then they're 00:14:08.626 --> 00:14:10.936 wondering why you haven't responded. 00:14:11.026 --> 00:14:13.496 You don't want people to know that you have read their 00:14:13.496 --> 00:14:15.346 message but haven't replied. 00:14:15.436 --> 00:14:19.776 So just go ahead and make it so they don't know if you've read it 00:14:20.016 --> 00:14:25.686 and then once you do read it on your set time, then you respond. 00:14:26.386 --> 00:14:29.656 Don't check your email right when you wake up in the morning. 00:14:29.696 --> 00:14:32.416 Wait until you sit down to do work time. 00:14:32.416 --> 00:14:37.096 And I like to wait and only check email once I sit down at my computer. 00:14:37.366 --> 00:14:41.576 But if you're not a sit down at the computer person and your phone is how 00:14:41.576 --> 00:14:45.966 you check emails and you And do all your communications, then maybe turn off 00:14:46.026 --> 00:14:50.506 email notifications on your phone and set times throughout the day where you 00:14:50.646 --> 00:14:53.406 stop, you read your emails and you reply. 00:14:54.106 --> 00:14:58.886 When you set the example that you instantly respond, then that is 00:14:58.886 --> 00:15:02.136 what people will always demand of you to be always available. 00:15:02.836 --> 00:15:07.156 When you work for a business that has no set hours, if you work nine to 00:15:07.156 --> 00:15:10.566 five or something like that, Monday through Friday, and someone sends 00:15:10.566 --> 00:15:14.296 you an email, Cause it's on their mind at three o'clock on a Sunday. 00:15:14.596 --> 00:15:20.316 They generally aren't going to expect you to reply until the actual office is open. 00:15:20.316 --> 00:15:24.746 But if you're self employed, you need to create those office hours 00:15:24.776 --> 00:15:30.416 for yourself and define what that boundary is of your availability. 00:15:31.116 --> 00:15:35.386 I even like to put office hours in the signature of your email. 00:15:35.476 --> 00:15:41.756 So if your office hours say Monday through Thursday, nine to four, and someone sends 00:15:41.756 --> 00:15:45.936 you an email on Friday, maybe you have an auto responder on that you're out of 00:15:45.946 --> 00:15:50.276 the office or something like that, and then they can see your office hours. 00:15:50.566 --> 00:15:54.836 So people aren't expecting that instant reply that they're looking for. 00:15:54.836 --> 00:15:58.796 They're understanding why they haven't gotten an answer back from you yet. 00:15:59.496 --> 00:16:04.496 And take your lunch break, leave the building, go for a walk, 00:16:05.196 --> 00:16:08.506 read some light hearted fiction while you eat your sandwich. 00:16:08.506 --> 00:16:12.086 Just do something that lets your brain kind of take a break and 00:16:12.086 --> 00:16:13.886 refocus before the afternoon. 00:16:13.886 --> 00:16:19.266 And communicate family events or time off needed as far in advance 00:16:19.626 --> 00:16:21.606 as you can with your employer. 00:16:21.606 --> 00:16:25.056 And then of course, as I mentioned just a minute ago, if you're not going to 00:16:25.056 --> 00:16:29.476 be in the office, whether it's vacation or you work odd hours, any of those 00:16:29.516 --> 00:16:34.086 things, have an autoresponder that lets someone know that you're not ghosting 00:16:34.086 --> 00:16:36.046 them, but you're not available right now. 00:16:36.746 --> 00:16:38.126 Finding work life balance. 00:16:38.191 --> 00:16:41.941 This is an ever evolving process because our lives are always changing. 00:16:41.941 --> 00:16:45.381 There's no marker to define that you've achieved it like weight 00:16:45.381 --> 00:16:49.061 loss or something like that because it's always, always changing. 00:16:49.451 --> 00:16:51.141 Our lives are always changing. 00:16:51.841 --> 00:16:56.031 We all want to be successful in our work, but our families are priority. 00:16:56.051 --> 00:16:59.161 And so finding that balance to make both of them work. 00:16:59.546 --> 00:17:02.926 Together, harmoniously, is the focus here. 00:17:03.626 --> 00:17:07.706 To me, quality time is more important than quantity time. 00:17:07.736 --> 00:17:11.906 I've been around people before where you're together for several hours, but 00:17:11.906 --> 00:17:14.976 they're not present because they're on their phone their whole time, or 00:17:15.136 --> 00:17:16.986 replying to emails and things like that. 00:17:17.056 --> 00:17:23.421 So having quality time is much, much better than unpresent quantity of time. 00:17:24.121 --> 00:17:27.591 And quality time is best achieved when we are our best. 00:17:27.591 --> 00:17:29.121 We've taken care of ourselves. 00:17:29.401 --> 00:17:34.541 We're not distracted and we can give our complete focus and energy to what 00:17:34.541 --> 00:17:36.981 matters at that moment with our family. 00:17:37.181 --> 00:17:42.301 And focusing on that daily is what makes our lives more balanced. 00:17:42.694 --> 00:17:45.794 So if you are struggling with work life balance, I hope some of these 00:17:45.814 --> 00:17:50.094 tips resonated with you as things you could employ in the way you go 00:17:50.094 --> 00:17:54.194 about your day and approaching work and life together to create a little 00:17:54.194 --> 00:17:59.254 more balance, a little less stress, a little more peace in your life. 00:17:59.694 --> 00:18:03.704 And that being said, I am going to sign off for the summer 00:18:03.924 --> 00:18:05.784 and I'll be back in August.