Guys, this past weekend I watched a movie. And by watch a movie I mean I left my phone upstairs, my laptop in my office and I even prepared some fattening snacks so I could sit down and enjoy a flick. I’m not even sure I remember the last time this happened. Nor do I remember the last time watching a movie required such willpower. See, I’m convinced that there’s always something needing my attention and I find it rather hard to just turn it all off so I can have some me time. For me, free time usually means more time to devote to work and I often struggle with feeling guilty when I take a break. But creating boundaries and structure is oh so important and allows you to place value on much needed down time. For those of you who have asked how I find a healthy balance between managing my own business and relaxing sans-work here’s a few suggestions I have for creating ‘you’ time. With a bit of practice (yes, this takes practice!), dedication and time, you too can find the perfect routine.
{Office Hours} I love office hours. I’m not sure how I existed before without them. Office hours give much needed structure to my work day and the greatest thing is they allow me to plan out my daily work flow. Knowing I need to get a, b and c done before 5:00 pm hits, allows me to work smarter and harder throughout the day. Before I had office hours, I would take my time doing whatever I had to get done because I knew there was little to hold me accountable. Now I get excited to get my work done because I feel accomplished when my work day ends, plus I get to reward myself with me time; whether it be date night, dinner with a girlfriend, or throwing on my pyjamas and indulging in some reality tv from the comfort of my couch.
{Take Breaks} I’ve read a ton of articles on how small breaks can actually improve your productivity levels and for anyone who takes breaks you’ll know this is true. Maybe you love the routine of grabbing a Starbucks each morning like me. Or perhaps you have a new pet, or a child that craves play time throughout the day. Taking a break to step away from your work and indulge in these tasks will allow you to come back focused and rejuvenated so you can tackle the next batch of work. I’ve started to take small breaks from my work whether it be to play with Zoe outside for 20 minutes or to tackle a load of laundry with Pandora blasting in the background. Break time doesn’t have to be lunch downtown at a fancy establishment. It can be as simple as taking in some fresh air outside but taking some break time in small doses has huge pay offs in the big picture.
{Learn to Say No} Now this is so tough to do. I’m easily one of the biggest people pleasers I know. But without the ability to create boundaries or say no, you lose any chance of having time for you because all of your time is given to other people and other things. If you’re strapped for you time because you feel like you’re swapping relaxation time to clean your home, try dedicating Sunday mornings to cleaning top to bottom with a mini clean on Wednesdays. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and without free time because you have 36 weekends booked with weddings this year, maybe you need to raise your prices and take on less clients. Learning to have you time, means prioritizing what’s important to you. Hard to do but so important.
Lately, I’ve been struggling with finding me time, as I come up on the end of wedding season, prep for a trip to Chicago and get everything in check for this brand relaunch. But Friday night was such a fresh reminder that a little time away is beneficial for productivity and overall happiness. To any of you working Moms, business owners or busy bees out there, I’d love to hear how you juggle your time and balance your working time with your you time. We can all take something away here, right?
Happy Monday, bloggies xoxo