Jan 26, 2021
3 Tips from creatives:
creating a work life balance
Earlier this month, as I set my personal New Year’s goals for 2021, I had this realization that every year I set the goal for a better work life balance, but never feel like I completely achieve this goal. I am sure there are many business owners, creatives and type A personalities who can relate.
I often think that crossing things off my work to do list or achieving business goals will help me with my work life balance, which is not true. I am working hard on teaching myself and constantly reminding myself that if I do not attend to my mental and physical health then I cannot achieve success in my business goals. And at the end of the day, would you rather have a great business or be truly happy and feel good about the life you have lived. I choose the latter.
My other goal for 2021 was to work on building community, so I reached out to a few of my friends who are also creatives and business owners to get their advice on how to create a good work life balance. Hope you enjoy reading through their thoughts.
From Kathleen Currie of Smoke Perfume:
It's challenging to create a work/life balance while running your own business, but not impossible. Some things that help me create this space are boundaries: I try to stay clear about working during working hours and business days, and try to keep evenings and weekends free. I don't have any notifications turned on on my phone, no one needs that email ping coming in at 10pm. Speaking of phones, I keep mine outside my bedroom, and try not to look at my phone before bed or first thing in the morning.
My nightly routine is a way I unwind. I love to spend some time washing my face, using my Full Moon Rose Body Oil as a face serum and massage oil for my gua sha ritual with our Facial Massage Stones. After that, I take two dropperfuls of our Rose Glycerite, and settle into a 15 minute meditation before bed. If I'm feeling fancy, I love to put on Perfume before bed! It's a sultry way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy, to sneak in some deep breathing (which relaxes the nervous system), and was a beauty tip Marilyn Monroe was famous for!
From Monica Kelly of Monica Kelly Studio
For a good work/life balance, boundaries are so important. Give yourself enough time off to recharge and feel fresh for a new week either by taking off on nights and weekends, or whatever hours around your preferred work shifts might be. It's tempting as an entrepreneur to keep going and going and going, because the to-do list never ends, but that is a quick road to burnout.
Health is so important to stay energized and motivated, especially mental health. I personally invest a lot in wellness because ultimately it's the best thing for the success of my business. Besides running @monicakellystudio full-time, I am a flower essence practitioner as well, giving consultations on Bach flower remedies. Flower essences are a gentle yet powerful modality for emotional balance. You can check out @flora_arcana on instagram to learn more and book a consultation. I have some flower essences for sale on monicakellystudio.com/shop.
I also really love adaptogenic herbs like rhodiola, tulsi, and ashwaganda. They mitigate the body's response to stress. Too much coffee can cause a lot of anxiety and burnout, so I switched to decaf/sometimes half-caff. I also stopped drinking alcohol because it wreaked havoc on my body, and made me feel like time was slipping through my fingers.
As I've become more cautious about the substances I put into my body, I've been able to create better work/life balance and achieve my goals more efficiently. Quitting drinking has saved me so much money, so I treat myself to vacations often to get a new lease on life and creativity.
From Jessica Rhoades of Southern Rhoades
Setting aside dedicated hours/days of the week to focus solely on computer work, helps to ensure I don't get lackadaisical about answering emails or doing monthly tax filing, etc. Holding myself accountable for these tasks allows me to spend the majority of my day focused on creating products or working in the garden rather than trying to answer emails as they are received (which can be incredibly overwhelming when you run your own business). Bottom line, allow yourself time to "unplug".
I also like to have mini-dance parties. We have a rule in our house, any time a song by The Bee Gees or Africa by Toto comes on, you must stop everything and dance until the song ends. This has helped to create moments of laughter during quarantine, and it also allows you to sneak in some cardio throughout your day.
Gardening is my absolute favorite form of self-care. It allows time for meditation and reflection, along with deepening one's connection to the earth...not to mention the benefit of having homegrown herbs/fruits/veggies! Lighting incense, a candle, or simply taking time to soak in a bath are a few of the other ways I like to unwind.
