What is work-life balance? How do you achieve it? Does it even exist?
This is such a challenging topic, and for better or worse, I love a challenge.
I spent thirteen years as a public practice accountant, a career notorious for challenging one’s concept of “work-life balance”. In fact, I had given up on the idea altogether for the first half of it.
If work is your life, then there’s no imbalance, right?
But motherhood brought with it a huge shift in perspective and identity, as the story goes. It demanded a refreshed look at life and living, and a new and deeply personal understanding of what “work-life balance” really meant.
That new understanding set changes in motion that finally helped me feel balanced in my daily life.
Now, if a “deeply personal understanding of work-life balance” sounds a little intense… It is. (And so am I!) But it’s also the key to making lasting change, and the springboard to living authentically.
Admittedly, this can feel like a lot to take on when you’re already overwhelmed. That’s why I’m here with a quick little primer!
If you do want to go deeper, head over to this post: Work-Life Balance: How to Find What Really Works for You!
Five simple steps to find balance
These five steps are a great jumping-off point to find a unique work-life balance that feels intentional and authentic:
1. Define what balance means to you. Is it more family time? Creative freedom? Less stress? Get clear on your priorities. You get to craft your own balance. For me, it was all of these! My biggest turning point was when I finally started channeling my creative energy in a more balanced way.
2. Track your time for a few days. This can be as simple as jotting down a few notes on where your energy went today, and how it made you feel afterward. Are you spending it on what matters most? What do you wish you had more time for?
3. Set clear boundaries. This might mean switching off notifications after work, saying no to extra projects, or blocking out some “you time.” This also means setting boundaries with yourself; for example, no social media after 8pm. Here’s a personal reflection on the boundaries between work and creative life: Reclaiming My Creative Space (and Reprioritizing My Life)
4. Adjust routines regularly. Or at least, be open to adjustment. Life changes, and your sense of balance will too. Check in with yourself weekly or monthly to do more of what’s working, let go of what isn’t, and create space to bring in more of the good stuff.
5. Be kind to yourself. Sounds colloquial, but this is the foundation that creates lasting balance. You’re kind to yourself when you uphold a boundary, when you give yourself grace, when you make space for more of what you love, and when you relieve yourself of the expectations that you don’t need to make yourself responsible for.
Want to dive deeper? I wrote a more hands-on guide to finding a meaningful balance, which you can check out here: Create a Work-Life Balance Unique to You (6 Introspective Steps)
These will get you moving in the right direction, but they aren’t a one-and-done solution. Finding balance isn’t about standing still – it’s about movement.
Balance is found with flexibility
Think of balance as a pendulum. We swing as close as we can to our equilibrium, and when we get thrown off course, we find ways to get back to center.
We’re often tempted to make a laundry list of activities that constitute a “balanced day”, and force them into our schedules. That’s not the goal of this exercise. Why?
- A complete overhaul of your schedule is really tough to stick with.
- We want to be intentional about any changes we make, and understand how they affect us.
Instead, try picking just one or two things that you’d like to shift, add, or remove from your weekly schedule. Take the time to see how they resonate, and then repeat the process.
Need a simple place to start? Try taking five minutes to yourself per day for a little check-in and mental reset. Here’s the routine I like: The 5-Minute Reset: A Simple Routine to Declutter Your Mind and Refocus Your Day
Finding balance is a process, not a one-time achievement
Embrace a growth mindset! Revisit this concept often, and continue to refine your approach. Gather new ideas. Let yourself be curious about your own daily life.
I know, I know – we’re adding yet another thing to your mental load. But it doesn’t have to be overbearing. Try building a little reflection time into your weekly calendar!
Want an effortless reminder? Join our newsletter for an encouraging monthly reminder! Let’s balance the books and the creative life together.
Looking for further reading? If the grind is squeezing the joy out of life, this roundup is for you: Reclaim Your Energy