One of the most common questions I get asked is how do you balance everything? How do you have time for everything in business and in life. Truthfully, I don’t have enough time for EVERYTHING. So I don’t do everything 😉

But I get you. I hear what you’re saying. I’m a single mom and a full-time business owner. It’s a struggle. And I must travel often or I lose my mind. But I also know that when I get asked how do I balance it all you’re looking for some magical answer that says I do this at this time and this at that time and schedule this this way and my life is complete! But that’s not the case. And frankly the answer that I think you’re looking for just doesn’t exist. There is no magic equation to acquire that balance.

I’ve come to realize that having balance means that I’m happy. It might be the most chaotic in terms of organization but if I’m truly happy with life then I feel balanced. Nothing else matters.

Here are three ways I keep the “balance” –

1. Priorities. What are your priorities in life. I love when people ask how do you find time to workout so often. Ok well I don’t just find time. I didn’t pull a chance card today that said I get 2 extra hours, SWEET I’ll work out. It’s either a priority or it isn’t. My main priorities in life are my daughter, my business, and travel.

You’re top priorities should fill you up. Not pull you down.

When I’m with my daughter I can’t help but think about that one thing workwise I could be doing. Or when I’m working I can’t stop thinking about where to go next or playing with my kid. When I’m doing one I’m missing the others. Because these are the things in life that fill me up. These are my life loves.

2. Your calendar. I’m the type of person that loves and hates my calendar. Calendars used to just look like traps to me. Telling me all of the things I have to do. I use google calendars and I have multiple calendars. One for work. One for personal life. And one for my daughters schedule. But I always view my calendar with all 3 calendars ON. I can see my life in a snapshot of sorts. It allows me to “balance” it out. If I see alot of work happening and no personal thing I schedule in some fun with my daughter. Or these 3 days without my kid and no work but I’m swamped the week before. BOOM those are off and I’m going somewhere. When it fills up with fun stuff in work, my kid and travel I no longer feel trapped by it. I actually get excited to look at it and see all of the work I have, and fun stuff to follow. Choosing to fill my schedule and view it as a good thing.

And know your workflow. Have it down solid and be confident with it. This allows me to easily look at my calendar and go that’s a wedding day so the next few days I have a blog post, editing, etc, and go just like this. I know exactly how long it takes me to get it all done so I can schedule it and not get behind.

3. Say no. I’ve written another blog post about this here, so I won’t drag this on. But every time I say yes to everything, especially those things that don’t fill me up. I pull myself down. I say no to myself. Life’s to short to throw off my happy balance doing something that doesn’t fill me up. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to say no. But balance can’t exist if you say yes to everything.

I’m sure there are tons of organizational wizards out there that can talk more about time and how to split it. But if you ask me, this is my answer. Balance is happiness. And when you’re happy, remaining happy is all that matters.

 

 

 

 

Photo up above by Laura Anne on a night out at the market shoving food in our mouths! More on my latest adventures to come!

 

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