Balancing work, Balancing life

Hello hello❤️‍🔥

This blog is for my ambitious, hard-working individuals who are literal workaholics. The type that would rather sit at their laptop than sit down to relax. The ones that always feel like they need to be doing something to get them closer to their goals. The likelihood is, your work-life balance is probably in the bin! I know because I was in that position myself. I always had somebody nagging me (99% of the time, it was my mum) to tell me I was not spending quality time with her. This blog will be all about how to achieve a better work-life balance. The key to life is learning how to balance.

5 ways to achieve a better work-life balance: 

1. Scheduling

This is a no-brainer to some, especially if you’re self-employed, but not everyone schedules their day. My boyfriend taught me how to properly time-block using Outlook calendar. From waking up at 6 am to winding down at 9 pm, every part of my day is mapped out. All the things I need to do during the day are scheduled (even things like washing). This holds me accountable and forces me to do things so I don’t just say ‘I’ll do it later’ and forget to do it. When things arise randomly, I change things. Included in this scheduling, I prioritise time for myself or for those closest to me. For example, from 6 am to 6:45 pm is my Morning Rituals time (https://asharakha.com/morning-ritual-that-will-change-your-life/). This gets me in the right frame of mind for the day ahead. I adjust as needed when things come up. Scheduling has improved my productivity, ensuring I make time for work and life, like spending time with loved ones or learning to relax.

2. Understand and learn who YOU are outside of work

This is a major one. When you’re naturally ambitious and always chasing, you often forget who you are. Because your mind is constantly craving more, there are moments when you haven’t even realised it. In simple terms, you don’t set aside time to learn about yourself. I’m not talking about who you think you are based on all of your professional successes. I’m talking about removing the work aspect from your life; who would you be if it didn’t exist? Of course, work is a big part of who you are, and the challenges really shape you, but it should only account for half. Who’s the other half? What hobbies do you have? Who are your friends? What are the small things in life that bring you the most joy?

There are several different exercises you can do to figure this out. 

Exercise 1:

Sit there with a blank piece of paper and a pen or a blank page on a laptop and title it ‘All the things I love.’ 

This will only take you 10 minutes if that. Let all of these ideas flow into your mind and write them down. Try your hardest to keep ‘work’ out of the equation. Everything but work. When you start writing down little things that make you happy and go much deeper with it, that’s when you know the exercise has worked. It could be people you love or those who make you happy, your favourite food, favourite sounds, etc. Use your senses as a starting point.

Then, once you have a list, use that. Try and incorporate these things into your life and your schedule. For example, if you love to cook and try new recipes and your favourite food is lasagne, at the weekend, schedule a Saturday night and have those close to you round for dinner. Learn to cook lasagne and try it. It’s a win-win; you’ve done something you love and enjoy (ticked off for yourself in your self-love bucket), and you’ve spent time with the people you love by also sharing your passion with them. 

Exercise 2: 

Spend some time outdoors on your own. Go for a walk or sit outdoors. Take in the fresh air and let your mind wonder. This one is hard. It takes time and patience. Don’t judge your thoughts. Let them come and go. I read something once that said, ‘Treat your thoughts as if they clouds going by. Always moving and never staying.’ They pop into your sight and move on. This helped me to not stay stuck on a thought for too long. I let them go. The ones I wanted to focus on, I spent more time on. Allow this to happen. Relax your mind into your surroundings and attempt the ‘who am I?’ questions in your head. You’ll figure it out quickly, and new insights will surface. 

It’s those 10-minute moments you carve out for yourself that lead to big learnings. They allow you to relax and appreciate life while still pursuing your career goals. Remember, taking time for yourself doesn’t mean you’re being lazy or unproductive.

3. Embrace and practise hobbies. 

Everyone has hobbies, and if you don’t yet, try figuring them out using the exercises from above. Hobbies are all about challenging yourself and doing things you love without any financial reward—usually, you’re the one investing in them! Whether it’s learning to dance, cook, or play an instrument, if your weekdays are too busy, save your weekends for hobbies and enjoying life. That’s often what 9-to-5 jobs allow for. I love baking when I can find the time for it. It can be time-consuming, and sometimes I feel tempted to focus on ‘more productive activities’ instead, but I have to remind myself to take a break! Otherwise, I risk working so much that I stop enjoying what I do, and my accomplishments lose their meaning. Baking is not related to my job, but I cherish it as a hobby and use it as a time to relax. 

4. Embrace flexibility 

This works hand in hand with scheduling. Embrace the flexibility. For anyone self-employed, you know most of the time, you have no choice! Especially for all my models and actors or anybody in the creative industry. We are the most flexible people there are! When I say this, I mean allow things to flow in sometimes without constantly fighting them. Establish boundaries to keep life and work separate when needed. For example, if your clingy sisters, cough cough, Ria and Kiran, want to call you to tell you they ate a whole Toblerone in 30 minutes right in the middle of a meeting or filming, say no and simply block them. Joke, joke, don’t answer. But if you have to rearrange your schedule to take your 80-year-old grandma to an important appointment, do it with no resistance. Just like if you have to cancel your a family weekend because a life-changing work trip has come up, most of us would do it without hesitation. Allow flexibility with life as you would do with work. 
 

5. Try 1% tracker 

This is something I swear by! I once heard a Rob Dial podcast about improving by just 1% each day, which is more effective than trying to get 50% better in one day and then slacking for three months. That 1% is manageable and doesn’t feel overwhelming. Here is a link to the podcast –https://open.spotify.com/episode/6p9gKokbk3QecsJDhHLu24?si=FEUgQjSnSlGADhyfvNUROA&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A706hylM6zaDW8LrrYxcggQ&t=362

I created a 1% tracker in my notes to monitor various areas of my life: career, personal development, spirituality, health, and kindness. Each night, I fill it out to see how I’ve improved that day. Most days, I’ve made that progress, which is much more motivating than aiming for a larger number. As long as I consciously put in the effort, I can count on that improvement. The kindness section helps me stay connected to my values. I write down the kind actions I’ve taken, whether it’s helping someone or complimenting a stranger. Tracking these actions motivates me to be even kinder. If you don’t track your deeds, it’s easy to overlook their impact. But when you do, it feels rewarding and encourages you to do even more.

Every Sunday, I share my tracker with my coach, Freya, highlighting how I’ve improved by 1% in all areas. This practice has truly changed the game for me in achieving a better work-life balance. I’ve noticed some days my career section is full while my health or relationship sections may lag, prompting me to focus on improving those areas the next day.

A powerful reminder

This blog is a powerful reminder that giving yourself and those around you a little extra time doesn’t detract from your goals or ruin your productivity. Embracing life doesn’t make you a failure; in fact, it demonstrates strength and resilience, setting you on a path to success. When you reach your goals, you’ll truly appreciate the journey and realise it was all worth it.

After all, what we seek in life is a full heart, right? Why climb the mountain without taking the time to pause at each viewpoint and soak in the scenery? If you rush to the top and look down, you might feel underwhelmed. The view from above may be surreal, but you’ll have missed the beauty of the stages along the way.

So, take a moment to stop, reflect, and appreciate the journey of life. Enjoy each step, cherish the experiences, and remember that the path you take is just as important as the destination.

As always, let me know what you think of this blog in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe so that you don’t miss another blog ❤️

Love,