feeling unbalanced - my approach to doing the most
I often get asked about how exactly I plan my days, get my work done and have a work-life balance. I’m here to burst the bubble and tell you, there’s absolutely no balance. And that’s ok.
See, the thing is, I don’t think it’s really possible to be in the pursuit of something out of the ordinary without pushing something a bit too far. So whether that’s working gross hours, missing out on big moments with your mate, eating like crap for a while or having to constantly cancel on the gym class you promised you’d get to this month.. Like, somethings gotta give. The dream of having everything in this perfect equilibrium just doesn’t exist if you want something on the other side of a lot of hard work.
I promise, I’m not here to endorse hustle culture or tell you to ‘get on your grind’, just a gentle reminder that you will need to put in the work to get done what you set out to do.
Here’s a few of my tips for getting done what you want to and making it work for you (well, it somehow works for me!):
Bring your laptop
Simply having the right bits on you can mean you can make the most of those pockets of time where you can be getting on with whatever you need to be doing. I like to take my laptop out and about and use it whilst I’m waiting for my food order, on a train, waiting at the doctors etc. I extend this to weekends, which is a shock to friends sometimes, but I’d honestly rather do little bits of work consistently than take gaps and then play catch up all week.
2. Sleep where you can
For real, I am the queen of naps. I can happily close my eyes (and hug my bag) on public transport and feel refreshed after. Yes, I know proper sleep is super important, but knowing that I can crash on a friends sofa for an hour before I jump to the next job can really help me out.
3. Neurodivergence
Also, just knowing your brain. I’m not diagnosed with anything, but I definitely share a lot of traits with people with ADHD - this means I need to be stimulated with the work I’m doing, and if I’m into it I could be a bubble of just that for hours and hours. I try my best to lean in to hoe my brain works best and break out of the structure of working 9-5. If you work best is a quiet space, do that. If you’re most productive when surrounded by others, maybe incorporate being in a coffee shop into part of your day. I like to follow the things that bring me energy and then I know I can work on them for a while before losing interest.
4. Miss out on things
It’s just a reminder that somethings gotta give. And it’s gotta give quite frequently. I’m sure there’s ways to handle it all, but I am very used to missing birthday parties, missing sleep, turning down a hen do etc, because I either can’t get out of work or I think it’s important to be available. It can be disheartening, but it’s up to you to make your work work around you. Cliche, but true.
5. Outsource
I am so happy I chose to give certain roles over to an assistant. The time I used to faff around, they just get it done. It’s a huge privilege to be able to pay someone to do the tasks you’re not so keen on. You can outsource and delegate in loads of areas in your life to ease the workload for yourself - in the home, in your job, with your family.
Final thoughts
So yes, I definitely have some tips and processes that help me out day to day. But ultimately, I do a job that I really love. So I find it easy to run on empty or to miss out on life stuff to accommodate it. I know it won’t be like this forever, so I’m making the most of the chaos whilst it’s here.
Let me know if any questions! I’m on insta and twitter
Mary x
