Managing your work-life balance is difficult enough. Add a chronic illness to the mix and it gets even more difficult. Scratch that. It gets IMPOSSIBLE. It’s not a perfect science, but it is possible to regain control. Here are 5 steps to manage your work-life balance.

 

This article is a part of a series busting the work-life balance myth. As women, we know that the juggle is real. And if you have a chronic illness, it becomes that much more complicated.

If you work out of an office, it’s important to understand that it’s impossible to 100% separate your work life from your home life. You are you, and the lines are going to blur.

If you are fortunate enough to work from home, it can be both a blessing and a curse. While you have greater flexibility to set your own schedule and accommodate your symptoms, you also have your home life and family competing for your attention.

Balance is important.

Boundaries are important.

And it’s also important to understand the romantic notion of “having it all” requires the ability to focus on what is most important to you at that moment. We are humans. We are imperfect. We try our best.

Here are 5 steps to help you get started.

 

5 Steps to Manage Your Work-Life Balance

 

1. Know Your Why

Steven Covy said it best with his “first things first” philosophy. Start each day and set your intentions. While it’s important to know your overall goals and intentions, it’s also important to set your intentions and priorities each and every day. Creating a morning and evening routine also helps to prioritize your day.

What are your priorities with your health? What are your priorities with your family? What are your priorities with your work? What are the #1 accomplishments that absolutely need to get done… this day… this week… this month… this year?

Those are the things to focus on. Each and every day.

READ: 50 Journal Prompts for Living Your Best Life

READ: The Best Morning Routine Habits to Start Your Day

 

 

 

 

2. Be Selfish

It’s totally overused, but it’s soooo true. Put on the oxygen mask first before you put it on someone else. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

So. Over. Done.

But. So. True.

As women, we go and we go and we go and we go. More often than not, we do it to the detriment of our health.

Take a pause and focus on yourself. Fill your own cup. Take a minute. Take a day. Take whatever time you need to focus on you. Focus on your health. Focus on your needs. Focus on your happiness. Fill your cup. And then pour it generously.

READ: Why I’m Selfish and You Should be Too

READ: 75 Self-Care Activities – Free or Minimal Cost

 

 

 

 

3. Understand Your Limitations

Newsflash. Superwoman only exists in the movies. You aren’t perfect. You can’t do it all. You can’t be all things to all people.

It is impossible.

We all start our days with the best of intentions. We have our to-do lists. We have tasks that need to get accomplished. But let me ask you… how many of those days do you begin your day all full of pep and vigor and then LIFE happens? Pretty much every single day, right? Why don’t you anticipate the unknown? Build in some extra time to handle the unexpected.

Both at home and at work.

It will help you to better manage your day. It will also help to manage your stress levels when the “you know what” hits the fan.

READ: Top 10 Ways to Stay Motivated (even when you don’t wanna)

 

 

4. Single-Tasking is the New Multi-Tasking

When your plate is overflowing and you are stressed to the max it is easy to try to feel like you have to do it all. But studies after studies after studies prove that single-tasking is much more efficient than multi-tasking.

Try and block out time to focus 100% on your task at hand. Interruptions will happen. They happen all of the time. Force yourself to keep your focus and not go down the rabbit hole. And when those unwanted interruptions do happen, politely acknowledge and make a separate time for the new task.

Working from home is becoming more and more popular, and our work-home lives are ever blurred. Set boundaries for each part of your life. Single-focus as much as you can. And give yourself grace when you need to throw up your arms and give in.

READ: How to be Productive with a Chronic Illness

 

 

5. Ask for Help

I don’t know why we do this, but why is it that women feel the need to be martyrs? Why do we have to die on our swords every single day to be the hero and do it all?

It doesn’t have to be this way.

No one is going to think less of you if you ask for help. Ask at work. Ask at home. Even if it’s just to take one thing off of your plate. Ask for help.

And don’t just ask for help, accept it. Because trust me… I know the deal. You ask for help. Someone starts and doesn’t do it to your standards so you push them away and take over.

 

The balance is a balance, right? It IS possible to manage your work-life balance, at least to a point where you can keep your stress at a minimum, prioritize your day, and focus on what is most important.

And above all else, give yourself grace and love.

 

More Work-Life Balance Resources

READ: From Type A to Type ZZZ – My Work-Life Balance Buster

TRANSFORM: Gratitude at Work 4 Week Challenge

 

 

Are you Inspired? It’s time for more GRATITUDE!

 

 

Love, hugs, and finding balance. Kinda.

 

 

 

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