Balancing It All, from a Multi-tasker...
'Women' are cape-less superheros. The male gender may have larger muscles and higher levels of testosterone, but what we lack in physique, we make up for in wisdom, intuition and our ability to make things WORK! From personal experience, I've learned that being a wife and mother has equipt me with the skills I need to dominate the professional aspect of my life. Tackling conflicting schedules, taking care of children, attending to my husband, promoting my business and connecting with my clients effectively seems impossible, especially when it all has to be done within the same set of 24 hours. However, I've come across three fundamental points that can applied by ANY woman, to help keep life balanced...
Whether you're a business owner, a career woman or a Bride, the following three points are key to keeping the juggling of everyday tasks in motion, keeping yourself in tune with others and preventing complete insanity:
PRIORITY
Keeping things in perspective, by keeping them in order, is key to putting life in balance. Being a Christian, my faith keeps me centered, focused and at peace with not only myself, but those around me. My family and the well being of my loved ones will always trump any gig or work order. I love what I do, but as the Queen of my household, I know what matters most at the end of the day. If I have projects due on my work desk, I can guarantee you won't find me on vacation or out with my besties. If I'm planning a wedding, I'm more inclined to spend money on confirming the event venue for my event date FIRST, rather than my Makeup artist or the photographer. These are all examples of prioritizing; keeping first things first.
Once you've put things in perspective, and in their rightful order, I've found that keeping daily to-do lists, especially when planning an event or wedding, keeps me focused on tasks at hand. Instead of writing my to do list from the start of the day to the end, I start at the end of the day. What time do I want to go to sleep? What do I have to do just before I get to go to bed? What needs to be done before that? What needs to be done by lunchtime? Who do I need to call before that? What meetings do I have in the morning? Who do i need to call as soon as I get to the office? What time do I have to leave the house to get to the office on time? What do I need to do before I leave the house? What time do I have to realisitically wake up to do what I need to do before I leave the house? Working your plans from the end of the day to the beginning keeps your time schedule honest and makes you aware of how fast a day can go by. Try it and see if this method works for you!
SUPPORT
As a mother of 3 daughters under the age of 3, I know what it means to multi task. But as a business owner, I know the power of having a team of people that support what I do and serve as a foundation for my abilities. Anyone who knows me knows that if you see me during the weekends, you won't see me with my children. This isn't because I want to be away from them or because something is wrong with them, but because I have parents who are retired, who knows I spend all week being a 'mom' and know I need a time "away" to not only give sometime to myself, but my business. As a Bride, taking the time to choose your Bridal party wisely is key to building a strong wedding team. Be sure to choose bridal attendants who won't mind spending their time, energy or resources for your wedding vision. Choose attendants who aren't afraid to let you and your spouse-to-be shine on your big day. After all, they're the foundation of the success of your wedding, especially if you haven't hired an event professional. As a career woman, building trust between partners and other work related connections is a smart choice in moving forward. The same connections you make today may be the supporting cast and stepping stones in your elevation tomorrow.
COMMITMENT
Being a 'Renaissance' woman is more than being a 'jack of all trades'. Excelling in every area of your life requires genuine interest in what you are doing. Every mother in the world isn't just a 'mother'. She is a chef, maid, tutor, accountant, repairman, plumber, technician, security guard, personal assistant, nurse and much more! However, for the sake of her child/ren, she is genuine about being whatever she needs to be for their well being. As a business owner, you should be your biggest fan! If you don't believe in your product or service, how can you sell it to others? If you don't put in the work required to properly promote and market your company, who's going to know who you are? As a Bride, being passionate about your union and staying focused on your big day is essential. If you give up on planning just because of stress, family drama or financial strains, then what's the point? Committing to whatever you've set your mind to not only makes your goal tangible, but make you unstoppable. Applying your passion to what needs to get done, after prioritizing your tasks and properly scheduling them within your life, makes its' success inevitable!
Different strokes are for different folks. However, I utilitize these three keys in my everyday life, and so far, I still manage to get rest everyday, my family is taken care of, I am emotionally and spiritually at peace, I manage my business and still find time for myself. Balancing life isn't a small feat, but it is POSSIBLE. As if you weren't awesome enough, you are a woman -- making it all work is a skill that's already embedded within your DNA.
Now get out there and start juggling...