Let’s talk about the myth of “work-life” separation.
Yep, I said myth. Because the truth is that work-life separation doesn’t actually exist, even for those of us who consider themselves experts in compartmentalization (yours truly included!).
Our work and life are inherently intertwined. And instead of pushing against that and attempting to force separation that will just cause us stress, I think it’s important to work on finding a balance instead.
The myth of work-life separation…
Personally, I love what I do. Running this podcast and blog business allows me to share my beautiful family with the world, and connect with other moms in ways I couldn’t before. And my CPA business gives me the opportunity to help entrepreneurs prepare themselves for tax season and make the most out of their money.
My work also follows me everywhere I go because, well, I’m my work! A trip to Disneyland with the kids is a blog article. Client calls happen from my home. My work and life are inherently intertwined, even more so than most people’s.
When I first started as an entrepreneur, I went absolutely crazy trying to find some sort of separation. But all that led to was a ball or two getting dropped, either in my work or personal life. So instead, I decided to try work-life integration, and truly… things have never been better!
How can you achieve work-life integration?
Know what it looks like to you.
Your work-life integration and my work-life integration are probably going to look very different. The first step to achieving yours is asking yourself… what’s my ideal situation? What are your goals? When you know what you want your life to look like in all areas, you’ll be able to decide how you can integrate them.
Experiment!
Yes, I know. Totally shocking. But the truth is that you won’t get it right on the first try… or maybe even the fifth. Some days might look unintegrated and totally out of whack. Others won’t. Experiment until you find a rhythm and flow that works for you, and then stick with it.
Prioritize flexibility.
I know this is a completely new concept for most of us, especially if you’re in America. But the biggest thing I’ve learned on my work-life integration journey is that the ability to be flexible is absolutely paramount to success. Last-minute things will pop up on you — the key is to be able to prioritize moment to moment and work on what’s ACTUALLY most important.
Time blocking could be the love of your life.
Have you guys ever tried time-blocking? I seriously love this. Of course, with little kids, time blocking for me looks a bit different than the traditional idea. But I’ve found that blocking my limited time actually allows me to be more productive and get MORE done, which definitely lends to the whole work-life integration thing!
Find what works for YOU
Truly, the key to work-life integration is finding the style and flow that fits you best. It might take some time, and it will DEFINITELY take some unlearning, but I truly believe that integrating your work and life will allow you more freedom and flexibility, which will ultimately bring more happiness!
Do you want more goodies like this? I’ve just released a brand new handbook that serves as your all-in-one survival guide for all of the moms running businesses out there! If you want a simplified strategy for organizing your life and business while maintaining your sanity … Grab my handbook right here!
