How To Embrace this New Work-Life Chaos

 It is a daily struggle. What do I do first? What is most important? How do I distribute my time and energy to everyone and everything that needs my attention? 

I've learned over the years that trying to "do it all" is impossible, unproductive, and freakin' exhausting. We no longer have to live this double life trying to unnaturally separate our work and personal life. We also don't have to pretend that it is all balanced when in reality that is fake or unachievable. It's probably time we rename this chaos - work-life integration. This new integration of your work and personal life can get messy and much harder if we do not properly manage our time and create the necessary boundaries. The question is how do we best integrate this into our lives? We have families, we have homes, chores, careers, and pets. We have kids, school, bills, and exercise. We have community volunteering, friendships, and neighborhoods. We have our health and well-being. How do we stay focused and create a new way to balance it all while still prioritizing what we really want to focus on for ourselves?

Put Your Priorities Into Perspective

If your life is in chaos, step back (way back) and envision what is most important to you. Not to your family or friends, but important to you. Could you say "no" more? Could you ask for help more? Ultimately, to create the best work-life integration you need to streamline your personal life and pursue work that you are truly passionate about but that takes time, hard work, and a clear vision. Lay out all your responsibilities on paper and prioritize what is essential, what is important, and what could be delegated. Yes, even control freaks (like myself) can and should delegate!

Have Your Own Work-Life Plan

Do not expect anyone to make a work-life balance plan for you. Every time I interviewed with a new company, the discussion of work-life balance always came up as how they support and value it, etc. However, a company can give you some of the tools to assist in work-life balance but it is up to you to manage the day in and day out. Work your schedule, do not let it work you. It is always best to inform the people you work with about your schedule. This includes your own family. Share your calendar! Be clear about where your boundaries and limitations are. If you are unclear, everyone can, and will, assume that you are available for them at any time. Just ask any mom!

Embrace Technology (Not Social Media)

Ask yourself what social media does for you. Do you use it exclusively to socialize and catch up with others? Do you actively participate or passively browse? Sharing is caring but consuming without sharing is unhealthy. I say there should always be a 1:1 ratio between consuming and creating. If all you do is consume then what have you given back to others? Think about that before you fall into the rabbit hole. I do believe, however, that you should embrace some technology to streamline your chores and free up time. Online delivery and on-demand workouts (for example) became more popular because of Covid, but do not let that stop you from continuing to use them. It can be an added resource to save you time, sometimes money, and help you focus on more important things. Embrace new technologies and maybe even expand your deliveries to monthly subscriptions. Set it and forget it.

Ask for Help - It Takes a Village

It is close to impossible to be able to get some work-life help without your village. That is family, friends, neighbors, teachers, tutors, coaches, babysitters, etc. Not only will this village provide the support you need but it will expose you and your family to a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Do you have a friendly neighbor that shares a new recipe? An uncle who teaches your kids to fish? Or a coach who provides that extra motivation that you need? This village that you create will look different over time. But if you nurture it, put time into it, and utilize it as much as you need, it can be a lifeline. Do not be scared to ask for help when you need it most and do not hesitate to help those who need it most. This is how a village is supposed to work. We are all in this together!

This chaos of work and life may very well continue indefinitely. Take a deep breath and know that intentionally integrating your career and personal life is important. Do not hide your personal life and do not hide your work life. They both matter and need your attention. Strategic planning can help you better prepare to take on the challenges ahead.