5 Strategies to Cultivate Work-Life Harmony

Are you trying to do it all? Do you have never-ending To-Do lists? Do you have difficulty saying no to your managers or clients?

That’s how this month’s Social Media Breakfast presenter, Jenna Piche, felt before taking stock and becoming a Time Management Coach.

Think about this:

• 42% of social media managers plan to stop working in social media in the next two years.
• 63% are either experiencing burnout now or have in the past 3 months.

Sobering, isn’t it? Remember, time is our most precious, non-renewable resource, but we can take control of it. Here’s how to improve our lives through the lens of five mistakes that we make.

Mistake #1 – Trying to do it all.

Every yes we say is a no to other things we want to do. Saying yes to everything just shows we don’t have boundaries, nor do we truly value our lives outside of work.

Many of us waste our time doing the wrong things, checking off the easy tasks but not the rewarding ones. We know what to do but don’t do it enough.

So what can we do instead? Here are three filters to think through:

Filter #1 – Pick The Daily Big 3

The human brain handles 3 tasks better than a large list. If you take on three tasks … and finish them … you feel more accomplished. But how do you decide?

The Eisenhower Matrix shows Urgency at the top and Importance down the side. Through it, you can find what is important and urgent – that will be big three worthy. Then, if something is important but less urgent you can schedule it for another time. Tasks that are less important but urgent can be delegated. Finally, if it’s less important and less urgent, simply delete it – it might not need to be done at all.

Filter #2 – What’s the next best step to take?  

Small steps per day allow good progress.

Filter #3 What can I do right now so everything is easier or irrelevant?

Sometimes it’s to go for a walk. Or it might be to sit down and focus on the content plan.

Action step: Create a Daily Big 3 thinking about the main things you need to do to move you toward your goals, which can be done through blocking off time on your calendar. That will give you time back to do what you want to do like going to the Terrace on a sunny Friday afternoon.

Mistake #2 – Not setting boundaries

Work expands to the time that we allow for it. It can also contract to what we allot it to. Put guardrails on your time for your workday. Choose a consistent start and stop time that you can commit to. It will help build good habits. Maybe eventually you could pull this time back and have summer hours to enjoy time outside with friends and family.

Bonus tip – Prioritize sleep and rest. When you’re sleep deprived work takes longer and quality suffers. Rest should not be a reward. It’s a prerequisite for greatness.

Mistake #3 – Accepting everything that comes our way

You might be able to do something by tomorrow, or take on an exciting project. But should you?

We need to remove tasks, especially what’s not serving you, before we add things to our calendars. Also, think about the commitments not on your calendar that are not serving you. Are you on committees? Are you doing pro-bono work you shouldn’t be? If what you’re doing doesn’t fit your core values, clear them.

After that, think about what’s distracting you. The Not-To-Do list: doom-scrolling, watching reality TV, gossipping at the office instead of getting to work.

Now, think about what brings you joy that you miss. Something that could fill you that makes you a better person tomorrow. Add that to your calendar and new routine.

Mistake #4 – Doing things that are in your drudgery zone.

Work out what you don’t like to do, and you’re not very good at. Think of three things and decline them politely or delegate.

Mistake #5 – Taking one day at a time

You can be too frazzled by your calendar and meetings, if you’re not looking ahead. Dale Carnegie says, “One hour of planning can save 10 hours of doing.” Maybe follow a weekly preview with the following steps:

• After Action Review – Look at what worked or what didn’t last week.
• Preview Coming Week – Look at personal and professional commitments.
• Plot and Plan – Write down action steps needed for a successful week.

More Resources

• Link to this Presentation Deck
• Photo Recap of the event, thanks to SMBMad Board Members and volunteers.

If you want more information from Jenna, she’s just launched a podcast, check it out here.

Thank you to our May volunteer, Jason Waller, for writing this recap of the event!