Why I took the term “work-life balance” out of my vocabulary
I've recently taken the term "work-life balance" out of my vocabulary.
The term makes me think of a seesaw set, where the two sides are opposing forces and there can only be one winner on top at a time. It requires a lot of energy and if you want to feel 'balanced,' all conditions must be JUST right, which never seems to happen anyways.
The idea had me constantly pouring my energy outward, towards something or someone else that always needed my attention, without stopping to evaluate what I needed. I felt like there was a fire under me every day, racing to get everything done each day yet never achieving everything I set out to that day, always disappointing others and myself throughout the process.
Instead of the term "work-life balance" I now just use the terms "energy" and "energy leaks" as my way of checking in with myself.
I truly believe that we don't all just need more time in our days to find some sort of elusive "balance" - we just need to be more intentional with how we spend our limited energy.
We need to find the things that fuel our energy, and harness them, while identifying and limiting the activities that drain our energy, or what I call energy leaks.
By energy leaks I don't mean getting tired after working out. I mean the things that:
by doing them, you are losing energy towards something more important
you know if you were just a little more organized, you would save yourself twice as much time later
or after you do them, you are completely unmotivated to do anything else
Some of mine are mindlessly scrolling social media, watching netflix, and putting out irrelevant and non-urgent fires.
Whether you're balancing a day job and a side hustle, or a side passion project, or a training program, you're likely always looking for more time in your days, what if instead of more time, you simply re-focused your energy?
I now spend each morning focused on what it is that I need to fuel myself. I check in on myself throughout the day and notice where I'm spending my energy. Am I being intentional with my energy? Or am I just pouring my energy into something that doesn't actually serve me?
Instead of always losing energy and waiting until you're in the negative to invest in yourself, you could start each day with a full battery.
Being intentional and having a full battery makes it so much easier to decide where to focus your time and expands what you can be with in any given day. You'll find inspiration more easily.
Some things I do in the mornings that help me get fully charged:
Something soul-focused like reading, meditating, or journaling
Some form of physical movement like stretching, walking, or yoga
Then I can fill out my planner for the day
Instead of simply listing all of my 'to dos' for the day, I focus on my commitments and who I want to be that day: leader, business owner, friend, love, and trust. Then I list the THREE things I need to get done that day. Instead of all the "should" dos that won't get done anyways.
What's one way you can invest in your own energy today?
Brittany is a life & leadership coach, trainer, and the founder of Hello Velocity where she helps ambitious individuals and corporate teams enhance their performance by working smarter, not harder. When she isn't building her business, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, taking a yoga or kickboxing class, or checking out a local brewery. She was recently acknowledged as one of the top coaches in Charlotte, NC.
