A week ago I wrote a blog about trying to figure out how to “Fit It All In”. At that time I had felt overwhelmed with what seemed like an endless list of “TO DO’s”. As one line item was crossed off the list another would soon be added and I wondered how I was ever going to accomplish everything I needed and wanted to get done? This was an all to familiar feeling for me. My stomach sank as I started to think back on the days of when all I did was work, until, that is, I became sick and had to put my career on hold.
As an entrepreneur it can be overwhelming to fit work, health & fitness, and quality time with friends, family, and boyfriend. Not to mention the much needed “ME” time that we all tend to put on the back burner. So how do you find balance when you run your own business, want to stay healthy, and also maintain your sanity by adding “ME” time or an occasional Manhattan with a few of your closets buds???
I am a retoucher and photographer transitioning into a career as a voice over artist, actress and singer. (which means I am doing all of the above!) I have also taken on the privilege of being a Sweat Pink Ambassador for Fit Approach contributing to their blog, creating my own Sweat Pink competitions and give aways with the mission to inspire others to take on a healthy lifestyle. I am also taking an intensive acting & singing class with Faith Prince and Natasha Burr, I am working on songs for a show I am doing in conjunction with Monique Mallicoat’s class at the Alcove Theatre in June, working on my lines for my scene in the independent film, Refuge, and creating new voices for my characters demo that I would love to create within the next month or so. Hmmm, yeah. See what I mean? While this new path is an exciting one with lots of fun “work” to do, it could be easy to burn out if you don’t watch out.
So, back to the question, how do I find balance while accomplishing my goals? Last week I got super organized and created a schedule with blocks of time for each project, workout and hang/rest time. I blogged about my schedule and goals Monday-Friday.
This turned out to be a pretty great excersize for me. I learned a lot about myself and what balance really is to me by creating this schedule and writing about it. Here is what I learned:
Visual Record…
After looking back on all of my blogs from this past week I have learned that keeping a visual record of what I do or need to do, has opened me up to really see. Not just to see what I need to do and how long I have to do it in but really see the world around me right down to where my shift in moods come from, why I am tired, or in contrast, have so much energy!
Balance…
Through this personal project I have learned that balance is organic. Balance is relative. Some days its a fitness/9-5/hang time with your friends kind of a day, while other days are no fitness/nose to the grind until its time for bed kind of a day! Balance is about knowing when to GO and when to SLOW DOWN. Remembering to eat on those long work days, knowing when to take on a challenge or hanging back because your plate is just too full at the moment.
I can see that keeping these things in mind at all times will help me to maintain and feel balanced even in this crazy entrepreneurial world I live in. Everyday is different for me. Working out when I can, getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, surrounding myself with positive people, doing work I love to do, supporting causes I believe in, inspiring others, and putting out as much love as I possibly can…doing these things balances my scale whether it is one thing one day or ten the next.
Wow…thanks for following me this week. Its been an eye opener.
Dani
DANI VOX! 