5 Simple Ways to Balance Work and Life

{print from Love Sugar}

a few thoughts on keeping a happy balance of work & life......


1. Reframe Your Thoughts: Work and life are often described as a battle, one duking out the other. But it doesn't have to be this way. Try rethinking the situation...and how you see yourself in it. Sometimes, when things feel really chaotic over here, I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to stay home to raise my child and work at something I really love. Everything else is just logistics.  


2. Separate To-Do Lists: I'm a big fan of to-do lists but even if you don't use them it's important to keep priorities separate for work & home. Finishing up your spring collection and paying the auto insurance are both pretty darn important...keeping them separate can free up your mind a bit to make sure they both get accomplished. 


3. Designate Work Space:  Whether it's an actual studio or a corner of a room or a little closet....designating a place to create signals that 'this is the place where I make things happen.' It allows you to make that mental switch from work to not working. 


4. Set Work Aside: I really believe you have to find what works best for you. But it helps to have some sort of system/habit/method of putting work down aside so you can enjoy other aspects of your life.  Checking off a to-do list, putting up post-it notes to address next time, sending yourself an email reminder, jotting down your last ideas in a journal, setting a timer.....these are all ways to help make that transition. 


5. Adjust Expectations: I am not superwoman. Nor do I think I should be. Work and life will undoubtedly overlap a bit- embrace it.  For example, my husband & son traveled with me across town to drop off a wholesale order last weekend, we made a day of it- visiting a new art gallery, grabbing a bite to eat, and walking around the neighborhood.




what can you add to this list? how do you maintain a happy balance?