Work-Life Imbalance

This is a picture of work-life IMBALANCE.

Every time I’ve done a speaking engagement since Michael Francis was born, someone in the audience (usually a mom) will ask about work-life balance. Several months ago, I went into one of these talks especially sleep deprived, stressed out and unprepared so when THE QUESTION was asked, I sort of lost it. I blurted out, “There is no such thing as work-life balance! My life is a s%@t show!” A few people gasped.  Most laughed. A few clapped.

In my opinion you can’t “have it all” or “be it all” all the time.

I used to try.

I’d say, “Yes” to every request that came my way. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off; reading to kids, raising money for non-profits, serving on volunteer boards, emceeing events, speaking at events, picking up extra classes at the Y, turning all sorts of stories for Channel 13 that meant coming in early and staying late and working through my dinner breaks.  I was a HOT MESS. I was definitely doing it all, but oftentimes I was doing it in a pretty mediocre way. I was miserable and I was making a lot of people around me miserable.

Now I say, “No.” a lot.

I still emcee events and do speaking engagements and volunteer but I only do these things for what I call, “my babies”. They’re organizations and efforts that focus on issues that are important to me because of my personal experiences. Things like adoption, infertility, helping girls and women, and health and wellness.

My number one priority right now is my family. I’ve waited a long time to have the personal life I have now and I’m not going to miss out on it. If that means some people are disappointed in me or others think I’m “slacking” in certain areas of my life, so be it.

I got the laundry put away LESS THAN 24 HOURS after I folded it.  Not because I suddenly became super organized and figured out how to “do it all”.

The laundry is put away because my MIL stopped by to play with her grandson.

And this raises another point…we all need help sometimes! Give yourself (and everyone else) a break.