Balance is for scales
Can we finally agree that work-life balance is bullshit? To truly be good at something you have to give it your all. So if you want to prioritize work, it needs to take precedence over your personal life.
Balance is about equality and as the image above attests, you can perhaps have it for a short while but eventually you're going to fall over. And where did this idea of everything needing to be equal even come from?
This is my dance space
Many of us can't control the amount of work we have. But we can control the parameters around that work. The reason quiet quitting has become such a hot topic is because people are sick of burning the candle at both ends. And that's because they haven't established the boundaries around which they work.
I don't care who you work for, no one owns you and no one can tell you that you need to be available 24/7. This goes for business owners as well. The reason you got into business for yourself was to be in control of who you work with, what you do and when and how you work.
If you don't have boundaries, well, you're not in control then are you? Your clients are.
I'm Rick James, bitch
The reason so many of us struggle to define our boundaries around work is we haven't defined our brand. If you aren't clear on who you serve and what you do it's hard to delineate the right work, the right clients and the right time. When you're just taking everything that comes your way, you'll never get off the hamster wheel.
Plus, you won't have expertise or authority over your work or your clients. They'll see you as a pushover because you haven't established the right not to be. The same holds true for employees. If your manager doesn't know your value or what you can do for them, they'll give you all the stuff that isn't a fit for you. This will overwhelm and exhaust you.
But, when you're clear on your Personality Brand, you can assert yourself in all the right ways.
Vacation as a boundary?
The reason this topic even came up was that my coaching group told me they admire me for taking real vacations! As in, put-that-OOO-up-and-don't-take-my-computer-with-me vacations.
How sad that disconnecting for a well-earned vacation could be considered a boundary, but the conversation also revolved around how my OOO messages make it more amenable for my clients. This allows me to manage their expectations and assert my boundaries in a fun and very on-brand way.
I never would have been able to do this as a freelancer because I was too scared I'd lose work. Too scared that the client wouldn't understand. But when you're clear on what you offer, your value is also clear. And that's something the right client will never argue with and gladly wait for (and pay for!).
Want to know how you can establish work-life boundaries by getting clear on your brand? Let me count the ways...
Two for the price of one
Do you want to create a kick ass bio and shine with red carpet confidence? Of course you do! I'm so excited to be co-hosting a workshop on February 7th for District Bliss with the talented Erin Brown, Founder of Hot Red Carpet Events (I mean talk about personality?!). Together, we're going to help you:
Get an understanding of how to highlight your unique personality in a genuine and relatable way.
Learn tactics to let go of that inner critic.
Find tangible ways to remove jargon and highlight what makes you awesome.
Develop a personalized routine that sets you up for success at every event.
Erin is a master at getting people confident on camera and off and together we're going to help attendees fine tune their message and then learn how to speak it into existence with power, poise and personality. Spots are limited so sign up today!
Give your career a boost
Looking to find your next opportunity, or your next hire? I'm hosting a Career Branding workshop for Together Digital, a collective of influential women in digital, during their Virtual Career Summit on February 23rd.
This all day summit features a Keynote with recruiters, hiring leads, and influential team members sharing what they look for when bringing on a new team member; plus workshops, networking opportunities, a chance to meet recruiting organizations, and get selected for a one-on-one 15-minute interviews. Come for any or all of the summit. It's free!
10 Days to a Better Bio
Be honest. It's almost the end of January. How's that bio looking?
I get it, the new year sounds like a great time to get things going with your business or brand, but you blinked and now it's almost February.
That's why my 10 Days to a Better Bio is open through the end of February. You can sign up anytime and get 10 emails delivered over 10 days with 10 ways to take your bio from BOOOORRRRING to BOOOOO-YAH! You pay whatever you wish and you get whatever you put in. All I promise is these tips are simple, actionable and effective. What are you waiting for?