What's Draining You?
This is Day #4 in the 31 Days to a Better Work + Life Balance series.
Today is going to be fun because we are going to be doing some imagining.
Okay pretend for a second that you are unimaginably wealthy and can hire out for every single job that you currently fill. You wouldn't have to move a muscle if you didn't want to. Quick take two minutes and list out all of the careers that might replace them.
That is a lot of roles! (I'm not even counting the irreplaceable roles like wife, mom, family member, friend. Or the ones for hobby's sake like crafter, reader, dancer, artist.) I probably don't do all of these at the professional level but I these are all things I manage and aim to improve.
Okay now looking at your list of jobs, go through and check off the ones that make you feel tired or drained. The jobs you HATE or really wish you could hire out for.
Now go through and cross off any of those draining jobs that could be removed completely without seriously affecting/hurting anyone.
Last step - put a star by those that may not be logical to do at this phase of your life or work.
I made us do this little exercise because I thought it would be helpful for you to see all that you're managing (high five!) and what MIGHT be stealing your precious time and energy.
I think sometimes we feel a pressure to do things we see our friends do, or things we watched our family members do well. But we forget that we are all different! We all have unique personalities, gifts, strengths and weaknesses. If we try to be awesome at everything and take on too much - especially things that are constantly emptying our tank - we will get burned out!
Side story...
My husband came to the realization awhile back that almost every job he's ever had required him to be outgoing, salesy, or in charge of the plan. While he's naturally good at most things, these jobs were making him subconsciously miserable and exhausted. He is introverted and isn't the best at making plans. He would much rather listen and encourage than talk about himself or persuade someone to buy something. He would love to just be given instructions and then work with his hands.
I used to argue with him all the time but he was convinced that every job had to be exhausting. But now that he's been in a job more fit to his personality, he agrees with me that some jobs can give you life even when they are tiring.
All that to say...what are you doing right now that you don't HAVE to do forever? Could you work toward eliminating a role you fill or eventually hiring someone to help you? Is there any job that just isn't logical for you to do in this phase of life? The irreplaceable roles may have to stay but maybe there are a few things you could say no to and ease a little bit of the strain in your life.
For me, I am going to accept now is not a good time to be an awesome gardener, decorator, and stylist. (Maybe one day my plants will live! Haha) Or for my business, I might have to hire help for customer service and running social media during the busy seasons.
Take an honest look at your list and decide what you'll begin working to eliminate Or maybe you'll have to be content not doing everything perfectly right now. It's okay to say no to our own built up expectations.
