Work + Life Balance: The Q & A Session
This post is Day #31 in the 31 Days to a Better Work + Life Balance series.
Hey! We made it to the end of the 31 days! Woot!
I hope this month has got you feeling encouraged while juggling all the crazy. It definitely helped me to process through it all.
Today is Q & A day with you so I'll quickly try to answer a few questions and then if you have any more for me, I'd be happy to add to this post later. Here we go!
Q: How do you know when it's the right time to quit your "day job" and work for yourself?
A: It can be so scary to make that big move to work for yourself! If you find yourself suddenly out of work, this can be a good time to start but keep in mind, things take awhile to get going. I don't necessarily think you have to quit one job in order to begin the other. If you're unsure about how your business will do, keep your "day job" and then grow your side business on days off or in the spare minutes. When you start to make enough consistently and have a great client list built up, then you can quit with a little more confidence.
Q: I run my own business full time and just found out we are having a baby! How did work change for you after having kids?
A: I started my business after having a baby so I've always kind of juggled the two. Don't stress! It can be done. The first few months getting the hang of everything might be hard so just be sure to have some extra hands lined up. But I'm sure you will fall into a rhythm in no time. It usually just comes down to being efficient and not being afraid to ask for help.
Q: Circumstances have changed so that my husband and I are transitioning into working together full-time from home. Do you have any tips for getting things done without distracting each other?
A: This sounds fun! But I totally understand your worry. Me and my husband used to team up for youth ministry and had a hard time with this too. We tried to set up a short period of brainstorming and then work on lesson plans in separate rooms. Or I'd hit the coffee shop to put together worksheets if I knew he was going to need my office space. Just be honest with each other and set up some limits. Maybe mornings are for working together and afternoons are spent separately? Headphones are a great tool too - they remind us not to talk/distract each other during crunch time.
Q: How do you know when to say no? I keep finding myself taking on way too much and doing everyone else's work but mine.
A: Oh I so get this! Setting boundaries is hard, especially when you truly want to help others. One thing I try to do is work on my own projects for a solid chunk of time each day before reading emails or checking voicemails. This sounds harsh but usually if people have to wait to get ahold of me, they end up figuring it out for themselves. Or they realize it's not as "urgent" as they would have made it if they could have reached me right away. I also try to plan times of rest or open space for others into my week. That way I don't get as stressed and caught off guard if someone needs me.
I hope this helps! Thanks for joining me for this series! I'd love to add any more of your questions if you have more.
