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When it comes to that whole work and life balance setup, we’ve all got an opinion as to how much we should do. But when you are working hard on setting up a blogging career, people will tell you constantly you need to take some downtime. But if you’re knee deep into setting up your dream career, you can be absolutely single-minded about it and work for 15 hours a day. On the other hand, there are those who aren’t doing enough to set up their dream career and end up socializing more than they really should be. So where is this sweet spot, where you are socializing enough so that you aren’t going insane, but you’re also doing enough to ensure that you are making proper progress? Is there any way to make it balance evenly?
Look At Working Smart
They say that you need to work hard, and this is the only way that you will get results, but if you’re working your butt off and you’re not getting anywhere, is it because you’ve been working hard in the wrong areas? This is where working smart comes into its own. By knowing exactly what you need to work at, and then applying yourself, it’s a far better preparation method to ensure that you have an illustrious career ahead of you. For the standard creative career, a lot of people are flying blind- that is, they don’t know what resources to make the most of, or even what is out there. So, for example, if you aren’t aware of your financial options, you could go to a local bank and see how much it costs to set up a website and attempt to get a business loan. Resources are what will help you every step of the way. And it’s not about having an infinite knowledge of these resources, but knowing how to use them. Work smart, don’t work hard.
When You Justify “Networking” As An Excuse To Go Out
Of course, it’s who you know that will get you the contracts, and the audience needed for your brand to travel further. But even though networking does require a certain amount of socializing, there is a cut-off point. For a lot of people, networking is a very difficult task and requires some courage, in many cases, Dutch courage. But if there is a tendency to rely on alcohol and cigarettes as the way to socialize, this is going to distract your focus from the purpose. Instead, you can end up “networking” when you’re actually just going out to socialize. So, make sure you are going out with the best of intentions, and keeping on the right side of bad habits. If you found yourself already in these bad habits, you can look at sorting yourself out. There are tablets for smokers to quit the habit, you can swap an alcoholic drink for a soft drink, or you could drive to these networking events, so you have no choice but to rely on your personality to build rapport. At the end of the day, networking is a valuable skill, but a lot of us don’t feel we have what it takes- use these events as a way to continually improve your skills.
Take A Look In The Mirror…
And when you are trying to find that sweet spot when it comes to having adequate downtime in comparison to your working hours, it’s all about what’s in the mirror. Look at yourself, are you tired? Do you need a break? Whatever you’re doing, if it’s too much work or too much play, it’s going to show up on the lines on your face, your skin, and your general demeanor. This is why it’s important for you to “check in” with yourself from time to time, and see how you are really feeling. If you’re going too hard in one direction, it’s time to put the brakes on and have some actual time to recuperate. When you are starting up any type of career that requires your brain to be operating a mile a minute, like blogging, or you’re trying to set up a website that is going to provide an income for you at some point, there can be a lot of anxieties flowing through your mind, because it’s down to you and you alone. And so, it’s the sense of guilt you feel if you do too much of one thing.
It’s a very difficult balance to get right, but if you can look at these three aspects of your life and fix them effectively, you should get the balance between work and play just perfect. But don’t forget rest!