A Post from HeartMade Blog

I was on my twitter this morning and came across a neat little tweet that led me to the Etsy forums and that led me to an amazing blog! I had to share her post because it was so well said. I am struggling with time management and this just fits in . Hope you enjoy and don't forget to check out her blog....

Here are a few tips + strategies that have helped me so so much to strike a balance between my work life + personal life:

1. Take lunch breaks. This one sounds simple, but it's really a bit complicated. We all have to eat right? But eating in front of the computer is no eating ethic any of us should follow. Use your 1-2 hour lunch break to really sit back + relax. This is a great opportunity to cook a homemade meal + go out for a short walk + lunch out with your gals or anything other activity that gets you to disconnect + vent.

2. Make appointments after work. Doing extracurricular activities outside the office environment is essential to the feeling of balance. Book a yoga class + cooking class + dance lesson + learn a new language + make appointments to see a friends. When we make plans ahead of time we are more likely to stick with them.

3. Establish your limits. Set sticked bounds about when you will start + stop checking your BlackBerry messages + e-mails + Etsy convos. Resist the urgency to stay connected 24/7. When we don't establish clear limits between our professional + private life, we lose sight of balance.

4. Free days. Pick a day of the week to really disconnect 100% from all responsibility. I used to work everyday of the week with the excuse that work was crazy busy. Now I work harder during the week + organize my schedule so I can take my weekends off to go to the beach with my boyfriend. This has been the single best decision I have taken in my career. I feel happier + less stressed + because I organize my weeks so well to be able to leave for the weekend, I actually get more work done during the week. Listen to me please: get off your computer at least one day a week - you will thank me later.

5. Me time. Pick a moment in the day or week to really be by yourself + meditate + think about your week + write down your goals and dreams + read an inspirational poem + listen to your favorite tune. The time you take for yourself is sacred + extremely important for finding inner peace.

6. Make time for your body. Your body is your temple, nourish it by eating foods that are good for you + exercising regularly + sleeping your 8 hours. A healthy body is a happy body.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Thanks again for the lovely post, Mayi. I am now following her on Twitter...can't wait to see what other advice she has to offer! ;)

http://www.heartmadeblog.com/