Tuesday 19 January 2016

Working Gurl | Balancing Work + School + Blogging with Personal Life


Hey Dolls!

I had such a positive response on my Working Gurl post on dressing for an interview and thought I would do another one for you! This time, I want to tackle managing your time to ensure you have a balanced work load without sacrificing personal time. Being a motivated individual comes at a price. While you are striving to give your 110% at every task you take on, you forget the importance of creating boundaries in regards to personal life. 

At times, I definitely struggle with creating time for myself amidst all of the initiatives and responsibilities I have. 

I need to balance being a full time student in my last year of my Bsc undergrad at UBC Vancouver, a part time job, free lance writing positions, volunteering, and the newest addition - blogging! 

Also, I am guilty of doing work on my off time... my mind is constantly thinking, the gears turning on how to solve a practice question for class or all the tasks I need to complete for work or new ideas for Pink Tea Latte. GAH! It really does burn you out if you do not take  time off - as in not thinking about work. 

With having so much going on and always wanting to give my best at anything I am doing, you can imagine, I can end up neglecting my own wellbeing. 

So if you feel you are spending too much time working and thinking about work than taking time for yourself, you are not alone! These are my little tips on how I make sure to have ME time and not always anxiously worrying about work. 

TIP 1 | Leave the work AT work! 
If possible, do not bring work home with you because otherwise, if you are like me, you will end up just working on it. This might include not bringing your work computer home, or not checking your work email outside of work hours. Because work hours are for work and when your off, FREEDOM!

TIP 2 | Why stress about work when you are not there
Stressing about work is not going to change anything. Especially if you are not at work to change whatever you are stressing out about. Just take some deep breaths, grab a Starbucks and do something fun. Worrying and stressing is not worth it. 

TIP 3 | Tell your boss if you are feeling overwhelmed
If you have too much on your plate at work it can really make you feel anxious and overwhelmed which will not allow you to enjoy your down time. As well, be candid. For me first and foremost, I am a student. If I find that my work responsibilities are burning me out and cutting into my study time, I tell my boss right away. It is far better to inform them versus handing in something not that great. 

TIP 4 | Prioritize
For me, school is always going be my highest priority and I will take time off from work when I need to focus on studying for exams. 

Next will be my paid jobs. I am being paid by my employer and they expect me to deliver on all my assigned tasks. Never take a job for granted because the job market is tough and an employer will not think twice letting you go and hiring someone who is more invested. 

Lastly, blogging. I do not make any money off of my blog. I pay for everything out of my own pocket; therefore, it is solely a labor of love on my part! Unfortunately, when I procrastinate, I will work on my blog, but it is not a priority. That being said, it is so much fun and I am learning so much indirectly from it, so blogging is rewarding in its own way for me. 

TIP 5 | Plan ahead
My agenda is my best friend. I write everything down in it. This way, I know what is happening so I am not taken off guard by an assignment deadline or completely forget I was scheduled for work. And I like to pre-plan my blog posts at the beginning of the week and try to get them done a few days in advance so if things get a little crazy at school or something unexpected comes up, I have a post ready to go! 

TIP 6 | Make firm boundaries
When the clock strikes 9pm, hands up, pencils down. I do not do anymore work. This is my way of making sure I have some relaxation time to for myself everyday. Also, I am not a night owl, so working into the night is not going to be productive. I will just be zoning out and probably fall asleep. So why waste time stressing when you can be chilling in bed watching funny youtube videos before going to sleep. 

TIP 7 | Spend times with your friends and family
Get out and do something fun with your friends and family. Enjoy your life. Results will not be fulfilling if you do not enjoy it. Also, from experience, if you are constantly busy, eventually you will fall out of touch with friends. Then you will feel all alone :( no fun. Also, the best way to take your mind off of work is to go out and do something fun adventurous with friends hehe!

I really hope these tips help you all! These are the small things that work for me! By no means am I saying it will be the same for you. But hopefully these tips could give you some ideas on improving making time for yourself! 

BYES

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