Finding Your Personal Balance in A Busy World

Ladies, let’s talk about self-care. I tried SO hard for YEARS so get myself into a morning routine for self-care. Wake up at 5 am (which I actually didn’t mind), stretch, exercise, write a gratitude journal, meditate, read personal development, I mean the list goes on and on. I tried it, all of it, over and over again and it kept leaving me feeling more like a failure than anything given I just did. not. enjoy. it. at. all. I couldn’t understand why it worked for others and not for me. People feeling refreshed, ahead of their day, buckets filled, etc etc. Nope, not me.

I finally realized that as working women juggling careers, relationships, and countless responsibilities, we need to expand our understanding of what self-care truly means.

The Myth of Universal Self-Care

Let's be honest: what works for your colleague who swears by 5 am meditation sessions might leave you feeling more stressed than serene. Your friend's perfect evening might involve an intense workout class, while you find peace in quietly reading a book. The truth is, self-care isn't about following someone else's formula (I’m talking about those on social media)—it's about discovering what truly helps you recharge and thrive.

Understanding Your Personal Needs

As I dove down the path to understand what self-care looks like for me, I had to strip away all the beliefs I had about self-care that was created and validated via social media. I had to ask myself the hard questions of what do I truly enjoy doing, what fills my bucket, what makes me feel like me? What surprised me is that I need (and prefer) quiet time to myself to think, reflect, recharge. I LOVE going for a quick walk out in nature, listening to life going on all around me. It’s calming. 

Take a moment to reflect on these questions yourself:

• When do you feel most energized?
• What activities make you lose track of time?
• What makes you feel physically and mentally restored?
• What depletes you, even if it's supposedly "good for you"?

Your answers might surprise you. Maybe you realize that solo walks energize you more than social brunches, or that cooking brings you more peace than meditation apps.

Practical Self-Care for Busy Schedules

Here's where reality meets intention. As working women, we need self-care practices that fit into our actual lives, not idealized versions of them. Consider these approaches:

• Micro-Moments Matter: Self-care doesn't always require large time blocks. Find small ways to nurture yourself throughout the day: take three deep breaths before entering a meeting, spend five minutes journaling during lunch, or stretch while waiting for your coffee to brew.

• Combine and Conquer: Look for ways to blend self-care with existing commitments. Take walking meetings instead of sitting ones, listen to uplifting podcasts during your commute, or turn household chores into mindfulness practice.

• Set Boundaries: Take a lunch break and step away from work so you won't be influenced in responding to a "quick" email or ping.

I take lunch breaks so I can skip over to a park nearby and go for a 30 min walk. I know I know, I take a lunch break? Yes! I’ve been working from home for almost 10 years and have gotten myself into a bad habit of “eating lunch at my desk”. I know you can relate. But I knew I had to make a change, it wasn’t serving me any to eat AND work! There was no division between work and home. 

I decided to start taking a lunch break. I get up from my laptop, grab my coat and head over to the local park for a walk. Do I do it every day? No, I’m not perfect, but I now know the signs to look out for if I need a quick break for self-care.

Sometimes the most powerful form of self-care is saying "no." This might mean declining additional projects, setting email boundaries at work, or being selective about social commitments.

Making It Sustainable

The key to effective self-care isn't perfection—it's consistency. Start small and build gradually:

1. Choose one practice that resonates with you and commit to it for a week.
2. Pay attention to how it affects your energy and mood.
3. Adjust based on what you learn.
4. Gradually add new practices as the first ones become habitual.

Remember: self-care shouldn't feel like another item on your to-do list. If something isn't working, let it go and try something else.

Self-care Made Deeper

True self-care goes deeper than surface-level practices. Consider these often-overlooked aspects:

• Financial self-care: Creating budgets, saving for the future, or learning about investments.
• Professional self-care: Setting career boundaries, pursuing development opportunities, or building supportive work relationships.
• Emotional self-care: Processing feelings, maintaining healthy relationships, or seeking therapy when needed.
• Environmental self-care: Creating a comfortable home space, decluttering, or spending time in nature.

The Bottom Line

Today, my self-care routines aren’t perfect but I know the signs of when I need to take a break, schedule some quiet time to recharge or do an activity that energizes me. 

Self-care isn't selfish—it's essential. As working women, we're often conditioned to put others first, but maintaining our own well-being is crucial for sustained success and happiness. Start by giving yourself permission to prioritize your needs, then experiment to find what truly works for you.

Remember: Your self-care journey is uniquely yours. What matters isn't how it looks on social media or compares to others' practices—what matters is how it makes you feel and whether it helps you show up as your best self in all areas of your life.

Make sure to grab my 3-Day Time Management Reset as I help you go deeper into self-care identifying what that looks like for you, where you can carve out time to prioritize it, how you can set boundaries to honor the time and affirmations you can tell yourself to help alleviate guilt when making time for yourself. 

With love,

Erin