“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

~ Stephen Covey

These days, I think we all need to prioritize ourselves more often. And it’s not about finding better work-life balance. In our busy, tech-fed, pulled-in-multiple-directions lives, work-life balance is a myth, because the life side is almost as busy as the work side. Would you agree?

So, if it’s not work-life balance we crave, what is it?

Watch the short video below, or read the transcript that follows… let me know if you agree, and also share what you do when you free up time for yourself.

Hey, Michelle Cederberg here, contemplating work-life balance, and wondering whether that’s exactly what we’re chasing or if it’s something different. If you look into your busy week, what is the thing that you most crave or hope that you’ll be able to find in the midst of all the busy?

Work-life balance suggests that when we’re done the work, we can get to the life side and have a little bit of calm. But how many of you have calm, non-busy life activities? Once you’ve done all the busyness on the work side, you’ve got busyness on the life side. Taking care of your kids, taking care of your aging parents, doing all the laundry and groceries.

And you know what I’m talking about. To-do, to-do, to-do. So, it’s not necessarily work-life balance that we’re craving, is it? I think it’s a balance between the busyness of life, and having a little bit of free time to just do as we wish.

Who is with me on that?

As we look towards a busy schedule, we crave those moments where we can just sit and read a book, or do some guilt-free exercise, or sit and stare into space without feeling bad about the work you’re not getting done.

First of all, I want you to think about what your free time activities would be. What are the things that you most crave to spend more time doing?

And the way that we need to get to them is to prioritize them every day. I want you to start your day by looking at your calendar and prioritizing your day… vigilantly.

Make sure that you’re not putting things on your schedule that aren’t high priority. Figure out what you can say no to. Figure out what you can delegate. Figure out what you can let go. Sometimes we get caught up in the autopilot of getting sh!t done and we forget that we have the power to change our schedule, negotiate it, ask for help … whatever that may be.

So, prioritize your schedule. And number two, I just alluded to it there… Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to get your kids, or your spouse or partner involved in stuff around the house that you normally do. They may gripe about it at first, but then they’ll come on board. Get them to help you, so you have time for yourself.

Delegate as much as you can. Ask for help if you can. Prioritize your schedule and make sure that you take your breaks when you can, and take quality breaks… through the workday, and certainly when you’re at home as well. When you pause, try not to just jump right into your phone. We need a little bit of presence.

We need to skip social media every now and then. We need to do things that don’t involve technology. So that’s my quick thought for the day. How do we fit in free time?

It’s not about work life balance. It’s about balancing work and life with those moments of free time that will help us feel like we’re taking care of ourselves just a little bit. Food for thought for you this week.

So, until next time, I’m Michelle Cederberg, reminding you that in order to Ignite High Performance, you do need to pause long enough to take care of yourself, and do things just for you. Share in the comments below what some of your tips and tricks are throughout the week to find time for yourself, and I will talk to you again soon.

I’m booking 2024 speaking engagements across North America RIGHT NOW. If you’d like to chat about how to bring me in to your organization to help your team eliminate burnout, increase engagement, and ignite high performance, pop me an email at hello@michellecederberg.com. I’d love to chat.

In fact… I’ve got a NEW KEYNOTE and you can learn about it here: MichelleSPEAKS_2024

Don’t forget to join me on my social channels below.

Resources Galore!

1) Hey, I’m super excited to share a great product that I can’t wait for you all to see. It’s my new Success-Energy Equation mouse pad. Remember the equation? Some of you have seen it. Links to purchase are below. SO FUN!

Buy single mousepad
Buy 5 mousepad value-pack

2) Don’t forget to check out my new ‘What’s Your Motivation Type?’ QUIZ!  Click the link and answer 5 quick questions to identify your Motivation Type. It’s going to give you daily doses of inspiration based on your category, and you’ll get all sorts of resources along the way.

3) SPEAKING: Does your workplace or conference need a good dose of re-energizing in the months ahead? Ask me about energizing keynotes, or half and full day Success-Energy Equation sessions (or any of my other topics, which you can download here: MichelleSPEAKS_2024) to help you fire up your drive, recommit to growth, and ignite high performance in all you do. Contact me to chat.