Letter From Andrea: Finding Work Life Balance In The New Year
Ready or not, 2023 is here! As the excitement of the New Year wears off and we settle into our routines for the year ahead, I feel ready to begin a new chapter. I am looking forward to growing LA Move Consultants this year, while also searching for better work life balance.
Many of you probably already know that I moved last summer. I left the beach and moved to a planned community. My apartment is beautiful, the walkability is great, and the community has a lot to offer. It’s true that I move all the time, but this time was a little bit different for me. Although my new home is only 20 minutes away, it might as well have been two hours away. It truly felt like starting over.
In the past, it’s never been hard for me to meet people. It’s especially easy with kids in school. We tend to become friends with the parents of our kids’ friends, and our neighbors, while the kids play outside. But my kids are grown up now (19 and 22?!), and I don’t have to worry about their social calendars anymore. It’s time for me to focus on my own.
This shift got me thinking about work-life balance. I’m thankful for the wonderful connections I’ve made over the years, and I know my good friends will always be there for me, no matter where I live. But figuring out how to make new friends as a full-time business owner and mom is harder than I thought it would be. It takes a good amount of time and effort to go to the gym, take a class, or join a Meetup group. In order to do those things, it’s important to find a balance between time spent on business and time spent outside the office.
I’m happy to report that I’ve been making some strides toward my goals so far this year:
- I made time for a couple short ski trips in January (shown above).
- In February, I am taking a trip to Florida to visit my parents, which will be great.
- And I’m always looking for more ways to infuse some fun and excitement into my life!
Are you on a similar search to find what brings you happiness, fulfillment, and balance this year?
Getting organized can sometimes be the absolute best way to start! In the long run, it’s worth it to spend some energy making a plan and setting up systems that will save you time and stress time and time again. When things are unorganized, they often fall to chaos. And when you are living in chaos, you will not be as focused on work OR life as you would like to be.
Here are some organization ideas to help you find balance today:
- Keep a master calendar of all your kids’ activities in the kitchen and set reminders on your phone, so you can stay focused on your day. This is a tip I used to live by when my kids were young.
- If you cook often, plan out your meals for the week and do all your grocery shopping on the weekend. Not only will this save you multiple trips to the store, but it will also cut down on food waste.
- Label the spice jars in your kitchen so you can find them quickly when you’re making a meal.
- Got a lot of craft supplies? Store them in plastic bins and be sure to put them back when you are done using them.
- To keep your home clean, make a rule that all shoes come off in the entry. Set up a bench or shoe rack that stores shoes out of sight.
These simple organization tips will save you hours of time spent looking for things you need and fixing mistakes you made because you were distracted. Put some of that extra time toward a new activity this year, and watch how a healthy work-life balance improves your year!
Still feeling overwhelmed by the tasks you need to tackle? I’d love to help you get organized and find your own work-life balance, too. Contact LA Move Consultants online to schedule a free consultation, or call me directly at 310-904-9720.