To hell with professionalism! I say in a completely sensical and logical way. Have you felt uneasy in your pursuit of work-life balance? Or how about swearing off one to focus on the other? (as if that brought anyone contentment)
There is a method to capture your clients and retain your personality, called “work-life integration”. Gone are the days of work-life balance, where you compartmentalize your personalities and force yourself to perform under 1 or the other. Dr. Jekyll would have something to say about that… and don’t even get me started on Mr. Hyde. Wouldn’t it be better if you could establish yourself as multifaceted, and not just a one-dimensional character?
You’re probably sick of not being sure what’s missing in your life or business, having unrealistic expectations, and not managing tasks properly. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to striking the perfect uniformity in all aspects of your life, but there is a way to relieve the pressure. And suppose you’re worried about integration being the cause for losing out on some awesome clients or being the reason your family isn’t happy to see you anymore, we’re going to cover it all and put your fears to rest (spoiler alert: clients don’t really care about that, and your family is just happy to spend time with you).
Why are people struggling in business?
People struggle in business because they fail to see the personal aspects that enhance their performance and allow a smooth transition from home life to business-focused. If you introduce your personal qualities when it comes to business, you can be sure that it won’t hinder your ability to perform but strengthen your professional skills.
What skills am I speaking of precisely?:
- Making connections
- Experimenting to find the right formulas
- Utilizing what you enjoy to make a profit
Although many don’t exclusively use these skills to manage their personal life, there are too many who don’t take full advantage of them. There are business owners who think business and relationships are mutually exclusive. Or that experimentation comes without failure. In what world do we expect to grow professionally if we inhibit ourselves in important areas? Unlucky for you, if you thought there was no more growth to do, but lucky there’s a guide that’ll encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and into a new era where your role is unbelievably enlightening.
Make connections:
Take more risks, visit more networking events, speak to your audience, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
I’ll be the first to admit that when I first started my copywriting journey, I was so excited to work from home and live my online anonymous fantasies. That’s unrealistic. You can only go so far behind a screen without showing your face or starting a conversation. Even the most introverted of the introverts have to pull off that bandaid at some point. Especially when it comes to your own business, where making friends and solidifying a retainer goes hand-in-hand. The great thing about having your own personality is that you don’t have to force yourself to network somewhere you don’t want to. There are so many places you can go to pitch your services; in some cases, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home. Which, I don’t know, to me, is a huge weight off my shoulders.
The important thing to remember when pitching to someone, making a friend, or speaking at a social event – they’re human (at least I would hope) so don’t be afraid to goof up a little. Being in business is scary, but reminding yourself that this horror movie of a task won’t ACTUALLY kill you is a good way to get yourself moving.
Experiment to find the right formulas:
Try and fail… at EVERYTHING. Need I say more? I probably don’t, but I will.
Failure isn’t a thing. It only applies if you give up. You gain lessons from experience, you create experience by trying new things. And if/when it doesn’t work out, you start from where you are, with that experience you created, which will give you the confidence to try again. Everyone has setbacks and it’s not living if you don’t get sent flat on your ass from a few hits.
Utilize what you enjoy to make a profit:
Don’t follow what’s profitable or what the “gurus” tell you, there’s more profit in what you enjoy. I’m not talking about money, I’m talking about profit for the soul.
A lot of business owners, at the beginning of their careers, try to pursue a profitable niche. They think that choosing a niche with known profit will give them the monetary goals they’ve been looking for – but a niche you’re not invested in doesn’t give you a solid investment. Trust me, I know this from experience. It’s best to pursue something you have passion for because consumers only believe in a product/service you believe in.
Why are people struggling in their personal lives?
People struggle in their personal lives because they fail to run it like a business. They don’t utilize their professional skills to maximize their personal potential. People pleasers aim to please other people, forgetting that they’re a person too. Okay, they don’t forget, but they are pretty unfair to themselves while trying to do everything for everyone else. Why is that? Well, they don’t honor their own needs or apply their business skills, by doing so, they could:
- Respect their boundaries
- Manage the tasks, not let the tasks manage them
- Keep a consistent schedule
Work-life integration is a persistent pursuit. You don’t wake up ready to merge your 2 personalities. You have to manage your personal life the same way you manage your business. It’ll be hard work, yes, but it’ll be much easier than denying your true self.
Respect your boundaries:
Prioritize your needs.
It can be easier to set a boundary when it comes to professional status because they are people you don’t know personally and have no soft spots that they can exploit (whether purposely or accidentally). Your boundaries are not negotiations, they are the terms and conditions EVERYONE should be signing on the dotted line. It’s not always simple to put your boundaries in place, even when it’s the most important. But you have to be mindful of how you take advantage of yourself by allowing others to cross your boundaries. There are important things you must do to display the love you have for yourself. You draw the lines and by doing so, you show how others around you can love you properly and how you love others. To do all of this, you have to define your boundaries and take care of yourself first.
Plainly put: fill your own damn cup before you even spill a drop into someone else’s.
Manage the tasks, don’t let the task manage you:
Make a schedule that aligns with you. Pick 3-4 major tasks that need accomplishing and then fill in the gaps with smaller goals (and make sure to put some self-care in there!)
It is important to limit the number of tasks you assign yourself daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly. You should set no more than 3 major goals; otherwise, you will have no major goals. By setting priorities and defining the things that need to get done, you reduce the likelihood of emergencies. And doesn’t that sound nice? I’d love to live in a world with no emergencies. This is how you maintain the work-life integration lifestyle. This helps you understand what needs to happen personally and professionally to keep you going and prevent you from burning out.
After all, we are human beings, not birthday candles.
Keep a consistent schedule:
Make a list of what’s important to you and what you’re willing to sacrifice. Review weekly.
Keeping with the theme of respecting boundaries and managing your tasks, the next step is making a schedule. There should be no “go with the flow” kind of attitude. Defining your goals, making a plan, and executing your tasks prevents burnout and creates a clear-cut course of action. Now I’m not talking about permanently deciding which tasks matter most and having to stick rigidly to a schedule. It’s about understanding what your needs are, the needs of other people, and how to balance it all out. If you create a schedule, then you know what to say “no” to and what you can make room to say “yes” for.
Make a list of what’s important to you and what you’re willing to sacrifice. Review weekly.
With that, is work-life integration possible?:
So what else can I say that I didn’t already in the last 6 paragraphs? You now have the tools to drop the facade and create your most authentic self in ALL areas of your life. I did promise the review of how your client relations and the work-life integration don’t affect the dynamic. The answer is much simpler than you may think… they don’t care! And truthfully if they do, then maybe the client isn’t for you. You have to decide whether you want to hide your most genuine self to navigate a subpar relationship or if you want to find people who appreciate you and the work ethic that comes with you being entirely yourself. The same happens when it comes to your personal life, you have to maintain your standards and put your foot down when it comes to yourself. Remember anyone who doesn’t want you to have boundaries are the ones who benefit from you having none.