Reflecting on the year and working towards a better work-life balance by Amy Watmore, Founding Director of The Administration Hub.
Running your own business is great most of the time, but it does have the downfall that it can be REALLY HARD TO SWITCH OFF! Do you ever feel that on occasions or more frequently you are not living in the moment? Your to-do list is constantly swirling in your head, and you feel like you are on a fast-paced treadmill, and you would like to occasional just step off?? I do!!
This is something I want to concentrate on in 2022; not just for me but for my family. Recently my business partner Katy and I took some time out to do our annual business planning session, away from the office to fully concentrate on the aims for and goals for 2022. We also took the time to treat ourselves to a cheeky treatment in the spa, but both of us could not fully enjoy the moment and after ten minutes in the relaxation pools we got out as work was calling in our heads.
So, after 48 hours of planning, we came back to the office mid-week, exhausted and still 2 more days until the weekend. But then the weekends come and go in a flash as I often feel like I have to cram so much in to see friends, family, ferry the kids around, clean the house and more. It feels like the weekend lasted just 24 hours and someone pressed fast forward. Then Monday is here again and inside I’m crying out for an extra day.
What I’m pushing myself to do in the new year and something we support many clients in being able to do – is to strive for a better work-life balance for 2022! The aim is to switch off after working hours and not be stuck to my desk from 7.30 am until 7.30 pm to achieve a few hundred steps and be constantly wired and exhausted, whatever they may be.
Christmas is often a time of reflection, more to see what has gone well and what hasn’t!! …and MOST IMPORTANTLY how we start the new year off positively and with good intentions (which I will hopefully not break by the end of Jan).
It is so easy with remote working especially to feel like you need to respond immediately when hearing the flurry of notification pings from your PC or phone. I feel like we need to regain control of expectations in 2022 and be a little kinder to the minds and bodies for the long-term goal in support of avoiding burnout. Family and your own time are precious, we can’t press rewind as much I would like to sometimes. A motto of The Administration Hub is: you can’t do everything yourself, as much as we like to think we can, and it may be possible to a certain standard or as a consequence of something else, but is it required, needed, justified or warranted? It is ok to ask for help!
So, I am going to try hard from January 2022 to take a lunch break away from the desk, make sure I do 30 minutes of exercise each day and also put the phone down after 6.30 pm to see if this makes a difference to my overall wellbeing, sleep and appreciation for what is going on around me.
What will you be doing in 2022 to ensure you take more moments to smell the roses and protect your mental and emotional wellness?