Work and Life Balance.

"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." Dwayne Johnson

Word hard, party harder, is that what the kids say nowadays? If you are even a little bit like me you will find yourself loosing track of time at the long shifts at work because you either can't allow things to be left unfinished or you don't dare to go home when you could stay a bit longer to help out your department or a colleague who is so nice to you, or your boss even if you are trying to be a good girl to earn some holiday time so you can book your flight to the place where is sun, beach and good vibes.

A day passes by, then a week, a month, you walk in to the workplace and you see a poster that HR has put up in staff restaurant - "Congratulations on your 2 years of service" - you look down the list and you see your name on it. Two freaking years? How did I not even notice that I have spent here 2 years? To be fair I did take a couple of steps on the career ladder and I am probably doing OK, surely better than some, but two years. So many things can happen in two years. And it got me thinking  that yes, I have earned my promotions and I did work hard for every penny I took home over that period of time, but what did I achieve on developing me as "me", not as a brilliant team leader ( not bragging at all) or a supportive manager, but as ME. I could have restored my long forgotten Spanish language skills, fuck, I could learn a new language even. Could have learned how to saw beautiful things (since my sewing machine is still waiting for me to start my learning ), I could have improved my cooking skills or re-paint the whole house, there is just so much I could have done... But I didn't.

Why didn't I, you might ask me. Well the answer is simple - I did not have a healthy work/life balance. And I mean at all. I used to stay for 12 hour shifts instead of 8 hours I used to do a late finish then early start next morning and when I finally got home after this work marathon all I could think of how much I want to have a nap. Just a short power nap, honest, and them I'll do all the chores, clean the house, have a glass of wine and go back to sleep just to wake up early again and go through that routine over and over again. I stopped posting on the blog, I stopped wearing pretty clothes I stopped caring about how my nails look and what is happening with my hair - all I knew is to get up, grab an energy drink and go start my shift again. When people asked me "What time you are working until?" I used to answer "Don't know yet, we will see". And that is where I went wrong. I made it turn into a habit, into a MUST that I have never questioned. Neither did my boss, who would know that I am staying waaaay over my 40 hours a week and that number was easily approaching 60 hours. 

One day I woke up early and was in a mood of making an effort. I did my hair up, put decent makeup on, with contour and lipstick and ironed my dress nicely and what do you know, people would not stop telling me that I look so good. But I could not see why the reaction was so strong, why do they all care that much? I worked as productive as I did without my hair done all fancy so whats the fuss all about.  Then another day I was feeling poorly and had to call in sick for work, like first time ever, and I felt so bad for it, I felt like I am letting the whole team down and it will make a huge difference if I am not in but guess what? In a nicest way possible, it was OK without me there. Not saying it would have been fine without me at all, but it all kept on going. So next day I was back I made a promise to myself not to stay any longer than needed at work unless I am paid for it. Fair.  

At first I felt so guilty of leaving on time or just after the time I had to leave if I had some unfinished business at work. I came home and said - I feel so bad for leaving this until tomorrow - but guess what? The world did not blew up and the time didn't stop. It was still going as it would have been, but only I would have been still at work, one of the first ones in and one of the last ones out. A day, a week, month later keeping strict with the schedule I did not see any negative effect on the quality of work, but what I did notice that the quality of my life improved a lot. I had time to spend on myself, I could sit down with a book and just read for hours without battling the urge to sleep after work, I could go to town after my shift and not feel like I am exhausted as soon as I walk in though the doors. But most of all - I became happier. 

Yes, people may say that I do not work as hard as I used to, but I do. I still give my 110% at work, I just do not overdo it anymore. At least I try to. There will always be occasional days with long hours and endless tasks, but as long as you control them you will be fine.

So a few rules here for you:

1. Do not think that everything will crumble down as soon as you don't show up. Chances are, there will be a very flexible schedule in completing a task you had.

2. Do not make a habit of staying at work late all the time. No one will thank you for doing that, specially if you do it every day you are in - they will see it as a normal thing.

3. Set your weekly tasks ahead. And that includes your personal ones, not just the work ones. If you plan your day or week ahead you will know how much time you need to spend on yourself or your family.

4. If you do end up working late, make sure you either get paid for it or take that time back another day - your personal time is precious to waste it on unpaid hours at work.

5. Love yourself. Stop overworking, stressing and worrying about work (especially when you are not at work), it will not help with the deadlines but it will make you behave like crazy woman who has no control over her life.

In other words - Work hard, give it all you got, but find that fine line that says "It is enough" and do not cross it. It is all about you being happy and successful. What is the point of you being brilliant at your job if you aren't a happy person, right? It is all about balance, at it is not easy to set, but I believe in you. Just find a mouse pad like mine here and keep on being amazing at what you do. You can only please one person a day, and that person should be YOU.