Building Balance in Your Work

by Alisa Peskin-Shepherd | Apr 22, 2019 | Off Topic

Every month, we have opportunities to do things better, be mindful of how we proceed, and build our best life every single day.

For me, the most important step is being mindful of the need to build balance. As a busy family law attorney and entrepreneur, it’s easy for me to get caught up in work every minute of every day – especially in our 24/7 always-on culture.

But when I do, things spin out of control. In the last part of 2018, I fell ill and it lingered for weeks – nearly two months in the end. That’s not good on so many levels.

Recalibrating For Focus

Stress leads to lack of productivity, and eventually illness, and being out of balance speeds up the possibility of stress-lock. That’s my new word for how it feels to be overwhelmed with work and not sure how to get things on track.

My reminder to be mindful applies not just at work, not just in my personal life, but to both, building balance in every aspect of life.

Right now, I’m trying to be kind to myself, to know it’s going to take time to build balance back into my life. I must accept that I can’t let stress get the better of me, so I won’t become sick again. Step one in building balance is recognition of the need to focus on me and take care of me.

I’ll be honest: it’s not easy to do. Even though I write a lot about self-care, I’m not always an expert at it myself.

Being Honest is The First Step

If we can be kind to ourselves and apply that same understanding to others who may face the same challenges, we’ll all be better off. I am human with my own obstacles, just like my clients. But that’s not what a client wants to hear in their time of need. And I recognize that I am here to service my clients, to be helpful to others. My state of being is irrelevant in that equation.

So we soldier on, hoping for a sunny day each morning and doing our best when the clouds obscure the light.