Juggling, it’s a never ending cycle. Juggling roles, of being a parent, a partner, an employee, leader or business owner, a child, a friend, the list literally goes on and on. And although I thoroughly rely on a well planned out routine, sometimes I feel overwhelmed and I drop the ball. My issue with juggling is that the lines between my tasks and roles start to blur sometimes and I loose focus to actually move forward with anything purposeful and then my emotions get in the mix and I don’t remember to Pause and Plan, so then my actions and behaviours as a result are less than my best self. I find this is so often the case with busy people, they don’t have a solid routine and conscious transition trigger between roles, they try and do too much at once and other than possible burn out occurring they drop the ball either by way of snapping and getting angry, getting ill or forgetting to action something important.
Today I woke up and decided that in order to enjoy the plans I had made with my family I would have to set aside my thoughts around what I wanted to achieve in my business for the moment until I could come back to it, otherwise I wouldn’t fully enjoy the day I was living, and be present with my loved ones. But even with this realisation, I still felt torn, I wanted to do both and if I’m honest more. I realised I was out of sync, mentally and emotionally. You see I have set working days, set days where I’m with my kids and then weekends which is family time – and that’s the bit I long for all week. Yet if I haven’t achieved what I set out to during my work days I have a habit of telling myself ‘that’s ok, I’ll fit it in on the weekend‘ so I still feel there’s a possibility of achieving my goals which minimises my panic mode. Then come the weekend I feel guilty for squeezing in work. And juggling starts to feel like a no win situation…
I’m not ready to accept that though. I want to win, or at least feel like I’ve made my time count with no overspilling of roles or emotions.
First step is always realisation, gaining clarity, bringing your awareness to the fact a change is needed. In this instance my challenge is pretty obvious.
Next step is realising my responsibility in assessing the options, being conscious to the here and now and my part in making the change, knowing I have ultimate control. And it comes back to my not being in sync with the moment and myself.
Now I need to take action, make the change take place. Create. So using my example, In order to manoeuvre with ease between my days, jobs and all my roles I need to get in sync. I need to take a breath in between phases during my day to finish up what I’m doing in a particular moment to label it and let it go until I can come back to it or indeed choose to stay in that space mentally, emotionally and physically until it’s complete. I need to make sure I’m not cross contaminating one aspect of my life with another without conscious thought and awareness. So I take on anew and fresh light response to each phase in my day.
There’s totally another few areas for discussion here, ‘how to choose your priorities‘ and ‘letting go‘ etc etc.(and maybe I will feel called to write up some blogs around those topics later) but ultimately I need to consciously be aware of my role transitions and be purposeful and intentionally about what I’m there to be and do in that moment, wearing that predominant hat of mother or wife or coach in order to be my best self and get the results I want. And continue to keep Juggling!
Here’s the practical bit, for me in order to transition I need to be aware of what I’m moving from and to and what I need to mentally finish up with and check my emotions in on before I move forward so I don’t have momentary longing to be somewhere else doing something else, which means I’m not committed to my present or the people I’m sharing it with. For me a moment to breath and assess then take an action to close down what I was doing is enough. Even if it’s writing down my thoughts of where I want to pick up from when I return.
If it’s a bigger shift I can visualise, while I’m breathing, a box to hold my position and emotions and literally put a lid on them until I return. It’s a mind map if you will of managing daily transitions and role juggling.
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator and Speaker.
Committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
Check out more on Alison Callan on the Website, Facebook and LinkedIn.