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Writer's pictureErica Cardenas, LCSW

Journal #9: Work-Life Balance

If I'm being honest, I've dropped a lot of balls lately. I definitely dropped the ball with this blog and the Instagram that goes along with it. I try to put clients first, but even then sometimes it's hard to fit in some calls that I need to make. And of course, my sleep has been erratic.

I know many of us are probably struggling with the work-life balance. I know I'm not handling it the best that I possibly could but I'm trying my best. Here are the things that I am working on to balance work and personal life.

No Work-Talk Days

A friend recently suggested that I need to have no work-talk days. She said that it was clear that work was always on my mind. She challenged me to go at least one day where I promised myself that I will not talk about work. I tried it and honestly it helped a lot.. I won't say that work never crossed my mind. However, it did help me to be more aware of how much I really was talking about work.

No Work in the Bedroom

While working from home most of the time, it is hard to balance work and home life because they're the same place.

Beds are not for doing work. Any sleep expert would probably suggest that people use beds only for sleeping and sex. At least, that's what I've seen on countless daytime TV shows. I will say there was one time where I did work on my bed, but it was just one time and I have been making sure never to do it again.

If I were really good, I would only work in my office. I should make more efforts to only work in my office. But when I need a change of scenery, I might go to my kitchen or living room to do my work. Still, never my bedroom. This makes it so that my upstairs, which only consists of my bedroom and my roommate's bedroom, is only for relaxing. Perhaps, when I need a change of scenery, I should start to go outside and then go back to my office. I guess that's why journaling is so good... I just thought of that right now.

Prioritizing

When balancing many things, you got to know which ones absolutely cannot break.  Is it that crisis note that you need to write? Is it the client that needs to discharge next week?  Is it the parent who has been reaching out for weeks?  When looking at a mile-long list of to do’s we have to be able to recognize that we're going to miss something anyways. We are not superhuman. At least, I'm not. So, what is most important?

Please let me know what kind of articles you’d like to see in the future!c Check me out on Instagram @eagersocialworker for post updates!

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