How to Balance it All (Part 2)
Mother + Entrepreneur + Wife + CEO + Daughter + Board Member + Sister + Philanthropist + Friend.
There are so many pieces that make up the person I am today. We all have these distinct, yet overlapping roles we play in our lives. Like a stage performance, we are constantly switching between the roles that get center stage. There are times, particularly as we were first building The Northridge Group, in which I was giving Entrepreneur and CEO the limelight more frequently. As my children entered high school and set their sights on colleges, I was focusing more time on my roles as Mother and Wife. Now, as CEO of my own company for almost twenty years, I can more often choose which areas of my life get the most attention and prioritize based on my own criteria – and I love it.
Of course, my life wasn’t always this way. Earlier in my career, I was switching roles in quick bites – a call with the teacher over lunch here, a conference call after dinner there – and not always being where I wanted to be in the moment. As I’ve said before, you’re not going to achieve the perfect balance every day. Rather, I recommend that you build a personal scorecard, prioritize and re-focus on a regular basis. It will help to center you and set you on the right path forward.
As a person with some experience balancing business, family and personal wellness, here are a few additional thoughts I have on prioritizing and balancing the many pieces of our lives:
- Morning Mirror Appointment: Every morning I have a meeting with myself to review some of the things I learned that week. I don’t recommend dwelling on the past or beating yourself up for past mistakes, but it’s important to learn something from your past to know what to do to move forward.
- Action vs. Attitude: To me, optimism relies on knowing the difference between what can and can’t be done. Everyone struggles with understanding the difference, but it’s best to keep a positive attitude regardless of whether or not you can control the outcome.
- Hire against Your Weaknesses: The most effective leaders I’ve worked with have been able to build a team with people who have strengths in areas the leader has weaknesses. It requires confidence to understand your weaknesses and discipline to be mindful of them.
- Define Success Broadly: Money and status should not be the only items that define success on your scorecard. Try to find your own version of success beyond financial goals.
- Take Care of You: Doing things for others gives people enormous joy, but if you don’t take care of yourself – mentally, physically, emotionally – you will eventually start to lose your luster. Consideration for your own needs is critical to success.
Life is all about choices. To make those choices of who you are going to be and what you are going to focus on requires that you understand yourself and have goals. No one gets it right all the time, but there is a room for improvement in every new day.
