4 Steps To Achieving a Healthy Work/Life Balance

I belong to a group called the Dallas Blogger Collective. They act as a social networking group for bloggers to discuss ideas, bounce questions off each other and host social events to network with others of our ilk. For August, they challenged members to write about ways we achieve life/work balance.  I thought it was a great topic to think about, read about and write about. Whether you are a working Mom, a stressed out college student, or a young adult working your way up the corporate ladder, everyone has to deal with trying to balance the pressures and responsibilities of a work/life balance. So, how do I manage to run an ad agency, handle a household complete with a husband, a teenager and a neurotic dog, attend a multitude of social events and keep this blog going on a consistent basis without drugs?

Here are a few of my tips:

1) Why wear yourself out running all over town when there are so many services that will bring products to your door? 

A great example of this is artizone Express. The only online shop for farm-raised meat, local produce and small batch artisan products in Dallas just launched a new express delivery service. artizone Express orders placed by 1 p.m. are guaranteed for same-day service throughout artizone’s extensive delivery area covering 100 zip codes across North Texas.

artizone Express currently offers over 1,000 products, ranging from local meal-time favorites like Kuby’s Sausage House, Hirsh’s Specialty Meats, Rex’s Seafood, The Tamale Company, and Holy Ravioli, to artisan foods like Bisous Bisous patisserie, and everyday grocery staples such as fresh hand-selected Texas produce, milk, bread, frozen foods and paper towels. Shoppers can also access artizone’s full selection from Dallas Fine Wine & Spirits Shoppe to make any evening a celebration. http://www.artizone.com/dallas/aisles/artizone-express

2) Take a few minutes to do something calm and relaxing for yourself once a week.  At least once a week I like to take 30 minutes for myself and sneak away to have some "me" time. Sometimes, I enjoy a nice glass of wine and read a few chapters of a book. Sometimes, I enjoy a nice glass of wine and read the latest issue of Vanity Fair. And when I really need some stress relief I enjoy a nice glass of wine and take a bath.

fresh makes the most amazing bath products. The feel great and smell even better. Try their Sugar Lemon Sugarbath Cubes. Aromatic cubes enriched with real brown sugar that create a moisturizing effervescent soak. You'll find their store at NorthPark Center across from H&M on the first floor.

I also just discovered an amazing new app called Soothe that is a massage on-demand app. This service combines #1 and #2 - a relaxing service that comes to your door! Soothe is a revolutionary new app and service that allows clients to book a same-day appointment in the privacy of their home, office, or hotel room, and delivers a therapist within 60 minutes of booking. The on-demand service offers a choice of Swedish, Deep Tissue, or Sports massages to singles or couples in 60-, 90- and 120-minute sessions. Appointments are offered between the hours of 9 am until midnight every day of the week, with fixed prices of $99 (60 minute), $139 (90 minute), and $169 (120 minute) per person, regardless of the type of massage selected. For clients who cannot download the app, they can book via www.soothe.com, which is available 24-7, or call a toll-free number (800.960.7668) during business hours.

3) Make To-Do Lists and then take great satisfaction crossing that shit off task by task. My millennial-aged assistant is always trying to get me to covert to using Google Docs online but I refuse. I am old-school and I like my pen and paper. I have a running list of tasks and projects for every client. I look at those lists daily and cross things off and add new tasks as needed. It keeps me on track and I feel accomplished crossing things off the list.


4) Delegate. I will admit that I spent the first 40 years of my life thinking that if you wanted something done, do it yourself. And while that may be true, it also creates resentment between you and your spouse and creates the kind of entitled kids that my generation is constantly bitching about (Yeah, I'm talking about you, Millennials!).

One of the ways I have been thoughtfully delegating is designed to teach my son to cook this summer. Once a week he has to select a recipe to make, come with me to the grocery store and we talk about how to select products (should you buy the 20 oz can or the 48 oz can? What's the bettor value?), then while he makes dinner I enjoy a nice glass of wine and answer any cooking questions he might have. This is one night a week I don't have to cook, my 15-year old is learning a valuable life skill and (BONUS!) my husband cleans up the kitchen. Not only has delegating this task served as a teaching tool but it's turned into a fun bonding thing between me and my son. And any Mother of a teenage boy knows that when you find a way to create a fun moment together, you seize upon it and treasure it.

I hope you'll click on some of the links listed below to see what other bloggers from Dallas Blogger Collective are sharing on the subject:

MOZDEB - http://deboramanusama.com/2015/08/26/juggling-for-balance/ 
Ware is the Vodka - http://www.vodkamakesyouhappy.com/work-life-balance-dbc-link-up/ 
Jasmine Crockett - http://jasminescrockett.com/2015/08/5-tips-to-achieve-the-perfect-worklife-balance/ 
Gelie Beans & Sparkly Things - http://angelicarbrem.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-stay-at-home-working-mom-balance.html 
Stephanie Drenka - http://stephaniedrenka.com/photography/work-life-balance/ 
The Charm Scout - http://www.thecharmscout.com/the-unbalanced-life/ 
Southern Elle Style - http://southernellestyle.com/blogfeed/work-life-balance
The Block is Haute - http://theblockishaute.com/2015/08/26/worklife-balance/
Bake Love Give - http://bakelovegive.com/recipe-for-a-b…d-digital-life/ ‎

Can you relate to my tips? Do you have a few ideas of your own to share? If so, leave them in the comments below!