Work It | How to Find Balance

I’m super excited to share a fun new series here on Fashionably Lo! So many of my favorite bloggers have started tackling issues/tips that relate specifically to bloggers. I love that. I love this whole notion of women supporting women by being candid & upfront about the things we all question/wonder about/get anxiety over. This got me thinking: what do I know/love/get super passionate about that I can share with you all, my fellow bloggers, girl bosses, etc.

In addition to my blog I also have a career in marketing AND run Adorn Media Group with fellow boss babe Lush to Blush. It’s safe to say that I deal with the challenges and excitement of running a business, following my passions, etc. on a daily basis. So, I came up with a new series for the blog: Work It. These posts will focus on all things #bossbitch (sorry mom – it’s a term on endearment!). Everything from sharing my tips for juggling #allthethings to advice for following your passions. I’ll touch on some of our services at Adorn. I’ll offer up thoughts & opinions on the nuances that come with blogging or running your own business. I also want to know what YOU want to know. Have an  idea or want me to address something? Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email! I mean, you guys are the ones reading these! 

So for the first post, I thought I’d keep it pretty simple. I mean the question of my life right now is How to Find Balance While Still Building an Empire. I’m not talking about Luscious Lion or the Kardashians. We all work super hard to build our legacy and create something that we feel proud of but sometimes I/we get bogged down in the craziness of to-do lists, meetings, business hours, etc. And that ish is not fun. Check out a few of my tips for managing it all and let me know if you have any other things you live by when juggling your boss babe mentality! 

1. Prioritize, like seriously: I can’t stress enough how important it is for me and my sanity to prioritize my priorities. With a sea of to-do lists, post its with reminders, never ending emails, way too many hootsuite schedules…it’s safe to say everything feels like a fire drill and a priority. But let’s be real, they can’t all be. Not everything is a ‘must-do right away’. Sure, you made the list in the first place because the tasks are important BUT you have to take a step back and make a short list. I like taking the top 3-5 things from my daily or weekly to do lists and highlight them in bright pink. I tackle those first. And them I move on to the other items on my list. If I don’t have enough time in the day or if I’m craving a glass of wine (or three), I’ll move a few of the projects to the next day. Because guess what, not everything can be a priority. Try it y’all. Life. Saver. 

2. Do it Old School + Write it down: In the digital age, it seems like almost everything we do is on a phone, tablet or computer…which is totally cool and something I can get behind. However, I love taking notes, making to do lists, writing blog post ideas, etc. ON PAPER. And with pencils (thanks Jessica!). Something about writing things down simulates my creative process. I like to see it, scratch it out, write over it again…you get it. I’m definitely more of a visual learner so writing and seeing the things I need to do is definitely one of my tricks for staying on top of all of the projects swirling around. 

3. Level Set YOUR expectations: I have to tell myself this almost every day. Part of running your own business and building a brand involves a lot of goal setting, dreaming, etc., all of which are great things to do! The only issue – feeling down on yourself when you don’t quite meet your goal in the exact timeframe you set out OR when you try to be just like someone else (another blogger or another brand) and you find that it just isn’t YOU. Now, I’m in no way saying you shouldn’t shoot for awesomeness or set lofty goals. All I’m saying is be real with yourself, dream big and make a plan. If you know you want to grow your Instagram audience by 200 followers in one month, look at your past metrics to analyze your current growth rate. Let’s say you’re only growing on average about 50 followers a month – well, you’ve got some work to do. BUT, it can be done. Make a plan for how you’ll get there. If you’re monitoring constantly and after 15 days you aren’t on track, re-evaluate your goals, make adjustments and get it done. This might mean decreasing your goal number and setting 200 for the next month. Either way, I try to shoot for the stars while still be honest with myself when it comes to my goals and what I want to happen for my brand, my business and my career. 

4. Dude, have fun: Nothing is more important to me than making memories, having fun and living MY life. Whether it’s enjoying a glass of wine on my couch, taking a long weekend getaway with #FashionablyBae or getting together with other bloggers to catch up…I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to just take a break from it all. We work hard, we hustle, we do too much sometimes. And yes, it all pays off (so don’t stop) but you also need some balance. It’s the struggle we all deal with whether you’re a working mom, business owner, full time blogger, part time gypsie (if that’s a thing, I’m in). The most important thing I could tell you – get away when you need to. You know that feeling when you’ve just had enough. The moment it washes over you, shut your laptop, call a bestie and let the girls hang out. 

5. Grow your Girl Gang: This might be the most important of them all…network network network. We’ve heard it time and time again: “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.” This applies for literally everything. Whether you’re looking to grow your business, make new friends, get advice, learn from others who have walked in your shoes – there are SO many reasons your #squad should be full of like minded, passionate women. To be candid, this is something I struggle with. I’m pretty shy unless I know you. I don’t have a ton of girlfriends. I tend to invest my free time in my blog, Adorn or catching up on Netflix when I’m not hangin’ with B and our crew. Things I love doing but let’s be real, I could be investing more time and effort into growing my girl gang. I’m proud of myself for the progress I’ve made so far though! Since becoming a blogger, I haven’t hesitated to reach out to bloggers for advice (some don’t answer, some do). I’ve made real friends with bloggers and we’ve shared everything from horror stories to camera tips. I met Megan on Instagram and now we own a business together. So, the proof is in the pudding. Take the extra step to network and grow your community because your brand/business will benefit! 

Striped Top | Ripped Jeans | Vera Bradley Quilted Tote | Sandals 

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