Work/ Life Balance

Cleatus's Avatar
Just thinking about myself and how I juggle all the demands of life (work, family, kids, personal time.) How do you manage to fit everything in? Hobbyists do you what falls through the cracks.. no pun intended. How do you manage to free up the few hours needed spend with your ATF(s). Providers is this ever a struggle for you as well? Simple things like managing and running your business while also needing time to get to the grocery store, gym, see family, or as we all expect stay as pulled together as possible when someone calls for last minute appointment?
Seems that for me that after work, lifting and eating (lol, I do eat a lot) not always much time left.

Please share ideas, tips or your best practices. Sorry if this has already been done before.
~Ze~'s Avatar
  • ~Ze~
  • 07-26-2017, 12:49 PM
Hire an assistant.

Sacrifices have to made for all aspects of life. We literally can't do everything. Pick and choose. And then, if you are still having a hard time, simplify your life.
pmdelites's Avatar
ooooh, i get to be under ~Ze~ again - i prioritize that!!! :^)


one of the approaches of living my life w/ less stress is knowing the priorities of things so i do/take care of the most important things first and then the next, etc. Whether you just categorize (family, career, playtime, vacations, house repairs, etc) or be specific (attend family event, prep for biztrip, go see my ATF next week), having a to-do list helps in a couple ways: you can priortize and you can keep it out of your mind so you dont have to constantly think about them.

so, if one is good at time mgmt in their job or in their home, just extended it to blocking time for sexual delites. same with money : wanna go see Penelope Provider who charges 250/hr, then block out some money that you can get and give to her.

to me, distress comes when one doesnt have a plan, is a procrastinator, is a worrier about getting things done, etc.

look at the big picture and figure out what's important and what's not.
remember, "dont sweat the small stuff - and it's all small stuff"


the first quote on this page
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quote...he-small-stuff
“Something wonderful begins to happen with the simple realization that life, like an automobile, is driven from the inside out, not the other way around. As you focus more on becoming more peaceful with where you are, rather than focusing on where you would rather be, you begin to find peace right now, in the present. Then, as you move around, try new things, and meet new people, you carry that sense of inner peace with you. It's absolutely true that, "Wherever you go, there you are.”
― Richard Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... and it's all small stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life
jbravo_123's Avatar
Hire an assistant.

Sacrifices have to made for all aspects of life. We literally can't do everything. Pick and choose. And then, if you are still having a hard time, simplify your life. Originally Posted by ~Ze~
^^^ This.

Especially as professional life continues to demand more and more of our time (funny how as technology enables us to be more productive than in the past, companies continue to want employees to work longer for less), family life / raising kids / other aspects of your life will suffer.

You have to decide what's important to you and focus on that.
I've changed the way I do business and that requires drawing a line in the sand when it comes to boundary pushers, clients who don't want to screen, hagglers and fantasy bookers.

As I grow older, I realize that time and peace of mind is a commodity. Like Ze said, you've simply got to pick and chose what works for you. Most importantly, you've got to look at all the things that you can/can't manage.
plove35's Avatar
Simple...put family above all else...everything else is secondary
TheEccie214's Avatar
I tell my SO she needs to suck and fuck me or I can have someone else do it. She asks how much to have someone else do it, I tell her $250 to $350 and she says be home before dinner.
When you run your own biz as you mentioned, the demands of that alone can absolutely crush the 168 hours-per-week we have available to us.

I staff (and delegate) as much as my budget will allow. High achievers will do what's necessary to maximize their opportunities (and make that ca$h),,,,but just remember, your most precious commodity (and biggest enemy) can be Time itself.

No matter how good you are at Time Management, sh*t is gonna happen. Monkey wrenches get thrown into your fine-tuned blueprint and Bam....the wheels go flyin' off. Can't beat yourself up over that...ever (that's why I'm amused when ppl here blow up when a hooktard /fucktard skips / postpones a session....shit happens, right. Re-schedule or Re-place that client or provider....and move on). Why waste time cryin' about it?

If you're gonna hobby And run a business And juggle a family life And eat or lift or run an errand, etc just remember: one person can only do so much within a 168 hour "pie chart" (word to the wise....work "sleep" into that schedule, too....too many sleep-deprived cranky dads / hobbiests running around these days....don't be one of those, right?) If you can't find the time to do it all, then that's a Red Flag to re-prioritize your business and personal life and cut loose the things that don't matter.
Good luck....and Good Hobbying!