Why 2018 Is The Year For A Fearless Work Life Balance
Today, let’s look ahead to the coming new year - 2018. This is the year you’re going to achieve…
A better work-life balance.
Yep, you heard me. This post isn’t about smashing goals, getting more clients, earning more money, or mastering video.
It’s about taking the time to enjoy what you have, read, do hobbies, pick up the kids from school, bake cookies for charity, take up yoga, volunteer, or whatever the hell you want to do.
This post is about the steps to take in your business so that you can do more of these good things.
Isn’t that why we became freelancers?
I’ve created a simple 2018 work-life balance planner to help you. Download it here. (Note that it’s different from my big-ass planner that you can download by clicking the black bar at the top of the page.)
Okay, let’s get started with some big picture ideas.
Where would you like your business to be in January 2019?
In a year’s time, these are the things you’d like to have achieved.
You can get into specific goals in the download, and the more specific the better. But for here, we’re just going with the big goals, boom, boom.
Maybe that includes…
- A monthly income of at least XX
- At least XX number of regular clients
- XX number of new services or products in your suite
- A client base of at least XX
- And so on...
Note here that you don’t always have to be leaping forward. You don’t have to be ticking off those lofty ambitions or stacking up the millions. I think we all know (better than most people even) that it’s not all about money.
Success is subjective.
If you’re already happy with your current business situation or trajectory, stay there. You’re on a good thing. Continue to grow what you have, develop your networks, and build on your expertise and skills.
You can also move sideways and explore new avenues within your niche. Offer one other new service or product and see how that pans out.
Or you can downsize. Work less hours. Have more time to learn the Flamenco or to write that book.
RELATED POST: Does Your Work Bring You Joy?
Now, I want you to think a little differently….
Where do you want your life to be at in January 2019?
For most of us, our quality of life is intrinsic to our decision to become freelancers. We want the “free” in freelancing! The freedom to do our own thing - work from home, go to school assemblies, have time for exercise, friends, culinary adventures, whatever.
So, what do you want your life to be like over the next year, and in one year’s time?
Perhaps that means…
- Not working weekends
- Hanging out with the kids after school twice a week
- Going for a run 3 times a week
- Cooking up a new dish every Friday
- And so on...
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Just thinking about a positive work-life balance is so rewarding for the mind. It puts things in perspective and cuts out all the bullshit competitiveness that’s wrapped around so many business goals.
Our work-life balance is subjective. Only you know what’s really important to you.
RELATED POST: Do You Work On Weekends?
Okay, so now we need to figure out how to meet our business goals while keeping our quality of life in mind too.
Here’s a clue - don’t do what I’ve done this year, which is take on every single project that sounded interesting. I’ve worked on some great concepts but I’ve also ended up stressed and exhausted, and I’ve worked practically every weekend.
That’s completely out of tune with my life goals.
This year, I’m resurrecting my (failed) 2017 to not take on too many projects. And I’m going to tape it to my wall so I don’t forget!
And I want you to do the same. Download out my simple 2018 business goal template. And think about your life goals when you fill it out.
For example, there’s no point adding a slew of new services to your business if you’re trying to cut back on your working hours in 2018. Instead add just one and see how that pans out.
But if one of your life goals is to take 3 months off at the end of 2018 to do a yoga retreat in a yurt in Mongolia (it could happen!), then you’d be perfectly justified slaving away for the first 6 months to achieve that.
You get me?
Tell me, what’s one of your life goals for 2018? Let’s get those positive jujubes flowing.
About the author: Lilani Goonesena is an Australian freelance writer, SEO copywriter and Squarespace web designer based in Vientiane, Laos. She loves boosting freelancers and small businesses with web design, SEO content and digital marketing strategy. She writes an awesome weekly newsletter on digital marketing, social media, blogging, web design and "all that online stuff". Lilani also blogs at the delectable Eat Drink Laos, just for fun.