We all know that September is crazy with back to school, work, kids, or whatever it is that falls on our plate. That begs the question, how does the modern girl deal with an increasingly busier lifestyle? There are a few ways our EIC Kathy Fielder juggles her hectic schedule. We sat down with her to look for a few tips from the lifestyle expert herself on how to keep yourself sane when life simply gets too crazy busy. Given the fact that KF is a single, working mom of 2 and business owner, she has a few great points of wisdom to help maintain a great3 perspective when you are running around with your “hair on fire”. Kathy gave some advice to help even the most overwhelming of lifestyles feel a bit more manageable. With the proper mindset and a few simple tweaks and additions, you too can handle 2023 and beyond. You’ve got this, girl!
#1: Positivity
However cliché it may sound, a positive mindset is everything. Starting your day off in an upbeat and optimistic space within your own mind is the key to a successful day and lifestyle. Inconveniences and challenges are more likely to run off your back when you start your day off with positivity and the knowledge that you are equipped to handle the challenges that come your way.
Now, we aren’t saying rainbows and butterflies all hours of the day by any means. You will have to handle struggles, problems, and hardships as they come. They are one of life’s guarantees. Kathy says, “Remember that your emotions and reactions do matter, you need to approach struggles with whatever emotion feels natural to you, but also remember to use a level head when reacting to them.” Kathy feels strongly that what you do post problem is what matters the most. Pick yourself up and keep moving, even if it feels impossible. Putting one foot in front of the other is sometimes the only way to move past big issues. Kathy also says it’s so important to remember to “work smart, while working hard to achieve your goals.”
#2: Honesty
Be honest with yourself and with others. Need a break? Let a trusted friend, partner, or staff member know. Ask for help. Nowadays it feels like, as women, we have to do it all, with a smile on our face and without showing how drained we really feel. Society mandates that we look perfectly put together no matter what we are struggling through. This simply isn’t the case. Honesty with yourself and with others is key to real happiness and success. Take time for yourself, trust your intuition, and don’t let your mind or body get so run down. The 30 minutes you take for yourself to recharge is never a waste and will make you more effective. Kathy told us she has learned this simple fact the hard way. Take her advice and do it before you get too overwhelmed and overloaded. Realize that you will at some point have these feelings if you don’t already and don’t just brush them under the rug. Attend to them. YOU matter.
Another point about honesty that Kathy brought up is, “honesty sometimes means you need to be a little harder on yourself. It’s ok to realize that you can do better in certain situations, learn from them, and improve yourself.” The flip side of that is allowing yourself to be proud of YOU. When you set goals, work hard, and achieve something of merit, Kathy told us, “Allow yourself to enjoy it. I am not very good at that, but I am getting better. Take the moment to shine and feel proud of yourself when you succeed. You deserve it!”
#3: Self Awareness
A simple fact.. We aren’t all good at everything. Figuring out your strengths and weaknesses is the first step in better understanding yourself and your lifestyle. After you decide what you do best and what you enjoy doing, the fun begins. Find people who excel in your weaker areas, while appreciating and working off of your strengths to create the most successful environment for you and them.
Something Kathy noted about connecting with those who may have strengths you don’t posses is realizing who to best surround yourself with as you build a cohesive team, whether it’s work life or home life. Knowing who to trust is just as important as the awareness of where you excel and don’t. Kathy admits, “I tend to be way too trusting of people. In general, I’m a “glass half full” kind of girl. I’ve run into some issues without fully vetting the people that I’ve surrounded myself with, and have learned that I need to be a bit more guarded in that arena.”
#4: Delegate
We can’t be everywhere all the time, and we can’t always handle everything on our task lists. Delegate tasks that you can’t get to and clear up your time so you can accomplish more in another aspect of your life. Whether it’s picking your kids up, finishing a project that’s been lingering, handling a meeting or cooking dinner, someone is willing to help, and you have to be willing to let them. Kathy (a self-admitted control freak) says “learning to delegate your weaker traits to others who excel in them is a truly liberating moment and will only make you that much happier and successful.”
Delegating is one of the simplest and best ways to have a better quality of life. It frees up your time so you can do more of what you enjoy. Learning the art of delegating is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Kathy suggests taking a look at your daily schedule and tasks. Look at what you enjoy, what you must do, and what you could delegate to someone else. “You must approach it from a very pragmatic stance and strategically make choices to better your lifestyle”, Kathy says.
#5: Take A Breath
It’s okay. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, to feel inadequate, to feel like it’s all too much. Take a breath, find your center, and surround yourself with people who make you feel truly like the best you. Taking a breath is different for everyone, and the key is some introspection and figuring out what that means for you personally. If you need solitude take it. Kathy says she has learned “if you need to decline something to have a fun and intimate dinner out or a little family movie night in, take it and don’t feel guilty about it. Life is too short and taking care of you is the most important thing.” According to Kathy, “the most valuable thing I’ve learned is that if I don’t take care of me (which I haven’t done well, I admit), I can’t take the best care of the people around me who matter the most. That’s the biggest change I am making in my lifestyle. It sounds selfish, but when you know the intent, it is actually quite a selfless resolution.”
