Balancing Work and Life
We all struggle with it, don’t we? Constantly teetering on boundaries of when you feel like you’re doing more in your job than what you’ve signed up for. Skipping breakfast because theres 4 meetings before 1pm and you just really don’t have the time. And the sickest part of it all, is that deep down, even if you aren’t aware of it, you are silently hoping someone will notice all of this and appreciate you for it. That’s all we want really. For people to see us for who we are and acknowledge what we do.
As a full-time tattooer I may not be able to fully resonate with corporate demands like quotas or minimums. It’s hard to explain the full-extent of my duties without it coming off like I am complaining. So I won’t. It’s just part of the job, and I’m happy to do what I do.
So how do I manage to take care of myself, live my life, make content, respond to clients and make my own art on top of tattooing?
Short answer:
I don’t … but I do?
Long answer:
I don’t. There are days we don’t get to have everything finished in time. There are days we forget to do emails because, “oh my god I have to draw for 3 huge tattoos this week and haven’t event started drawing a single one.” It’s my fault that happens, and if you can’t tell by now— I still struggle with balancing my time. I’ve learned that this is about my priorities of what comes first. I have to make myself a non-negotiable part of that agreement. I come first, then you, then my art. The way my week gets structured varies dramatically depending on the kind of work that needs to get done and how urgent it is. Right now, creating a space for a bigger independent digital platform is a big one. So I’m spending a lot of time working on this website and deciding what entries to post, how often etc.
But I do. My partner recently got me into Jay Shetty. I’ve always known about him but only from the corny videos that pop up on my Facebook. He posted a video about efficient vs effective days and that’s really changed my life. I am currently trying to whittle down my responsibilities by having some days be dedicated to work like this: something smaller that can be checked off/less creative and other days dedicated to bigger things that might consume a larger chunk of time (usually creative).
Working this way is a little newer for me so I’ll have to update you on how it’s going later. I can say that for now, its working great. I feel like I am getting so much more done without feeling guilty that I am not doing enough on days where I, for example, finished a painting. Those days are strictly spent on the couch, drinking jasmine tea in the company of my cats. Nothing more.
That being said, there are non-negotiables throughout the week that I’ve set, regardless of what kind of day it is.
Current Non negotiables:
Therapy 1x, Gym/Yoga/Excersise 3-4x minimum (ideally 5-6), reading for pleasure and for growth, no more work after 9pm.
I’m still figuring all this out, things are always due to change but that’s how I am trying to function for now! I hope that video was as informative for you as it was for me.
See you next week!