Do you guys get trapped in this feeling having to do it all, all the time? I do… a lot. And lately it’s been really bad. There’s so much to be done, too and I just don’t know when I’ll ever get caught up. There are times when I cry about it and that actually helps a bit. But when the crying has stopped, I just sort of jump back into doing it all, all over again. Right now it feels like there is a ton on my plate: running my own business, navigating taxes, planning renovations, being the ‘breadwinner’ of our household, rehabbing my leg (still)… the list goes on and on. And then I have 23 unread text messages. There are times when I just want to crawl back into bed about it and I know I am not alone in that feeling. I guess what I’m wondering is how does everyone else manage it all? I’m a nerd when it comes to tools to make my life easier; I’m a sucker for a productivity hack. But when the laundry needs doing and we have no groceries and I have to edit a video for another post? That’s when I feel like it all has to happen right this minute and that’s when the panic sets in. Historically I’ve always prioritized work over everything else, but lately I’ve found peace in the mundane. I actually enjoy going to the grocery store or tidying up the house. Maybe it’s a feeling similar to nesting. Those two needs (getting shit done for work and being a homebody) feel very much at odds and I’m struggling to balance the two. I’m not alone in this, right?
Anyways, I just wanted to pop on and have an open dialogue with you guys. It’s been a while and I kind of hate that. I want to share more of what I’m feeling and what life’s been like lately.
xo
Joanna
oh man i feel this right now… my b log and instagram feed are kinda failing because i don’t have time…. working about 25-35 hours a week as a part time manager, keeping up with my shop space (projects, painting, hunting), chauffeuring my kids and volunteering at their activities, plus growing a baby and keeping all those dr appointments all the time… i have no time just for me. so no words of advice here other than to tell you what i tell myself… it’s a season and i will get through it.
you’re so right to approach it as a ‘season’ that will pass. i hope you find the time you need, or even just some rest! XO
All of this x1000. I’ve been trying to better myself lately + push it at work, and something has to give. I can’t hike, do yoga, learn Italian, be in a book club, take a class, study birds, and kick ass at work every day. I have been trying to be badass at all of these things since the new year and I feel like I am failing at it all. The stress is completely self-induced. You are not alone!!! I hope you figure out what balance works best though I am not entirely sure balance fully exists. I think we have to choose what’s the most important to us and go from there. I am still figuring all of this out too. All I can say is that I appreciate the realness of this post & it’s one of the reasons I check your site every day. You have amazing style and a lovely presence and authenticity that truly resonates. You. are. wonderful.
Thank you SO much for sharing — it really is a huge help to know I am not alone in this. It feels like so many of us are having to do exactly what you suggested, try to do what’s most important and go from there. Such a good reminder :)
And thank you so much for being such a loyal reader! I really appreciate your encouragement!!
“Those two needs (getting shit done for work and being a homebody) feel very much at odds and I’m struggling to balance the two.”
SO. MUCH. THIS. Add in the need to continue to have some semblance of a social life, and it’s the trifecta of anxiety for me. I feel like it’s even harder when you project outwardly that you have your shit together (because, seriously, what other option is there?), so no one acknowledges the effort, the struggle. But just because it’s not seen, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Ugh, now I’m projecting.
I wish I had an answer. But knowing I’m not alone in it helps, so thank you for that!
I am SO glad my post resonated with you — isn’t it so awesome to know you’re not alone in this? Pulling down the facade of ‘having it all together’ is exactly why I published this post. I’m, quite frankly, tired of looking like I have my shit together… the fact is that I don’t and probably won’t ever. So at a certain point, I just need to embrace it… or accept it. And then take a nap.
You got this babe! Sometimes taking even minutes at a time is the best. You are the hardest girl boss I know!
thank you so much, dear friend. you (and everything you do) are such an inspiration to me!
the plight of a talented, holistically-minded modern woman and entrepreneur!
yep, for sure.