The thumb rule to have a work-life-balance is to take regular vacation breaks!
As much as I love what I do as a freelance social media marketer, in my first year I wasn't keen on taking a break (given it was during the pandemic, I didn't really have the liberty either!) and that really didn't work in my favor. I tried my best to do everything and handle all aspects of my business on my own, firstly because I wanted to learn and secondly I was unsure how long would I sustain. I was that freelancer who was available 8 AM to 11 PM and replied to every message that I received, it caused burn outs and creativity blocks which I ignored at first. My creativity suffered and I started to lose enthusiasm.
So here's what I learnt in my first year as a freelancer - the thumb rule to be happier and efficient is to take vacation breaks. Acknowledging the signs of burn out is the right thing to do. The first sign of burn out is - feeling overwhelmed. For me, a sure sign of overwhelm is that I lose focus and get distracted easily and get a tight feeling build in my chest!
If you are feeling overwhelmed and having thoughts that you can't keep up with your work or your personal life, then it's time take accountability for yourself. It's okay to go on a holiday - you deserve it. Tell this to yourself and STOP feeling guilty about going on a vacation.
If you are in a creative field the last thing you want is to experience a creativity block. Taking breaks lowers stress and resets your body, it's like restarting you computer for better performance by boosting productivity in the process. Taking short breaks during the day may not have that impact as going on a long holiday and cutting off from work completely. Try it!
So take that vacation you've been postponing and travel to your favorite destination. I hope this blog convinces you to go on that well deserved break. It can be hard to maintain a work-life-balance when you are new in your career and are trying to make ends meet but remember that your health must always be your priority. Hope this blog encourages you to go on a holiday and rebuild your energy!