“Work to live. Not live to work.”
This was always my motto with a traditional 9to 5…but what happens when your job and your hobbies have merged?
99.9% of the time you feel like the kid who found out unicorns are real and puppy kisses are magic.
Suddenly LIFE is my business!
Which is great until you start treating it like a to do list.
Suddenly I reached a point, where I always needed to get JUST ONE MORE THING done so I could relax. You know that feeling right? Each time you sit down to catch up on the DVR, you’ve popped back up to the computer because you thought of something else, better write it down before you forget!
For people like me with a mentality of efficiency...well sometimes that “to do list” can be an issue.
This isn’t to say I’m cranky or stressed {or for all the trolls ready to pounce looking for pity}, but that I choose to use an economy of words, when a few extra sentences in an email or conversation would make everyone feel better.
Over the years, on multiple different occasions, I’ve realized that my driven nature {it’s an issue for a lot of runners!} makes me prioritize being efficient and effective, which can come off as harsh, uncaring or arrogant. Ouch. That’s absolutely not how I want to make anyone feel!!
Getting from A to B in the shortest time possible is quite frankly my goal in every arena, minus running…there I seem to be just find enjoying the journey jutting off on interesting little side paths. But in business, with work…well I leave no room for the chit chat and that’s what I’m working on shifting now!
When your work and your passions merge: learning to make life your business Click To Tweet
MY COACHThat’s right good coaches need good coaches. It’s how the good get better and the better get bestest….clearly it wasn’t a writing coach.
She said to me: “WHERE ARE YOU in the blog?!” “I see one photo, where is your personality?”
I’ve checked in the closet. Nope that’s not the issue.
I’ve checked under the bed. Nope just Tupperware containers of memories.
I’ve checked the blog. And you know what I realized…I am here.
The push your glasses up your nose, can’t tear me away from a book, loves to share knowledge little teacher is showing up every single week with crazy loads of valuable content. But again…no time wasted on the small talk on the stories of running, on the emotions that propel me…ah hah I’m just reporting the facts.
It’s like that moment when you realize the right running shoe is actually a size larger than your regular shoes. You’ve spent years dealing with blisters or wondering why you’ve lost a toenail when the simple solution was bigger shoes!
Now because it always helps to have an action plan…my thoughts:
- #peoplefirst is what I’m using to remind myself daily.
- Pause before hitting send on any email.
- Respond to all the text messages with at least 5 words.
- Stop being so hard on myself, that tends to translate to being hard on others.
- Appreciate all the things I AM getting done, rather than focusing on the remaining to do.
Thanks for letting me Think Out Loud with you today, sometimes a girl just needs to write it all down! Now I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Are you too driven sometimes? Or always focused on others?
What’s your favorite way to get to know people in business?
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Carla
I've had a few personal coaches. I've never had a personal coach I've truly adored. You've inspired me to restart the search.
My recent post 4 ways texting enhances my relationships.
RunToTheFinish
In this case it's a business coach :)
Sara T
Oh I so needed this post today, Thank you!!
My recent post How to Approach Peak Week
Heather (WTBFitness)
I feel like I had the exact opposite problem with my blog, it was rarely as informational as I had wanted it to be. I shied away from posting b/c I didn't trust myself as the expert.
ChasingOliviaCrew
i enjoy the informational posts, but i also really love seeing your personality come through! :) thanks for this post!
My recent post The recuperative power of rest, and other things learned the hard way
Christine
Great post and perfect timing for me. I am a trainer and coach but for me, I needed a nutrition coach. Not realizing when I signed up with him he would also be a life coach. He has helped me in not just aspects of my nutrition but dealing with stress, life and wellness. Even gifted me the book "The Power of Less" which I didn't know I needed but I guess he knew I needed it because every word in that book I needed to hear/read. Thanks for this honest post!
My recent post Keep Runnin’ Runnin’
SuzLyfe
I think this will strike a cord with so many of us. My blog and my life have many blurred lines, and my work with social media also has a lot of cross over.
My recent post Vitamins, Snacking, and Laughing Cow #ThinkingoutLoud
maryedooley
i definitely struggle with trying to get EVERYTHING done, when some things are okay to put off till later… It makes me feel like i'm not doing enough sometimes, but I know I need self-care and to take a break every once in a while where I just turn off and tune out!
My recent post One more thing-
RunToTheFinish
I always have the need to do more…no idea why! Glad to hear someone else is working on this too :)
Megan
I think when you love doing something it is difficult to hold the line between your work and personal life. It's the true definition of passion, but at the same time it's important to be mindful not to allow it to take over your life. I think many of us can relate to this.
My recent post Walking For Weight Loss, How I Lost 80 Pounds Walking
workoutwithdi
Yes it's a hard balance between being informative, educational and yet remaining human and personable. As a fit pro I relate so much to this post. "Find a career your passionate about and you'll never work another day in your life" – sorry it's BS. You still gotta work. I love my job/career but it is work sometimes, maybe not 9-5 work but definitely work. And there are some days I'd rather not do it but instead just sit on my patio, shut the world off and read a good book.
For me I find this usually happens when I forget to take care of ME. So busy coaching everyone else I forget that I need recovery time, That I need yoga and meditation. That I need to schedule vacation days.
My recent post 5 Agility Ladder Drills – Cardio Workout
RunToTheFinish
YESSS it's lost of hard work, you just have more fun doing it… most of the time! I agree when I haven't taken the time to disconnect at all suddenly the things i enjoy feel like a chore. So this vacation next week is perfect timing!
misszippy1
Um…me to a tee. Is it in the name? I truly cannot relax until ALL the work is done, which makes me then become a machine with a purpose. And like you said, that sometimes removes the warmth from the equation. I'll watch with interest how you change things up!
RunToTheFinish
Honestly I just feel better knowing I'm not the only person to be this way!! I literally have post it's around me saying #PeopleFirst! :) we shall see if it works
thisrunnersrecipes
Amanda, you hit the nail on the head. This is definitely something I deal with as well! I've always been driven and efficient, and sometimes I realize it comes across as impersonal, arrogant, ungrateful, etc. I can be a total machine at times when it comes to getting work done and need to step back and remind myself as well that my job is essentially working with people, even if over the medium of words.
Also, I've never perceived you as harsh, uncaring, or arrogant – quite the opposite! But, like you said, it is easy to be hard on ourselves. You can ask all my family and friends and I'm practically the queen of being hard on oneself. You have such a great action plan and it's so inspiring – best of luck and I know you'll accomplish it!
My recent post Hiking at Dorothy Lake + Birthday Weekend
RunToTheFinish
I know I said thanks already…but thanks!!!! I appreciate the kind words and that's exactly it "a total machine". Bosses have always marveled at what I get done, but now I realize it might be at the expense of some other things!
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf
Yes! I can totally relate to this too and the need to plow through all the things on the to-do list before relaxing and taking care of me. Which is hard when you work for yourself! And it is hard to find the right balance on my blog at times – being personal and sharing a bit of vulnerability vs. having informative and useful posts. Glad I’m not alone!
wendy
Am I too driven? Do you even know me? LOL. One of the reasons I haven't become a yoga instructor or a trainer is because I don't want my passion to become my job. Heck, when I am training for something, running starts to feel like a job. I just wrote about this yesterday. As much as I love training for something and reaching that goal, I always feel a sense of relief when I'm done because my running is all mine again.
Great post!
My recent post Bringing Carefree Back
@wholistic_woman
I am a weird non-driven runner :-) But I understand what you're saying. I work in nonprofit and it's hard to not let work take over my life because it's for a good cause.
Christina
This has totally been on my mind lately. Part of my job requires me to take fitness classes, and while that sounds glamorous, exercise is something I reserve for my ME time, and can be difficult to do for work, too! Just like when I used to work in the campus gym in college.. I began to dislike working out because I was exercising where I worked!
My recent post True Life: I am Digestively Challenged
RunToTheFinish
YES!! it's not that I'm in anyway ungrateful that I get to do things that I love, it's just remembering that well I LOVE them and then finding the balance of making them work. I'm sure every entrepreneur has been here at some point.
Amanda @ Running with Spoons
As much as I love working for myself and doing something I adore, I definitely struggle with not feeling like I -constantly- have to be working… because you're right — it does always feel like there's something left to do. I've been doing better at setting work hours for myself, but I definitely have a tendency to push the boundaries on those as well.
RunToTheFinish
Honestly this day of hearing other people say they feel the same way has all by itself made me feel better about taking time to STOP, haha!! Thanks for always giving us a place to ponder out loud :)
Coco (Got2Run4Me)
I work too much. But I love my work, so it's hard to draw a line when I WANT to do that one more thing … and that one …
My recent post Staying Active At The Omni Barton Creek
Michelle
Okay, I love this. I'm working towards making my passion more of a business, and my current job is my passion to, and it's so hard to leave it be sometimes! I love this :) <3
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Allie
Yes, yes and YES! Same issues here a lot of the time. I never really thought about the connection of being hard on myself and therefore hard on others but OMG that is so true. Thanks for that!
Amy@LittleHoneyBee
Resonates with me so much. Thank you for putting these feelings into words. You are a professional, personal and athletic inspiration from afar!
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Joyce Brooks
Sounds like you might have got some of this from me! Your Mother.
RunToTheFinish
you figured out how to comment, WOOHOOOO I love it :)
Yes mum I definitely got some of this from you!
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