I felt like this deserved a post, as it answers one of the major questions I get a lot: how do I do it all?
When I try to observe my life from an outside perspective it probably seems like a very hectic, overwhelming life I live. 2 kids, 2 businesses, a blog, a remodel, a marriage, social life, cooking…when I think about it myself sometimes I wonder how I make it all work too?? But the reality is, not every single one of these things gets my attention every day. However, I have come to the realization that my top 5 priorities in life are this (in no particular order):
- Family
- Business
- My marriage
- Cooking
- My Blog
On a macro level, it’s as simple as this: I make time for the things I deem important to me. I also happen to really enjoy all of these things, which makes it a lot easier to focus on them.
On a micro level, there’s a lot of time management, planning, and support that goes into each day in order to give enough effort and energy to these things. However, as I mentioned above, I cannot possibly focus on ALL of this each day. I carve out different days for certain things and I have learned how to be okay ignoring certain things until it’s their turn for my attention. I really shouldn’t use the word ‘ignore’ but not entirely sure how else to phrase it.
I’m going to be super transparent about each priority and how I manage to include it into my schedule.
Family. I’ve shared this before, I have a full-time nanny. It would be literally impossible for me to work the way I do without childcare. We do not have help on the weekends so I get to fully indulge in the kids then, and also mornings and evenings each day.
Business. Our 2 brands Lux Unfiltered & Tan + Lines are run by the same team. We are a very small crew of 5 (including Paul & myself), but all of us are expert multi-taskers who are flexible, able to wear many different hats, and very hands-on. We outsource anything that is beyond our abilities such as fulfillment and manufacturing.
Marriage. Out of everything on the list I’d say this one gets the least attention sadly. Between running the businesses together, the kids wearing us out, and just being plain tired, it takes a lot of effort and planning for us to get in a date night. However, we do have a solid relationship that doesn’t solely depend on date nights or glamorous outings / vacations. Even just living daily life together makes me happy and a conversation over a glass of wine is honestly good enough for me sometimes. Since having kids we always say we need to plan more nights out together, but we are also realistic people who understand that life is busy and sometimes just watching a show together is all you really need.
Cooking. I wish I could cook every night. I probably would IF I didn’t have to go to the damn store for every meal. Basically Paul is really boujee when it comes to meat, fish, and produce and only wants things super fresh, so if I can’t make it to the store in the morning before my work day gets busy, then we usually have to order. I aim to cook 4x a week and takeout or eat out 1-2x a week.
My blog. I love writing blog posts. It is so therapeutic to me. Since the landscape of social media has changed so drastically over the years, there’s definitely a stronger emphasis on Instagram (or TikTok), but my blog will always remain a priority for as long as I have a readership. I manage my own Instagram, but I do work with graphic designers and a content manager for my blog and newsletter. I also have a management team, who works on all of my brand partnerships. There are a lot of moving parts [now] in my career as a blogger / influencer, but I feel like I have a really good grasp on it now that it has been almost 10 years.
If you analyze each priority above, you will notice that each one has some type of support. I’m not ashamed to admit or share those parts of my life, because it would be complete bullshit to pretend I can do all of this on my own. My own mental sanity truly could never handle all of this otherwise. With that said, I don’t discredit the fact that I have a really strong work ethic (always have). I love to work, I’m passionate about these 5 things [priorities] in life, and well, there’s no other way to say this except I’m one of those people who just gets shit done. No excuses. If I want something done, it’s happening.
All of this to say that it simply comes down to your priorities. When you WANT to do something, you make time for it. I hope this paints a better picture of how I get it all done. I know a lot of you are parents who want to start a business but are daunted by the idea of being stretched even thinner than you already are. Really evaluate your life – where you spend your time and what has your focus – and make changes. Less going out, less TV, less social media, ask for help, etc. Working towards furthering your career or focusing your energy on things that bring you joy is truly such a better way to live. Take it from me! I feel like I’m finally living my dream life and it feels really damn good to know that I’ve worked my ass off to get here.