The internet has been a buzz for several years with words like #BossBabe and #She-EO – all of which sound incredibly hazardous because as of recently they are also followed by themes of burnout and mental wellness.

I love being ambitious and setting goals that I work towards.  But I also strive for balance and grace.  And I think being both a mom (at home) and a mentor (in my corporate career) I feel compelled to underline the truth: give yourself grace because you can have it all…but not at the same time!   Sharing my suggestions below, with a mini recap of some outfits I wore on vacation recently (you know me, all about the inspiration & motivation!)

1. Plan ahead and prioritize: Whether it’s on a Sunday for the week ahead, in the morning before things get going or a Friday afternoon brain dump.  Take time to think about what you need to focus on and figure out what needs to get done when.  You plan to fail when you fail to plan – check out my digital planner page on Etsy if you are looking for a great planning tool.
2. Time Block your schedule: whether its timeblocking your day or your week, figure out what you want to work on when instead of trying to multi task.  Even better, try and fully complete the work you planned on before starting something new.  You’ll get a natural dopamine kick and you also won’t feel scattered from having too many unfinished tasks on your to-do list at the end of the day. 
3. Let the Pomodoro timer be your best friend: I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again.  When you feel stressed or anxious about doing something – set a time for 20 minutes and do as much of that task in time alotted.
4. Take breaks (both physical and mental): This is something I learned from running but it applies to everything! Literally schedule it into your gCal or planner.  I always block my workouts and my lunch, but now I need to add a morning and afternoon walk.
5. Give yourself grace: Sometimes we all need a reminder.  Ambitious people tend to be perfectionists, but it’s okay because you can’t overwhelm yourself and do your best work – it just doesn’t work that way.
6. Release limiting beliefs: Sometimes we feel guilty for doing less, not doing things fast enough or not doing it right the first time.  It’s important to work through that (everyone’s journey is different) – but it all cases, those ideals need to be demolished! Knowledge is power, and these book recommendations can help :)