Working countless late nights and weekends is nothing new in the media and advertising gig. Neither is complaining about the long hours, wondering where that vaunted but elusive work/life balance is hiding.
But not to worry, this isn't yet another blog about the downsides to the job. While we media peeps may be time poor, it's really within our control. I've got a couple of quick tips that may help you reclaim that little slice of life that belongs to you.
Learning to say no
There's no rule that you have to attend everything you're invited to. While saying 'no' can be daunting at first, think of how liberating it will be when it frees up your time to focus on what's important to you.
Separating work from play
It's easy enough for boundaries to blur between work and play, especially in our industry. Think of all the times you spent glued to your computer with a sandwich in hand, or Facebooking while working on a project. Particularly when we procrastinate, work and play starts to blend.
This often leaves people feeling like they haven't done much work, but also, conversely, like they haven't had a real break. It's unsustainable and in the long run it often leads to burn-out. Yes, in theory you know what to do even if it's difficult in practice.
So here you
go: work hard, but when you play, switch off, hard. This means, switch
off your mobile phone and enjoy being in the moment. Stop constantly
checking your Facebook and Twitter profiles. While most of us think
we're super important, unless you're Lady Gaga, there's no need to be on
social media 24/7.
Beatrix Tanuwidjaja
Digital Executive
Starcom