Searching for the Work-Life Balance

Ever get so far behind you fear catch-up is impossible? I'm there right now. To understand why, let's review a few fun facts about me. Below is the list of jobs I work:

[Image Credit[(https://unsplash.com/photos/OQ2OjujcP9o)

Teaching Writing through Trauma Parts 1&2 for the Center for Creative Writing
Editor-in-Chief for The Relationship Blogger
Daisy Troop leader for my 5yo daughter and 9 of her closest friends
Associate Instructor of Nonfiction at the Ivy Tech Center for Lifelong Learning
Freelance writer and coach (Shawna Ayoub Ainslie, Survive Your Story)
Founder and Facilitator of Not-for-Profit LinkYourLife, a collective for artists and survivors
Homeschooler to a 12 year old
Mother and personal driver of 3
Food planner and frequent chef
Wife
Human

I've been having a wee bit of trouble lately striking that ever-touted "work-life balance." I'm trying. I could use another me. That would be great. Or fewer goals. That would also be great. Or a better health program in the U.S. because wow does my family cost a lot to maintain at a base level of wellness.

What is my goal with all of this, you wonder? I want to make space for joy and health for my children. I want to help people release and recover through art. I want to buy the property adjacent to mine so no one builds a house there and wrecks the value and privacy of my property. I want to switch roles with my husband because parenting is not my jam. I want to travel like I always dreamed I would but had kids instead.

I'm not sad or anything when I share this. I am tired. I've been working very hard. It is paying off. But I'm beginning to feel like my kids are being raised by Doctor Who and various exhibitionist parenting channels on YouTube. My dog needs a good brushing. My house needs a good cleaning. My head needs a good clearing. My husband and I need a just us vacation, and I need some serious "me" time.

Because, and here's that work-life thing, do you want to know what I do on my nights off? I play catch-up on emails. Honestly, it's what I should be doing right now, but here I am on Steemit hoping something I say will light a fire in the heart of a whale and get me a massive upvote and forever friendship that will support me in achieving my dreams.

In the meantime, let me add that I also write 3-5 posts a day on Steemit, here and on @nat5an which is my husband's otherwise unused blog. I didn't list writing here as a job, but I do consider it one, especially since bringing in and training a number of writers and artists is part of what I do here. I also try to produce regular, quality content. I feel like I'm successful as I've been noticing more flags lately, especially on posts tagged for feminism. I have no desire to be a Mary Sue. What I want is to make space for compassion where it didn't fit before.

So I'll keep doing all the things--except maybe Daisies once I get March scheduled. I have a great team of co-leaders, and I would love to help them create a system that works for them going forward so I can be a helping hand rather than a leader. That may sound like a move away from my children, but the truth is it takes me two full days to recover (introvert here) and function after each meeting. That's two days I can't engage my kids because of one hour spent engaging kids.

Searching for the Work-Life Balance

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