Sara Orellana
By Sara Orellana
I was about 35 when I learned a very cold truth about the professional world: You can invest all of yourself into a job, devote 40+ hours each week, and give everything you have, only to learn that you are replaceable. There is always someone who is willing and capable of taking on your responsibilities. I will never forget this realization.
Reeling from it, I realized the number of moments I had missed with my daughter, the parts of myself I had lost, and the hours of sleep I had given up. Sadly, as a person who jumps in with both feet and gives everything to every situation, I had to relearn this lesson again three short years later.
We can spend hours discussing how unhealthy this behavior is, or we can simply agree that I had and have unhealthy behaviors. I would suspect you do as well. In our capitalistic economy, we are told that if we simply work hard enough we too can have the American Dream. But could we set healthy work/life boundaries and still have it all?
Bear with me for a moment. We work to support ourselves and our families. So do Europeans, who famously take a month off each year. Furthermore, the French have strict rules against overtime. Both practices are successful, but the residents have something many of us lack: a passion for life.
This past year I have been examining how I spend my time. It is true I am often busy and work long hours. But what many don’t know is that this is by design. I have goals and dreams. I also like to have a flexible schedule – there are days I take up to 5 hours off in the middle of the day to enjoy life. On these days or the next day, I choose to work longer hours to get through my list of responsibilities. I am chasing my dreams. I am working to grow as a person, and grow a few companies. I also recently decided to shift my career.
If I were to ask you why you work long hours, what would your response be? How invested do you think your employer is in you? If you were to cut back on your hours, maybe spend less time talking with coworkers, could you get as much, maybe more done in less time? Please don’t think I am asking you to fall into the trap of thinking your self-worth is directly linked to your productivity. What I am suggesting is that we can get just as much done in a day, perhaps more, with a few subtle changes.
One subtle change you can make is to use your PTO/vacation hours annually – all of them. The better rested you are, the more you enjoy life outside of work, the more focused and productive you are at work. Not taking time off is unhealthy and affects every other aspect of life.
No matter the changes you make – however subtle they are – I urge you to prioritize yourself, put your family first, and choose to be healthy.
If you are interested in learning more about increasing your productivity while working fewer hours, contact me. I have countless tips and strategies to help you live a well-balanced, full life.
Sara Orellana, MS, MPH is an independent entrepreneur who specializes in strategic planning, leadership, and grant writing. She can be reached at sara@3raptorconsulting.com.