No Apologies November

I was MIA for the majority of November, it’s true. Work has been much busier than usual because I’ve been working on a campaign which had some major deadlines fall around Thanksgiving. I knew November would be rough. It’s not my first rodeo and certainly won’t be my last! The last time I was in a similar position, I wrapped the project burnt out, a little depressed and completely exhausted. This campaign would be a new opportunity to put what I’ve learned about preventing burn out and managing a healthy work-life balance into practice. I entered into the month of November committing to myself that I’d do whatever it took to make it through the month successfully – with no apologies.

I decided I wasn’t going to beat myself up or feel bad about what work required of me this month; and I certainly wasn’t going to apologize for it. It’s just part of the boss babe lifestyle.

As part of my “No Apologies November,” I realized there were five key things that kept me centered and positive. I’m going to share with you why I needed to take on this mentality and what helped me survive a stressful season more successfully than I have in the past.

Remember the Endpoint

There’s an ebb and flow to any business, but I think the flow is especially felt in the agency world. Most agency people I know thrive on the chaos of the busy times, myself included. Sometimes it stinks, but sometimes it can be fun, like pulling all-nighters with your friends in college (except with bigger bank accounts and lesser abilities to manage a hangover). The nice thing is that there’s usually an endpoint in sight.

What helped me during the month of November was focusing on our upcoming deadlines because I knew things would slow down after that point. That isn’t to say I was miserable every single moment of November. Sure, there were a lot of late nights and working weekends but knowing there was an endpoint on the horizon helped me stay positive and gave me something to look forward to. (If I’m learning anything in 2020 it’s to never underestimate the power of having something to look forward to.)

Delegate

During similar past experiences, I maintained a superwoman mentality where I wouldn’t let go of anything or say “no” during these times. There’s my enneagram 3 rearing her ugly, over-achieving head again! I’d run myself ragged because I was juggling too much both inside and outside of the office. I saw delegating or pulling back on other responsibilities as a sign of weakness. Instead, I thought I could just work harder, make more time in the day, stay up a little later, etc. I could handle it all! Wrong.

I would drop balls on a task or flake out on a commitment. Then I’d spend my free time apologizing for it and beating myself up for not being able to successfully juggle EVERYTHING. That doesn’t feel great, in case you were wondering. This time around, I delegated a few responsibilities to other team members to make my workload more manageable. It was tough for me to let go of the work at first but I am so glad I did. Looking back, there’s no way I could have managed additional work successfully.

Take a Step Back

I also had to pull back on a few things outside of work to temporarily create more time in my week. One of the things I wasn’t able to contribute much time to is this blog. I’m not apologizing for that, though. It had to happen.

I wish I could spend more time being creative, but my full-time job needed my full attention last month. My position with the Junior League had to take a backseat as well. I told my committee chair what was going on and when I would be able to return to my role. Having that conversation up front prevented me from repeatedly apologizing for not being as accessible later. It might sound silly but it gave me one less thing to beat myself up over.

Mentally, preparing myself for what I would need to pause on helped me feel more in control. I couldn’t control everything at work but I could control what would require my time outside of it; and I set expectations accordingly, with others and with myself. (Parents, I have new, mad respect for you. I am in awe of how you balance it all.)

Whatever You Need to Do, Do It

Some mornings I was so tired, I needed the extra sleep more than I needed (ok, wanted) to workout. Some nights, I’d look up and realize it was late, I still hadn’t been to the grocery store and all we had in the house was wine. Thank goodness for delivery services. There were several no makeup days where I just could not be bothered to primp because I was too busy or tired. Or both.

I took a page from The Home Edit’s “low-bar lifestyle,” and it felt amazing. My point is, whatever you need to do to make through the week in one piece, do it. Be nice to yourself about it and don’t apologize for it.

Take Time Off

If you’ve been around for a minute, you know I’m a big advocate for taking a mental health day. In some instances, like at the end of a big project, I think we need more than one day to recharge and recenter. In addition to remembering the endpoint, planning some upcoming time off kept me positive and charging ahead. My days off are just around the corner and I so excited! And you know what? There will be no apologies for that either.

I hope my take on having a “no apologies” month helps you navigate any stressful seasons you might be encountering around the corner. Let me know if these tips worked for you. And if you have some of your own tricks for surviving stressful times with no apologies, I hope you’ll share those, too!