Evaluating life: 2 new goals

I have been doing a lot of thinking this week, and life re-evaluating, coming to some conclusions about how I’m doing with life balance, as a self employed business owner.

Create a life you don’t need a vacation from

Reference the quote: that was the driving force behind our original move to New Zealand. However, the location of where you live in the world is only a fraction of the story.

We are incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world: arguably I would say one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand, but not an area that is for everyone. It’s a rural farming province, sparsely populated and a long way from some of the major cities. It had an internal links airport, with limited flight paths, is a 3 hour drive from the next city north, with only a small capital city that has no mall and limited shopping.

However, for all those reasons that’s why we love Invercargill. Plus it’s close to mountains and ski slopes as well as rugged bushland and coastlines: such a diverse beauty at our fingertips.

Appreciating that life

It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in every day stresses and forget about all those things above: I would say I have definitely done that in the midst of building a new business.

I listen to those around me: many count the days till their next day off, complain about their work and various aspects of it, living just for the times they are free from it.

By contrast, I love my work. It often doesn’t feel like work: so I must learn to maintain a separation from it, keep boundaries. But, the positives of that are that I have no work stress (apart from usual business start up stress) and am in control of my work hours, I am my own boss and I can leave work at work. Mark says that my work life balance is miles better despite my somewhat crazy hours and split shifts at times.

Goal 1: Me time.

I am so passionate about what I do that I am rubbish at maintaining me time. This is a target for me over the next week. I must draw lines, keep myself some break time in my sometimes crazy work hours, reintroduce what I love in my hobbies, now that I have gotten the business off the ground. I did that today with a bike ride.

I have made excuses upon excuses but today I was going, that was it. It’s been a few weeks since I did something exercise wise on a day off: I have simply been too tired. Today was blooming windy but sunny and manageable, more than can be said for past weekends. You know it’s been too long when your tyres are 20psi and your shoes have cobwebs! Needless to say I had a blast and the 7 spin classes a week have helped me to more than maintain my bike fitness.

Goal 2: hobbies

I have made good strides with this already: I went for a ride today, I entered two races this week ended: the Big Ruby 3.8km lake swim and the colour rush run next weekend at the local speedway race track.

I can’t wait till it’s warm enough to swim in the sea again, meanwhile I am a council employee (swim teacher) so have free access to the pool at my fingertip save: I need to use that!

We spent the day today mooching, enjoying the beautiful Queens Park, planning what to do with our newly blanked out garden and watching the Tour of Southland Prologue. And it was even sun-shining. After getting up at 4am to cheer on the All Blacks to their historic 3rd title at the local Working Men’s club!