Don’t Fall Into the Obvious Trap

Janee Pennington

Congratulations! You have either graduated or will be soon! After you throw that cap in the air, you’ll soon be diving into a new career. How exciting! And most likely, you’ll want to prove yourself worthy to your new boss, right? But as you forge ahead through the hours of work purgatory, remember, taking care of yourself and those around you is important too. Okay, maybe not so much the other people around you but you can at least focus on you, your well-being and being morally and ethically inclined. Okay, let’s at least shoot for morally and ethically inclined.

20 hour days, international flights and weeks of back to back events. Some may say that I am the last person who should be writing an article on work/life balance. As a meeting and event planner, I had been known to wake up in places like Barcelona thinking I was in Singapore or vice versa! In my mind, I am the perfect person to write about balance because I learned from my mistakes and so can you. You see, if I had to do it all over again… well…wait a second… I probably would do it all again but I certainly wish I would have known then what I know now.

Take time to breathe. I would hold my breath a lot when I was stressed. Shoot, I still do but less often than I used to. Habits die slow. And just thinking of one of the events I created can still to this day get me to clench my teeth!

Exercise. And I don’t mean the walk from your apartment down the street to the café for a latte. Take time out of your day and get your blood pumping. It helps to clear your mind, releases the stress and keeps those little endorphin guys in your system jumping for joy!

Say no. I had a challenge with this word so much that I was running from one event to the next not knowing which country I was in for god’s sake! If you have too much on your plate, don’t ask for seconds! And instead of grabbing a candy bar on the run to settle those hunger pangs banging away, reach for a piece of fruit or some fresh vegetables. If I only had a dime for every time I thought I would eat healthy! The bad stuff is so readily available. Try not to fall into the obvious trap!

If you don’t already love what you are doing for a living, consider changing your path. And I don’t mean how you make your way to your office. I still love events but due to wearing myself down, I knew I had to divert my skills somewhere else. Hence, taking on the challenge of writing a few books!

And last but certainly not least, have fun. Once you’re in the trenches, lighten the atmosphere with taking a little time off every now and then. Don’t feel like you have to mimic others who are trying to get ahead without enjoying the other life treats like finding a partner, a home or the next kickboxing class. We all need a bit of recharging. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Get out there, work hard, play hard and live your life to the fullest!

About the Author: Entrepreneur-turned-author Janee Pennington wrote her debut novel Meeting Eve based on her 20 years in the hospitality industry. A funny, fast-paced, absorbing read, Meeting Eve inspires everyone to chase their dreams and live passionately. For more information visit www.JaneePennington.com Contact Janee at info@JaneePennington.com