Most of you are currently in the midst of tax season and trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel to April 15th. Trust me, it's just around the corner. Because our everyday lives require us to juggle so many responsibilities, both personal and professional, there's never enough time to get everything done. Whether it's filing tax returns, helping the kids with homework, aiding senior parents, or serving as a volunteer in the community, there's just never enough time to balance it all.

In the past few years as my roles have changed, I have learned that setting boundaries with my schedule has been the key to balancing my work and personal life. Between AFWA, work, church, Bentley (my 4-legged child/dog) and other organizations that I belong to, it just seems there's never enough time just for "me".

Because my current role at work supports the entire company, no two days are ever the same. As situations arise that need to be handled 'asap', I categorize the issue and assess how much time it will require to resolve it, before responding. This approach allows me to effectively resolve the issue and meet the needs of everyone involved. Thank goodness for planners and email categorization! But also through the years, I've also learned the word "NO".   It's often not 'our' nature, to say no, but instead, we want to prove that we are "superwoman" and can do it all! And at the same time, stress ourselves out trying to "do" it.

A few years ago, I was traveling on a plane from an AFWA national conference to another conference and my face went numb. I couldn't explain it, but I knew something was not right. The next day, I experienced the same numbness. When I returned home, my doctor ran many tests and determined there was nothing wrong with me. Stress from doing too much had taken over and caused my body to respond. From that point forward, I realized, the word "NO" is a very acceptable answer.

I encourage you to embrace the 5 tips below on how to find work life balance. I'm still learning to say "NO" and set boundaries daily, all while finding time for "me" and doing the things I love to do more.

1. Know your needs and be honest about them. Prioritize what truly matters to you and communicate it. Don't hide it and don't expect others to guess what makes you feel balanced and fulfilled. Do you need to leave work at 5 p.m. so you can have dinner with your family? Do you need to step away at 12 p.m. to attend a yoga class? Be honest and let your manager/employer know what schedule works for you. Bottom line is different jobs require different approaches, but everyone can benefit from having an open and honest conversation about what balance means.
2. Understand what really matters. Through the years, I have seen too many people spend too much time working on things that don't matter. Time is the most valuable commodity in life: it is the one thing you cannot buy. So, don't waste time. Focus on what really matters. Are you working on priorities that drive the overall goals of your business or are you just making noise? Really scrutinize your day and max it out every hour, minute and second to focus on most important items
3. Pace yourself. To have a long, healthy, productive, and happy life and career you need to understand the value of pacing yourself. There are times when you need to rev things up and there are times when you can slow things down. Self-awareness is crucial. Career and personal lives are a marathon, not a sprint. Own each part as you go and know when you need to speed up or slow down.
4. Set and respect boundaries. Balance cannot be achieved, if you don't hold yourself and others to the boundaries you put in place. You will find there are other things you can do. There will always be an email to reply to or a problem to solve, but you need mind the boundaries you put into place. If you don't, then don't expect others to respect them.
5. Embrace the off button. Every piece of technology has an off button (cellphones, iPads, computers), so use it. It is not easy and hard for many people to do. Do it in phases. Don't bring your cellphone to the dinner table. When you are on vacation, be on vacation. Don't bring your tablet to the beach. Once you have done it a few times, it is easier to push the boundaries. When you unplug and step back you will start to experience one of life's greatest treasures - perspective. Your mind will become clearer without those interruptions!

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