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I shared last week the 10 things I wish I knew before becoming a female executive. So, now that you know some of the challenges you may face, you understand why self-care and having work-life balance are important.

Here are 10 of my secrets to maintaining my work-life balance.

1. Factor in Fun

Schedule (at least) one social activity each week. Most men are great about doing this. They golf, go to a game, grab drinks after work. It’s important to have a regular non-work outlet. Discover your secret passion – maybe it’s ballroom dancing, playing board games, or trying new restaurants. Perhaps it’s Escape Rooms or float tanks. Whatever it is, indulge.

2. Pamper Yourself Regularly

It makes you feel and look good. Get your hair done, your nails done, your eyebrows done. It’s worth the investment, and you deserve it.

3. Take Time to Relax

Schedule daily and weekly relaxation into your regular routine. Whether it’s therapeutic massage, yoga, music therapy, reading a good book, doing a jigsaw puzzle, or soaking in a bubble bath, you need downtime every single day.

4. Unplug (Literally)

Turn your phone (computer, tablet) completely off for 12 hours at least once a week. If you have children, this is not an easy thing to do, but it’s possible. Once a week, ask someone in the village (a family member or good friend), to be on-call for 12 hours. Let them, and only them, know how they can reach you in the case of a real emergency. Unplugging is necessary for good mental and physical health.

5. Eat Right

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes not due to overeating but because I skipped meals for so much of my professional life. Now, I make sure to eat a small breakfast every day. I prepare healthy, easy snacks for work, and I make sure to eat lunch. My weekly lunch strategy is 3 business lunches, one social lunch, and one personal lunch – where I run errands, have quiet time, or use daytime hours to take care of personal business.

6. Schedule Social Media Time

Unless accessing social media is part of your job, turn it off during the workday. It’s a distraction. Check your messages and notifications for 30-to-60 minutes a day, at the end of your day. Consider going to an every other day schedule, or even less frequently. Social media and news sites can be a time-sucker and mood changer. We don’t have to let it control us.

7. Girl Time Is a Must!

Schedule a “girls only” get together at least once a month. The key is making sure these are women you truly love, trust and enjoy; your besties. This time provides a special type of recharging that is necessary to our well-being.

8. Know Your Body

Exercise regularly, it dissipates adrenaline. Pay attention to when you’re not feeling well and take a day off. Consider downloading a Period Tracker app to your smart phone. It’s important to know when your cycle is due. During that time, I intentionally put off making important decisions, because my thinking isn’t completely clear, even when I’m convinced it is. It may sound sexist or weak, but my executive sisters and I have often looked back on decisions we made in the heat of PMS and wondered what the heck we were thinking. Know thyself!

9. Take Vacations

If you can’t take a week or two off each year, then schedule mini vacays (long weekends) once a quarter. Schedule them in advance just like you do business trips.

10. Hire and Groom a #2

You need a strong second-in-command so that you can truly unplug when you take time off. Being able to fully step away from work is priceless.

You’re already super woman. Delegate.

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Connie St. John

Connie St. John is founder and president of No Weapon Productions, which specializes in change your life entertainment ™ for film, television, stage productions, and live events. As an award-winning writer/director, she has written and directed over 100 stage and screenplays that have been produced and screened all over the world. Connie also heads the St. John Consulting Group and the Game Changers Experience, which provide leadership, training and consulting services for business leaders and individuals all over the world. Through her companies, Connie and her team have developed a unique blend of entertainment and business strategies to enhance productivity, strengthen employee engagement, develop successful branding and communication campaigns, and create innovative solutions for corporations and entrepreneurs.

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