Balance tip: the importance of me

Recently I was interviewed by a writer for Redbook and as I was sharing my story the issue of balance came up.  I spent two long doing too much for others and wasn't doing anything for me.  "That's exactly how my last month was" she laughed.

We live in a go, go, go world where overextending ourselves can be a way of life.  We give to our families, careers, nonprofit, friends, etc.  It's a good thing and hopefully, our generosity is appreciated by most.  But be wary for burnout is coming.

In the quest to have it all, we often forget the me.  My to do list is divider into quadrants representing parts of my life, nonprofit, family, and work.  But most importantly for my sanity is a quadrant just for me.  On that side go items just for me... Run, yoga, facial, read a book, send in book proposal, eat well.  These are personal goals for me and they are vital for two reasons: they keep me sane because I get time to do something for myself and two, they help keep me on track to long term goals that otherwise could easily get lost for days, months and even years as I ficus on others.   This is not to say I don't value the other parts of my life- I love them.  But losing yourself is easy to do, and giving myself a little nurturing makes me a better mom, boss, wife, friend and me.  What will you do for yourself this week?  Please share in the comments below and inspire others.