We have all worked those jobs at one point in our lives. The ones that we don't want to get up in the morning for. The one that gives us a little feeling in our tummy on a Sunday Night.
When you work for yourself, full time or a side hustle, it can feel like you never get the time off. It might mean you get to a point where you may not want to open your emails or social media.
I found myself a few weeks ago going into auto-pilot and checking my emails before bed. I thought about this after I did it and I am not sure why. It may be because of work emails but also it's just a habit, even if there is nothing to catch up on! At around 11pm, I was tucked up in bed, ready to sleep and I checked my emails, seeing a email from a small business I was working with. Of course, once I read the email, I was prepared to respond there and then. It was only when my husband reminded me that I shouldn't need to do that and that any email response can definitely wait till the morning. It took some strong willpower but I left it for the night. However, I felt like the whole thing left my brain swirling and it was hard to switch off and go to sleep.
Did anything go wrong by responding to them in the morning? No. I am not sure what I expected really, but my anxiety over responding led to a restless sleep that was completely uneccessary.
Since this, I have really tried to put more boundaries between me and Women Will Create. Running WWC is so important to me, but it is not the only thing that defines me. I am allowed to have time to myself, to relax or to be social in a non work setting. This means trying not to check my phone after a certain time in the evening and avoiding emails after then too. I am not always able to switch off at 5 as I work for a charity a few days a week, sometimes having to get on with some admin when I get home. However, if you see me messaging or emailing after 9pm - stop me! It is a habit I am really trying to get out of!
For anyone else that struggles with this, you are definitely not alone. I have had lots of conversations with people who do exactly the same. Step away from the laptop! Put down the phone! You are worthy of your time and setting those boundaries doesn't mean you care any less about what you do. If anything, it proves how much you value yourself and your mental health.