09/09/2025
DO YOU NEED TO CREATE MORE WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
I was raised to have a really strong work ethic - my whole family do, and it’s something I’m proud of. 🙌🏻
However, there are times when this work ethic made of reinforced steel can definitely get in the way of me having a decent work-life balance.
This is made trickier by the fact that I actually love what I do for “work”! 🥰
I started working when I was 13 and other than a short few weeks when I moved countries, I’ve never been out of work; and I’ve generally always had at least two jobs on the go, sometimes as many as four.
I’m a multi-passionate person who loves having my fingers in loads of pies to keep me entertained. 🥧
But this has also meant I’ve spent most of the last 18-19 years working 7 days a week, sometimes kicking off my days with a 6am coaching call to New Zealand, going to my day job as a parole officer which I did for most of the time I was running my biz, then seeing a couple of clients for coaching and/or energy work and finally sitting down around 8.30pm.
I loved it for most of the time. ✨
But the last few years chronic pain from a spinal injury was getting to me and I was realising how this was ultimately a nervous system response more than a physical body issue.
I realised that although my brain really loved the stimulation of constant busy-ness and I loved all the different hats I wore, I gave myself very little Carly time and my body was getting down about it. 🤦🏼♀️
I started focusing on all the things to calm my nervous system, leading to me leaving the world of criminal justice and stepping into full time biz, as well as moving to a location that is incredible for chillaxing vibes.
But when you’ve created a life based on constant busy-ness and to-do lists, it’s not as easy to just switch that off.
I’ve had to become really intentional about carving out time off - because it doesn’t come naturally to me at all!
The thing is, when you love what you do for “work”, it really doesn’t feel like work at all most of the time.
Just because I can work all the time though, doesn’t mean I should!
So, just like I schedule every other little thing into my calendar, I also schedule in time with Hot Fiancé, Carly time, gym time, Squishy time and family time.
I built a biz for time freedom - not to be chained to it.
I’m defo getting better at this - I used to take days off (ok, maybe not days, more like hours!) and still feel busy-brain, but things are calming down.
I can definitely tweak it more, but I’m still finding my groove in this new stage of my life - welcoming in more ease and flow, “attracting” rather than “getting” and defo way less hustle and grind!
Things I need to get better at are taking more breaks from admin and socials - I go onto social media to create 95% of the time and consume 5% of the time, but I don’t want to be on my devices at all on my days off.
Extra Tips That Help Me (and might help you too):
✅ Batch your work – instead of bouncing between a million tabs, group tasks together so you’re not draining your brain with constant switching.
✅ Book your breaks like appointments – if it’s not in the calendar, it won’t happen. Block “rest” time the same way you block client sessions.
✅ Learn to love saying “no” – if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a f**k no. Boundaries = balance.
✅ Create a wind-down ritual – a walk, journalling, EFT tapping, or even just chucking your phone in a drawer. Signal to your nervous system that work is done.
✅ Protect your mornings – don’t start your day with emails or socials. Start with you, then tackle the world.
✅ Outsource the soul-sucking stuff – if admin or tech makes you want to chuck your laptop out the window, get help with it. One of the best things I ever did in biz was hire a Virtual Assistant.
✅ Prioritise joy – balance isn’t just about less work, it’s about more play. Fun is my #1 value in life so I always make sure I insert fun into my day!
I’d love to hear from you - do you need to create more work-life balance in your own life? Or - if you’ve totally nailed this - please share your tips!!
👉 If this blog hit home and you know you need support creating more balance, boundaries and breathing space, let’s chat about designing a life you don’t need a holiday from.
Catcha on the flip side,
Coach Carly xx
CO A C H I N G
T H R O U G H
C H A N G E +
T R A U M A ❤️
