WORK- LIFE INTE- GRA- TION: HOW TO WEAVE YOUR PROFESSIONAL PASSION INTO YOUR LIFE 26 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
Thirteen years ago, we started Luxury Living Chicago Realty, a boutique brokerage in downtown Chicago. Ten years ago, we started a family. Growing a company and raising a family have been the most rewarding and challenging experiences of our lives. Both are always evolving. Our company now has a team of nearly 60 people, and our daughters are ten and eight years old. In between all the work and child-rearing, we have to find time for ourselves and each other as a married couple. We are frequently asked how we “do it all.” Simply put, it takes hard work, being intentional with your time and having a real passion for what you do professionally. We do not subscribe to the idea of work-life balance. Balance indicates an even distribution. Anyone who has tried to manage their personal and professional lives knows nothing is ever equal, especially for those of us in the real estate industry. Instead, we suggest practicing work-life integration. According to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, work-life integration is "an approach that creates more synergies between all areas that define 'life': work, home/family, community, personal well-being, and health." This approach emphasizes weaving together the different areas of life rather than drawing firm boundaries between them. Here are a few things we have implemented to help us better achieve work-life integration. SELF-CARE For us, self-care is taking time away from both work and family duties to do something for ourselves as individuals. We make time for regular exercise and massage therapy. Amy gets her nails done once a week. Aaron has a daily meditation practice and commitment to reading books on thought leadership outside the real estate industry to gain a greater perspective. SHARING THE HOUSEHOLD & CHILD DUTIES Women often are the default managers of household work and childcare. When you have two working parents, it’s unfair for one parent to bear the majority of these duties. Recognizing that an imbalance existed within our own dynamic, a few years ago we began operating our household like our company. This does not mean we treat our children like employees. It means everyone has accountabilities. We made a list of the household tasks or invisible work in our home. Then, we assigned an owner to those tasks. If someone is not able to personally complete a task or finds it’s not the highest and best use of their time, they can outsource or delegate, but they must manage the process and make sure it gets done. We recommend leaning on friends and family, and when possible, hiring paid help. It truly takes a village to manage a family’s logistics. MANAGING YOUR SCHEDULE Since there are only 24-hours in a day, you need to use them wisely. Getting a good night’s sleep should absolutely be part of your schedule. Sleep is important because it enables your body to rest and repair. You should strive for at least eight hours every night. This leaves 16 more hours in your day. How can you be as productive as possible? It starts with being intentional with your schedule. Be protective of your time by limiting the number of meetings you have scheduled each day. Also, find your “on” time. If you are more energized in the morning, block that time for getting your deep work done. If you’re a late afternoon kind of person, schedule your calls and meetings in the earlier part of the day and save your projects for later. It may sound or seem selfish but taking time for yourself is one of the best things you can do to boost your productivity. It’s easier said than done. If you are having a hard time stepping away, we recommend scheduling it on your calendar. If it’s on your calendar, you’ll be more likely to commit. Being more intentional with your time leads to better quality work than trying to do it all and checking boxes. Continued on page 28 BY AMY GALVIN & AARON GALVIN, LUXURY LIVING CHICAGO REALTY www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 27
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