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We have had an interesting April here in our little town of Ashburnham, MA. There was a forest fire out in our back woods. The neighborhood bears are venturing out and about, looking for food. My son brought a baby snake in the house to keep in his drawer for a "collection". Ahhh - the joys of motherhood.

And with Mother's Day upon us, it seems fitting to include an article about balance. Though the article isn't geared solely toward Moms, it is apparent that it has primarily been women who struggle the most with work-life balance.

Searching for work/life balance? Let your intuition be your guide.
by Donna Toothaker

When I think about my professional life and my personal life, I consider them extremely balanced. Having been a business owner for a few years, I have learned to set boundaries, limit work hours, and practice self-care.

Lately, however, I have been reading so much on this seemingly hot topic of work/life balance for business owners, and I’m surprised to note that not much of it rings true for me. I am by no means suggesting that balance isn’t important and necessary -- yet following prescribed steps to get it seems regimented, as opposed to natural and free-flowing.

Some of the suggestions in these articles seem “forced” (my least favorite "tip" is "create a schedule and stick to it no matter what") and probably can make a person feel more stressed than balanced at times. Balance, for me, is feeling comfortable, feeling good in one’s skin, and truly enjoying both aspects of life (work and home). Balance should come naturally.

My own twist on the whole work-life balance concept is simple -- listen to and trust your intuition, and be flexible.

Intuition can have different meanings for different people. Quick definition for intuition: Insight. Synonyms include: discernment, divination, feeling, foreknowledge, funny feeling, gut reaction, hunch, innate knowledge, inspiration, instinct, intuitiveness, penetration, perception, perceptivity, premonition, presentiment, second sight, sixth sense

Life is ever-changing, never predictable, and can easily thwart your balance "plan of attack". If you’re so caught up in forcibly trying to create balance with schedules and structure, what happens when good old "life" gets in the way?

I am, however, a firm believer that the following strategies (in connection with intuition) are helpful practices in creating balance, and just make sense for any business owner:

I am a very organized, scheduled person. However (and this is a big “however”), I’m also very flexible. I listen to my intuition and trust when it tells me to make some changes in a day’s schedule because I need to practice self-care to boost my energy level. The opposite holds true as well. On days I’m revitalized and energized, I might tackle projects that were intended for later, or work longer days. And it’s all just plain old “okay”.

To me, balance isn’t scheduling a work-free evening, then feeling energized to work late, followed by feeling guilty and stressed because I didn’t stick to the schedule. Again, I encourage work-free time, yet I trust my intuition, my feeling, to guide me -- not just my schedule.

Here is what helps me to naturally create and maintain my work-life balance:

I trust my intuition
I listen to what my body tells me
I am flexible
I understand it’s “okay”
I know the work I’m doing is good and makes a difference
I let go of any guilt

Don’t let the "balance experts" dictate how to create your own balance. Balance is an individual, unique aspect of a business owner’s life. It should be created naturally and should make you feel comfortable and content.

Donna Toothaker is an expert Virtual Assistant and founder of www.1stVA.com. Donna specializes in providing marketing and administrative support and services to Professional Speakers and Life and Business Coaches. To discover how 1st VA can help your business – visit http://www.1stva.com .

Everyone is an expert about something!

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The 1st VA Lens has been going strong since January. We have seen an increase in traffic to our website, blog, and newsletter.

Create your own lens and email me so I can check it out!

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• Share the knowledge: When you know a lot about something, it feels good to share. Help other people discover what you found out the hard way.

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Business Building Tip of the Month
Realizing that your Business is a Business.
by Jeffrey St. Laurent

As speakers we are absolutely passionate about what we do. We have to be, in order to get up in front of people, wipe away fear, self doubt and speak our mind. The simple fact is, that speakers are a dime a dozen. So what is the difference between a no name speaker and someone who demands $20K for a key note? Great business sense.

Realizing that your business is a business is when you’ll begin to win at the game of entrepreneurship. How much revenue do you pull in on a daily basis? What are your expenses, payroll, taxes, and fees? How well do you keep up with your quarterly payments? How well do you understand where your money goes? How are the investments you are making, (marketing, networking etc.) benefiting your business (ROI)? Are you incorporated or DBA? What are the benefits and costs of each?

If any of the above cause unease inside, who can you contact in order to educate yourself? Accountants are not enough. You pay them for the time they work on your business, and when they are done, they are done. Unless you have a full time accountant, they are not all about your business like you are.

When YOU become more responsible for the business of your business, your bank account will reflect that. The more you know about where your money comes and goes, the more of it you will have. As my mentor coach Jeffrey Combs says: “Is your business for profit or do you operate a non-profit organization from the discomfort of your own home?”

Jeffrey St.Laurent is the founder of JSL Coaching and a nationally recognized Speaker, Trainer and Health Coach. Jeff specializes in assisting entrepreneurs achieve greater health and wealth, with personal breakthroughs and developing an unshakable mindset. To learn how you can benefit from Jeff’s services, visit www.jslcoaching.com or e-mail him at Jeff@JSLCoaching.com.

Jeff is also excited to invite you to his first annual Healthy Mindset Conference on Saturday, May 13th in Leominster MA at the beautiful Sheraton Four Points. Learn how to life your life with more ease, less stress and a lot more fun! There will be four live seminars and three keynote speakers. Visit www.jslcoaching.com or call toll free 866- 544-4131 for more info. As a speaker, if you are able to put people in the seats, YOU could be speaking at this event next year! Jeff is always seeking to collaborate with other speakers.

I want to wish all the amazing Moms out there a very happy Mother's Day! I look forward to hearing from you about how you're introducing balance naturally into your lives.

Until next month...

Warmly,

Donna Toothaker