A few days ago I posted an Instagram story about work guilt. Whenever I travel, I find myself so guilty if I’m not working 8-5 like I usually do (ha ha, yes I run my own company and yes I still like to work regular business hours) and so I decided to share that on Instagram. I wasn’t expecting to receive the response I got from people who also feel the shame and guilt when they’re not working if they’re traveling. Much of this guilt and anxiety is self-inflicted because if you’re an entrepreneur or trying to get a company off of the ground, the only person you have to rely on is yourself. Because of that, you may feel like it’s unacceptable to take time off or even a few hours to spend with your family or significant other, etc. I find my anxiety begins to set in a few weeks before the trip when I know that I might not have fast WiFi or as much time to spend writing emails or researching.
I already took my no work vacation after the Be Fearless Summit, and I felt refreshed after not checking my email for a week. After the week I felt a little bored and irritated I had decided to give myself some time off as needed as it was, I was ready to get back into the swing of things.
I’m in Europe for two weeks visiting my nephew and then going to Lisbon and Marrakesh with my boyfriend, and I feel just as much guilt as I do when I have the flu and can’t get out of bed. By this point most of my family lets it go when I have to take a business call during lunch or have to spend 5 hours of one day traveling, but what’s worse is the guilt I inflict upon myself.
I’m actively trying to have less guilt and more fun when I travel (life is too short) by reminding myself that I can always work. Can I always get dinner in Portugal? No. My laptop and phone will always be there, and if I’m more anxious than I want to be I will spend more time at night when everyone is asleep on my laptop and wake up earlier to finish. When you run your own company, your hours will never be the same and it’s a sacrifice you have to make if you want to be successful. The balance between personal life and business life is incredibly important to have, and the sooner you realize that life is too short to be anxious about spending every minute working, the sooner you will have more energy to put towards your brand.
This week on Fearless Everyday on Radio Disney, I got to speak with some kids from a foster families event I attended in Los Angeles a few weeks ago! Since May is the month of foster family awareness, I’m excited for you to listen to their interviews and hear about how much these young people have overcome to get to where they are currently. Head to Fearlesseveryday.org to learn more about where to listen!
