Episode 17 – The Juggle is Real: Mastering Work-Life Balance Without Dropping the Balls

Todd Bertsch: 0:10

Welcome back to the BOLT Podcast. I’m Todd Bertsch and I’m thrilled to be your guide on this inspiring journey of personal growth and leadership. Together with my guests, we’ll dive into transformational stories, uncovering how small, intentional changes can create massive positive results in your life From overcoming challenges and setting impactful goals to building lasting habits and living with confidence, health and positivity. We’ll explore it all and if you’re ready to embrace a growth mindset and unlock the best version of yourself, then let’s spark that transformation today. Hey guys, I’m excited about this episode today.

Todd Bertsch: 0:49

I’ve been thinking about this topic for a very long time. In fact, I think I wrote this episode like before I even launched the show, so it’s been a long time coming. But today we’re going to talk about the juggle is real right. Mastering work-life balance, integration without dropping the balls that’s what we’re talking about today. So you know this is a phrase that gets tossed around like juggling balls, yet achieving it can feel like a constant act of frantic catching. Like a constant act of frantic catching Between the demands of our careers and the desires of our personal lives. Finding that sweet spot can seem almost impossible. But don’t worry, we’ll discuss how to navigate this challenge and achieve a balance that keeps you thriving, not just surviving. Balance that keeps you thriving, not just surviving. So, first things first, let’s reframe this balance beam right Work-life balance or work-life integration I know that’s a more newer term.

Todd Bertsch: 1:57

There’s some debates about where a lot of people don’t like work-life balance. You know what? To me, it is balance, so that’s what I’m just going to stick with. Integration, balance, whatever we’re talking about, just being aligned with the things that are happening in your life. Okay, so let’s just get that straight. So work-life balance isn’t about creating this perfect 50-50 split right. It’s more like a teeter-totter that adjusts based on your needs, desires and seasons in life. Some days work might demand more attention, while others call for a deep dive into your personal pursuits. But the key is ensuring both sides get enough weight to keep that teeter-totter from tipping over and from having any regrets. And that’s what really led to.

Todd Bertsch: 2:49

This is a book that I read from Marshall Goldsmith about regret. You know, the last thing you want is to get to a point in your life and look back and say, ah, damn, I wish I would have spent more time with my kids. I wish I would have done this hobby photography, or writing, or more walks or parachuting. You know, whatever the case may be, you don’t want to have any regrets, so let’s talk about what an unhealthy work-life balance integration might look like. So take a step back and I want you to think about each one of these and put together a little checklist. Do you check any of these boxes? All right, you ready for this? There’s a lot of them. Here we go. Are you living on Overtime Island? Okay, are you working so much? You might as well set up a cot under your desk, right? Does that still happen? Are we a startup company? You know, are you an entrepreneur? You just started a new business, so really think about that one. All right, that’s a serious one.

Todd Bertsch: 3:52

The second one is is your personal life a disappearing act? Your social calendar is drier than a week old pizza and your family and friends they quit inviting you to social events because you’re never available. Right, I’ve been guilty of this. I’m like I see a couple of my friends a couple of times a year and like you know, hey, I’d love to come watch a football game, or, or come over and, you know, hang out or go to the gym. They’re like man, I know, you’re just super busy. I didn’t want to bother you. I’m like, well, at least shoot me an invite, you know. But I get it. You know, I have kind of a two, three strike and you’re out. You know, if I invite somebody to something, they’re just like no, no. No, I’m like, okay, I don’t want to bother them anymore, but I get it. So just, you know, what it comes down to is really those relationships that are really important to you. Make sure that you’re given those time, and the best way to do that is to block it off in your calendar. So I’m not going to go into that. I talk about that in a lot of other episodes, but the blocking of the calendar is really key.

Todd Bertsch: 4:58

All right, let’s move on the next one. Are you driving down Burnout Boulevard? Nobody wants to take that path, right? Nobody wants to go down that road. Are you so exhausted that even a nap powered by an entire pot of coffee can’t keep your eyes open? You need some toothpicks, right? So are you burned out? No-transcript.

Todd Bertsch: 5:46

Taking care of yourself is the ultimate power move, but you’re too damn busy hustling to even think about it and do that. This one here will literally kill you. You have to take care of yourself. I don’t care how freaking busy you are with life, or you just had a new child, or you just bought this new house and you’re fixing it up. Whatever, you need to make time for yourself Right. Five minutes a day, that’s all it takes. You got to do it. Okay, there are no excuses, so I can’t let that one go. All right, here’s the next one. Is your relationship on the rocks? Ooh, your significant other is starting to look like a stranger that you vaguely recognize from your work. Zoom calls Yikes. Yeah, that’ll get you in trouble, so you better check yourself Again.

Todd Bertsch: 6:39

It goes back to your relationships, your spouse, your partner, even your friends, like are you spending good quality time with those people? And for me, I need to track that I have a certain amount of days, hours, that I want to spend with these people. And if I’m not tracking it, how do I know? So you know, make sure that your relationships that are most important to you, that you’re putting into work right. Are you the parent that misses all of your kids’ events? Your kids are like yeah, I have a mom or dad, but they’re too busy at work to attend. Ouch, that one hurts right. So if that’s you, if you’re like, yep, I’m sorry, but that’s one that you’ll have regrets. So I get it.

Todd Bertsch: 7:25

There are some times in a job where you just can’t right, and without the job you can’t even do the school, you can’t do all the things right, but try everything you can to make that event. I know at our office we say family first and we stick to it, because I know I have two kids and my dad worked two jobs blue collar his whole life. And I’ll tell you what that man never missed a single event and my sister and I we played sporting events all year around and she was even in travel ball, softball. He never missed a single event. So that was the precedent that he set. And that’s what I try to do too. And yeah, I miss a couple here and there, but choir events, gymnastics, cheerleading, soccer, baseball, you name it. Like I’m going to be there, I’m going to make time for it.

Todd Bertsch: 8:21

So if you need to work something out with your employer or if your employer is like no man, like you need, you need to miss that, and it continues on and on and there’s a pattern. Maybe you need to think about a new place. Right that? That’s not the type of place that I want to be at. So just just think about that. Trust me, you don’t want to live with any regrets, and that’s a big one. So I hope nobody recognizes any of these in your life. But don’t worry, we’ll discuss some ways to get you more aligned, all right, so remember a healthy work-life integration.

Todd Bertsch: 8:59

Balance is all about finding that sweet spot. It’s like a delicious work-life smoothie. You want the right blend of ingredients to fill your best, so find a balance that lets you thrive, not just survive. All right, so are you ready? Here are 15 ways to improve your work-life balance integration. Yes, you heard me 15 of these babies, so get ready to jot them down. We’re going to dig in, all right.

Todd Bertsch: 9:31

Number one know your priorities. Before you can find balance, you need to understand what truly matters to you. What’s important to you? Is it spending quality time with family? Is it crushing your fitness goals, mastering a new skill? Writing a book identifying your priorities helps you allocate your time and energy efficiently. What is your personal mission? How do you define success Based on the season and life? Your balance may change as your priorities change and life changes. This is number one for a reason because it’s mission critical. I’ll have some great resources for you in the show notes and I’ll link back to a prior episode that we have. All about redefining success, all right, but this is number one, guys. It’s important, so please give it some thought, all right.

Todd Bertsch: 10:27

Moving on Number two tracking an accountability partner. Oh, if you listen to any of my shows, follow me on social. You know I’m huge on this. Once you define your priorities and set your goals for these, I recommend that you have some sort of tracking piece software, notebook, journal and an accountability partner. This could be a simple notepad or Excel spreadsheet or, like I said, a journal, and share it with your spouse or a coworker someone that can help hold you accountable. All right, once you put it out there, you’d be surprised. It’s a little harder to fall off. So you put it out there, you’re more likely to stick to it. All right, so that’s a good one, all right.

Todd Bertsch: 11:15

Moving on Number three quality over quantity. Don’t stress about the clock, just be present and be mindful. It’s the quality time that creates lasting memories, not the number of hours you spend doing something. I used to really get hung up on this one for years, especially with my daughter. Getting time with her is really challenging, not for lack of trying, but she’s 13 now and she doesn’t really want to spend time with her dad, so I have to be really creative and just continually try and try and try. All right, so I can’t get hung up on it, but if I can get a half hour an hour, take her to breakfast, or she still likes Legos. So I know, yeah, it’s 60, 70, 80 bucks for that thing, yeah, it’s super expensive. But how much am I willing to pay to get three or four sessions with her right over a couple of weekends? And we’re using our minds and we’re collaborating and working on something together. So, anyhow, the whole thing is don’t get caught up, all right. Until I embraced this concept, I was really struggling, but if I can get one hour of quality time with my daughter a week, I’ll take it All right.

Todd Bertsch: 12:31

Number four boundaries. This is your best friend, not your enemy. Setting boundaries this isn’t selfish, it’s self-care. Right, we talk about this. You got to take care of yourself. Talk to your colleagues about your work hours and stick to them as much as possible. Remember a burnout. You is a less productive you. So do you live to work or do you work to live. Think about that for a minute. I think you’ll have your answer real quick. All right.

Todd Bertsch: 13:05

Number five the power of no is yours. Don’t be afraid to politely decline extra tasks if your plate is overflowing already. Focus on delivering awesome work within your set limits. You can’t do everything and, trust me, that pile is going to be there tomorrow. All right, go back to what is really important to you. Does this align with your goals? How do you define success? Do you really need to be on one more board of directors? Right? Do you really have time to volunteer for that event? Again, set some boundaries. You can’t do everything. Okay, so we’re finding the balance. What really aligns with your vision, your mission? Okay, your personal mission, and then cut things off, say no, it’s okay. People will understand and trust me. This is a tough one for me. I love helping people out, I love volunteering. If I could be on 30 boards, I would, but at the end of the day, I just don’t right. You just don’t have time. You can only help a couple of people, a couple of organizations. So all right, moving on here, I’ve got a long list.

Todd Bertsch: 14:24

Number six flex your schedule like a boss all right. Explore flexible work arrangements with your employer, could you condense your work week into fewer days? There’s a lot of countries that are trying this. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to a four-day week here in the next three to five years. Would a later start time allow you to handle personal errands in the morning or help get your kids off to school or walk the dog? Open communication with your employer can lead to solutions that benefit everyone. Right? Find an employer with flex time. If you’re a leader or in management, flexibility is at the top of most employees list. This can be a huge retainment tool. Trust me, I’ve seen it time and time again in employee surveys. What they love most is the flexibility. So really think about that. It can be great for retainment.

Todd Bertsch: 15:12

All right, number seven time blocking. I think I already talked about this a little bit. I talk about all the time. Your schedule is your new BFF. All right, schedule specific times for emails, meetings and focus work. Block these around your peak productivity hours. Right? Is that in the morning? Is that in the afternoon and evening? All right?

Todd Bertsch: 15:33

Become a calendar and to-do list, ninja. Don’t forget to schedule dedicated time for both work and personal stuff. And here’s a pro tip Use one shared calendar with your partner and your family, all right. So I have one calendar that I use. Now my wife she’s not really in the digital realm, she still likes the old school paper calendar on the fridge and that’s totally fine. Hey, it works. But the key here is so I have one calendar, outlook calendar. It has all my personal stuff, all my professional stuff, all my work stuff. I can see everything all together together and if it goes in that calendar it’s going to happen. Right, but it needed to be visible, all right. So let’s move on.

Todd Bertsch: 16:21

Number eight be the clock out champ. All right. There’s a saying work expands to fill the time allotted. All right. When you work from home, this can be extra true. Right, set an end time and stick to it. Power down your devices, close your laptop or schedule something fun afterwards to create yourself a hard stop, right.

Todd Bertsch: 16:46

And everything has changed. Most people there’s a lot of people that are working from home right now. They might be working at the kitchen table, so they don’t have a specific dedicated space, right. So it’s the same space that you’re in a lot of your day anyhow, when you’re home. So you need to really be able to separate and clock out, all right. So if you have the advantage of flexibility and working from home, you need to take advantage of really separating yourself.

Todd Bertsch: 17:15

Okay, here’s the next one. Number nine unplug to recharge, use apps to block distracting websites and work tools after hours, all right. Try to keep work on one device or have a work-free zone for complete disconnection. Constant connectivity blurs the lines between work and life and we don’t want that. Take breaks throughout the day to clear your head and schedule some tech-free time to recharge. All right, I know it’s a tough one, but this can really help. The next one is a great one.

Todd Bertsch: 17:52

Find a lunch break, buddy, okay. So if you are somebody that goes into the office, like me, all right. Or even if you work remotely, take a lunch break or connect with a colleague. Virtually the change of pace will refresh you and, hey, you might even remember to eat. I know a couple of people who, again, going back to how important a calendar is and blocking, they put eat lunch on their calendar. Hey, whatever works, if that’s what it takes to get you to take a break and I’m guilty as charged I just plow through lunch. I don’t really care to eat lunch, so a lot of times I’ll just make a protein shake, but that makes it easy for me. It’s not one more choice that I need to think about, but it doesn’t give me the break I need.

Todd Bertsch: 18:38

So especially more difficult in the Midwest here in Ohio, with the weather. I mean, do I really want to go walk outside in the snow, put my boots on, put my hat and scarf on? Not really, but there are ways. Right, get creative. We’re in an office building. I can just walk around in the office or just get off the screen and maybe I just journal for a minute, meditate, do some breathing techniques, or maybe I just read for a little bit. Right, the key here is just take a break, all right. And if you can find a buddy, hold you accountable to it better yet, all right. I know there’s a lot here, guys. Stick with me, number 11. I feel like I’m David Letterman here.

Todd Bertsch: 19:17

Vacations aren’t a luxury, they’re a necessity. Don’t feel guilty about taking time off. Your paid time off is to truly disconnect and recharge so you’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to conquer new challenges. That’s what PTO is all about. Take it, don’t be afraid Sick time. Take it. That’s why it’s there. We all need a break. All right, it’s a necessity, all right. Number 12. Oh, this is one. This is high on my list, boy, and I have it. Number 12. Probably need to push this one up. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness helps you recognize imbalance Okay. Meditation or breath work can help you tune into your emotions and your body. All right. So paying attention to these signals helps you avoid ignoring your needs. Self-care going back to self-care all right, this one’s huge. I’m not going to go into it any deeper, but this is a big one, all right.

Todd Bertsch: 20:26

Number 13, find your after work passion. So having a hobby you love makes it easier to disconnect from work. Hobbies can boost your energy and creativity, making you more awesome at work too, right? So if you love photography or love painting or you love woodworking, like, schedule that in on your calendar so that you can disconnect and commit to it, whatever it is, once a week, twice a week, like. Don’t have regret that you never fulfilled, you know, these passions. Trust me, I got away from being creative for so many years for starting my own business and being an entrepreneur. I was just too busy wearing 15 different hats and I lost that creative spark. But now I’m back into it and I’m like, oh my gosh, I love it. So, again, don’t live with regrets. All right, we’re getting close here.

Todd Bertsch: 21:21

Number 14, reconsider work that makes you yearn for balance, all right. So if your work is constantly draining your happiness, it might be time for a change. Don’t be a quiet quitter. Get the hell out of there. You’re not doing yourself and it’s not fair to the company either. Explore different roles or how you can adjust in your current one. All right, work should be fulfilling, not soul sucking. All right, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to your boss or your manager. They should be able to help you prioritize your workload. If things are truly unmanageable, discuss hiring some help or streamlining some tasks, or get your resume cleaned up, and maybe it’s time to hit the road and find a different company right.

Todd Bertsch: 22:12

Last but not least, work with a coach. Get some expert help, and I’m not saying that just because I’m a life optimization coach. We all have issues. We all have some struggles, right, I’ve been on the struggle bus a lot. All right. So if you’re feeling stuck, a coach or a therapist can be a valuable asset. They can help you identify the best changes to make and support you along the way. They can be a great accountability coach for you as well. So that’s it. Those are the way they can be a great accountability coach for you as well. So that’s it. Those are the 15.

Todd Bertsch: 22:46

I know that was a lot to take in, but you know, work-life balance is really important. So there’s a lot of ways here that you can recognize if you’re having some issues and there’s a lot of things you can do to overcome right. So, if you’re a leader or a manager of a team, incorporating these into your culture can be a great retainment tool, right, we talked about that a little bit earlier. Plus, it’s just the right thing to do. If you don’t focus on a well-balanced workload for your team, then you’re having a revolving door, right. People are coming in and out. You’ll be constantly recruiting and hiring, which results in loss of time and profit.

Todd Bertsch: 23:27

The workplace is ever-changing. The pandemic gave us the time to reflect and think about what’s most important to us. Survey your team, get some feedback. You may need to make some changes. By doing so, your team and your organization will thrive.

Todd Bertsch: 23:44

There are many benefits to having a great work-life balance for your employees, like increased performance and productivity, better employee engagement, higher morale, better personal well-being, higher retention rate, improved collaboration, increased creativity and innovation. Happy employees stay longer and will be your brand advocates. This is a no-brainer, guys. I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve made the mistakes, I’ve had the failures. By implementing these things, your people will stick with you. Right? Just ask, listen. Right, let them tell you what they want. Yeah, you can’t do everything, but at least you’re being a partner, right, you’re in the conversation and you’re being an active listener, all right. So, as you can see, there are a ton of benefits, not only for your own personal work-life balance, but also for your team and your organization.

Todd Bertsch: 24:46

So, in summary, look, work-life balance integration it’s a journey, not a destination. Just like life, there will be bumps along the way, but prioritizing your needs, setting boundaries and managing your time effectively, you can create a fulfilling rhythm that keeps you feeling balanced and in control. Look, don’t try to change everything at once. I get it, you want work-life balance, like yesterday, but trying to go cold turkey or tech-free will just make you cranky pants, right? So, just like any change or shift you make in life, start small, aim for a tiny win, like a five-minute tech break each day. You’re more likely to stick with it and, before you know it, you’ll be working towards more balance, creating new habits, and you’ll be more fulfilled and more happy.

Todd Bertsch: 25:45

Don’t be that person who ends their life with regrets because they were out of balance right, and they were just too busy to take any action. Time flies by, trust me, and it’s the one thing you can’t buy back. Getting this right and sticking to it is extremely important. So grab your juggling pins, take a deep breath and find your flow. You can do this. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Bolt Podcast. You’re on an inspiring journey of growth, transformation and joy, and I’m honored to be a part of it. If you found this episode valuable, please like share it with your friends and consider leaving a review. It means the world to us For show notes, resources and to subscribe to the weekly Motivational Monday newsletter. Please toddbertsch.com visit and don’t forget to follow us on social @theBoltwithToddB for more inspiration. Remember, real change doesn’t happen overnight. Folks Start small, stay consistent and watch as your growth unfolds. See you next time.