You work hard to deliver for your members. But the pandemic has disrupted your professional life and increased demands on your home life. Even with all the talk about things opening up (or not), your workload has increased and you’re spending more time than ever in meetings. You know there must be a better way to balance work, life and distractions that seem to be getting in your way more often than they help you focus on mission-critical activities.

I want you to know that the emails, projects, and other work will never stop or slow down enough for you to catch up. There will never be a perfect time to take time for you. I also want you to know that you can take time for yourself and the world around won’t come to an end. I promise! And, yes, it’s possible to be committed to your work AND have a fulfilling personal life too.

I tell people that you can do it all and you can have it all. But you can’t do it all at the same time. I don’t believe we can be effective over the long-term if we operate under the illusion that we can multitask and do everything at the same time and do it well.

For many of us, smartphones have become our constant companions. And they have become an important lifeline as we navigate how to stay connected in the “new normal.”

The pandemic has disrupted your life and blurred the lines between working at home and living at work. Your job role may have shifted as we grapple collectively with how to provide essential services with little to no human contact. The volume of emails, texts, tweets, and meetings has increased exponentially. And you’re emotionally spent from all the change, disruption, and uncertainty.