In the age of remote working and The Great Resignation, more and more professionals are looking for greener pastures – but not the same ones the older generations in their lives did. And with the pandemic having negatively affected working moms at a much greater rate than their male counterparts, many women are left wondering, “what now?”
Between balancing remote schooling, working, and still somehow managing a household, many working moms spent the past two plus years reevaluating what’s really important, and what they want their family’s future to look like.
Part of this journey of self-discovery has been rooted in slowing down and doing less, while also making a greater impact.
Best-selling author and productivity expert, Tanya Dalton, says it best in her most recent book, On Purpose…
“When you think about it, when you imagine your future self, you are basically starting with the end in mind.” –Tanya Dalton, On Purpose.
With this in mind, here are three tips on how you can plan to make a positive change in your life.
Tip #1: Figure out how you want to feel
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the “things” that we forget why we even wanted them in the first place. The house, the 6-figure job, the car, even the vacation!
Instead, let’s refocus and think about how all these things make us feel. Maybe it’s a mix of exhilaration and overwhelm, and that’s ok! But honing in on what positive feelings all of these things actually give us, will offer us a better understanding of what we actually want.
Maybe a slower life traveling in an RV with our families, working 3-days a week where wi-fi permits. Perhaps it’s trading in the 5 bedroom home for a tiny home, and investing in a small business down the street. Or maybe it’s just putting in for that promotion you’ve been afraid of, and retiring your significant other so they can pursue their own personal goals.
Tip #2: Write down the end goal and reverse engineer the process
Just as Tanya says, it’s starting with that holistic vision and then reverse engineering what needs to happen. You can think of it as a roadmap and all of the rest stops you’ll be making along the way.
For example, if your goal is to replace your corporate income in 3 years with an entrepreneurship endeavor, then it’s figuring out what you need to do tomorrow, one week from tomorrow, one month from tomorrow, and one year from tomorrow, in order to make that happen.
By understanding all of the steps and breaking them up into tangible tasks, the end goal will feel much more attainable and not just like a pipe dream.
Tip #3: Understand your “why”
Most of us are stuck in the same routine, day in and day out, just because we know things need to “get done.” As a result, many lose sight of their “why.” And a big part of the reason many women are looking to pivot right now is because they are looking for something more… they have a specific intention in mind – meaning, they want to create some sort of impact or change, not just for themselves but for their families and the world around them.
Of course, this is different for everyone, and with the last couple of years of a universal health crisis and social unrest, women want to be a part of the solution.
So, what is your “why?”
For example, if you’re wanting to pivot your busy life in NYC as a marketing exec, to a slower-paced one on the coast of Maine as an artist – ask yourself, “why?”
Is it because you love art? Or maybe because you’re just tired? Perhaps it’s because you’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights?
Dig deep and take notes!
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No matter what you decide, creating a plan of action is always a good place to start. For more tips on living and working more holistically and intentionally, be sure to check out The Driven Mama on Instagram and give us a follow!
