Playing the Long Game: How to Prioritize What You Prize
Playing the Long Game: How to Prioritize What You Prize
You’ve made it through the gauntlet and your love life has settled into something deeper, but maybe less thrilling. You may have added a family member or two, and now you’re trying to juggle the demands of your family relationships (and hopefully your friends as well!), while also giving 100% to your business and career goals. How do you even do that? Is it possible to prioritize relationships and professional success and be equally invested in both?
Unfortunately, the answer is: not really. Just like it’s impossible for your brain to multitask and give equal, full attention to more than one thing at a time, you have to decide where your priorities lie, and act accordingly. This doesn’t mean that your relationships or your business has to suffer, and you can still be an awesome partner/parent/friend/family member while also succeeding in your professional goal. But you need to set aside time, set boundaries, and remember why you wanted those relationships in the first place.
Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Busy professionals often don’t have time for lengthy or frequent interactions, so it’s important to focus on deep, meaningful connections rather than superficial or frequent engagements. As for more distant family or friends, who are still important, scheduling regular but short catch-ups (e.g. a 10-minute call or lunch break coffee) can maintain the relationship without overwhelming your schedule.
Find ways to connect with your partner or children through shared experiences to form deeper connections and more meaningful conversations. Travel time or commutes can be used to check in with family or friends via phone calls or texts. You might even try sending media like podcasts or audiobooks to others to create shared experiences even when physically apart.
Best Practice: Be mindful and intentional. When things are extra busy, notes or quick phone calls focusing on the positive and the things you appreciate about your family can help them feel loved and seen. Building relationships constantly in small ways can help them weather the longer work weeks or more difficult interactions.
Boundaries Help You Breathe
Work-life balance requires setting clear boundaries around work and personal time. Professionals who are able to protect their personal time can invest more meaningfully in their relationships. Knowing when to say "no" to work demands helps create space for nurturing important connections. Train your staff to recognize a real emergency, and trust them to handle everything else when you’re “off the clock” and taking care of your personal life.
Best Practice: If you have control over your own schedule, try setting clear “on” and “off” hours. Unless it’s an emergency, simply don’t answer work-related calls or emails during the time you’ve scheduled for your partner, children, or other important people.
Remember Your “Why”
Why did you want a relationship or a family in the first place? Remember to keep that mindset as things settle in, and when life sometimes gets hard or “boring” with all the everyday tasks, responsibilities, and struggles. Continue to treat each other with the same dignity, respect, and consideration you did in the early moments of your relationship, and maintain a mindset of gratitude for what you have.
Best Practice: Don’t forget to laugh, have fun, date, and schedule family fun and vacations. Enjoy each other, and build and maintain a relationship that gives you strength and rejuvenates you.
If you prioritize your relationships, they can be a constant reminder of why you want to aim so high in your work life. Making a good life for yourself and for those you love is a powerful motivator to stay on your “A” game when you’re at work. If you look at it that way, putting the most important things (people) first actually helps you be more successful. It’s worth the time, setting careful boundaries, and keeping the right mindset to balance your personal and work life. Having someone to share your successes with makes everything that much sweeter.