To some, choosing life over your job sounds like a rallying cry to give your notice immediately and ride off into the sunset.  For the record, it is not.

For most of us, work is a reality we simply can’t avoid.  We have to work to pay the bills so it’s just a necessary part of life.  But somewhere along the lines many of us shift from working to live to living to work.  This is especially hard if your office is also your home (though the home office has its upsides as well).

So what does choosing life over your job actually look like?

It simply means looking at your life holistically and placing the proper priority where it belongs.  It means thinking about what will actually impact your life in a positive way.

• It’s not putting off healthcare appointments because you have too much going on at work. 
• It’s setting expectations at work for when you’re not available due to your caregiving responsibilities, but still delivering on your promises by flexing your work hours.
• It’s pushing back when you’re asked to sign up for more than you can take on – in the office or at home.
• It’s looking at the things that make you whole and making time for them, even if it means saying no to someone else that wants your time.
• It’s being thoughtful about where your time will make the biggest impact.
• It’s about showing up in the moment, wherever that moment is happening.

Unfortunately, no one will take the last 7 minutes of a staff meeting to make this clear, nor will they teach this in schools.  But the truth is, the only person that can decide to choose a great life for you, is YOU.  It starts by intentionally thinking about the life you want to create, then working to create it one step at a time.