One of the words you will hear this month specifically is sustainability. Sustainability is the about balancing usually the environment. This is the act of preservation so that the generations coming behind us has something to look forward to. In our personal life there are many ways in which we need to apply the same logic.
Personal Sustainability
One of our biggest commodities is time. We give our time to people and things all the time. Often times at our own detriment. How do we allow ourselves when we are allowing our lives to be pulled in a thousand ways? It will over tie deplete you which is the biggest reason for burn out. People say that doing what you love will equate to you not working. I partially agree with those sentiments. However even when you have found your passions here on Earth, you still have to have personal sustainability. This means in how you thrive.
Thriving is the key. When I was growing I saw my parents surviving. They worked hard to provide. Often times to their own detriments they made sure we were okay. In this season of life, those in my generation and under me are no longer looking to survive. They want to thrive and enjoy their life. This is why things like the “soft life” is being used all over social media.
Soft Life
The term soft life means that people aren’t feeling guilty about the fact that they want to life on this Earthside and live their true best life. This means differently for everyone. For moms this may mean having groceries delivered so save her time instead of thinking that if she doesn’t scour the grocery store herself that she’s not a good mom. Busy people who want to get pampered may hire an in house esthetician, hairdresser, or nail tech. These are things that would be an example of the soft life. For others it could be simple as having food delivered often due to hustle and bustle of their lives. There are those who prioritize taking vacations every quarter. Where some would see it as excessive, people are learning to live.
The best part about the soft life is you live it without allowing the naysayers to make you think you are wrong. The soft life is for those who make sure their needs are met. They use their disposable income the way they want. In this society we look for validation. The soft life doesn’t need this. Now culturally many people have described this soft lifestyle towards Black people. What was once something “out of reach” is exactly what we want.
Business Sustainability
Businesses already know what they should be doing to create sustainability in the Earth. Many of them put the business above it. This doesn’t absolve them from responsibility. One of the things that they can do outside of making less waste is to make sure that they create a culture of sustainability in their workers. I once interviewed for a company that had the most generous time off, mental health days, sick days, and more. These are the things that should have been in place instead of waiting for the pandemic to make it so.
Creating a work life balance is why some people are going for jobs that are remote. I remember the times when I was working in an office and I had to choose work or my kids. Of course I chose my kids of course and that would put in me in jeopardy of having my boss down my neck about office perceptions. I was good at what I did but at the end of the day, a company will replace you. This is why people no longer stay at their jobs for more than a year. They are looking for something else that will be more fulfilling.
So whether you are running your own business or handling your business find ways to take better care of yourself. Manage your time. No reason to find yourself in a situation where you are burning the midnight oil with no return. Giving of your resources to people and things that wouldn’t in return be your biggest advocate or cheerleader. How are you going to examine your personal sustainability? Here are some examples:
- Social Media usage
- Clubs, organizations, memberships
- Caregiving responsibilities-sharing the responsibility or increasing me time
- Saying yes to every opportunity
Take some personal inventory!
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