Our final performance is this afternoon. 35 of us have been rehearsing since mid-January. Opening night was amazing; even the second night was great! And this afternoon, after we take our final bows and head to the after-party, the recovery will start.

You all know I stay pretty busy. This is both the power and the curse of saying “Yes!” too much. But is it really too much?

Over the last few weeks, several people have asked me how I manage to do everything I’ve been doing, and I really struggle to find an answer. Not because I don’t have one but because I struggle to find an answer others can use in their lives.

The question isn’t simply one of awe at my abilities; the question is rooted in, “How can I do more, too?”

So, as I mentioned last week, it’s all about where I decide to focus. Since January, I chose to focus on the show, so those three-plus hours a few times a week were spoken for. Those rehearsals were on the nights I went to kickboxing class. I couldn’t fit kickboxing in anywhere else (and, being honest, I choose not to do the 5:00 am classes because I need to sleep). Kickboxing went to the back burner (it’ll get picked up again this week).

Here’s my typical week:

• I generally wake around 7:00 am (earlier if the mood strikes), take the dog out, get her fed, and make coffee.
• Usually at my desk by 7:30 am — Here’s a big time saver for me. I’m fortunate enough to work from home, so my longest commute is from the bedroom to the office.
• I’ll spend the next half hour reviewing emails for Life After Losses work, acting, etc., reviewing new subscribers and dashboards.
• I’ll log into my work and go through the hundred-or-so emails I received overnight and action those starting around 8:00 am.
• I’m generally in meetings most of the day, so I multitask between conversations and working on emails throughout the day, including instant messaging from Teams.
• Around lunchtime, I watch videos for some personal courses I’m taking and try to do some of the homework before resuming work. Alternatively, I’ll write, record, or study lines for auditions.
• I generally complete working around 5:00 pm or so and focus on my personal business.
• Most nights, I’ll start dinner around 6:00 pm, and I may or may not return to my desk for another hour or so, working on other projects. I may also spend an hour or so streaming something on TV.
• Weekends: I schedule everything that needs to be done or entertainment, and in between those, I’m usually at my desk working on a project, or I’m on set. I may take a day and do absolutely nothing to recover.

I don’t think I’m unique in how I use my time. My biggest time saver is that I don’t have to commute to an office over an hour away. I’m slowly getting to an earlier start in my day because I have a new book launch I need to work on, and that’s not as simple as just publishing it and telling you all about it.

It comes back to that choice thing… whether I’m choosing to spend my time on something or not. I manage to squeeze in 10-20 hours a week on my “side gigs” because I like how they make me feel; I like knowing that I’m helping people, whether it’s through the pages of a book, the blog, the vlog, on set telling stories, or on stage singing with an ensemble.

I use that “extra” time to work on the life I want to live. You’ve heard the phrase, “all work and no play,” right? I love my job, I really do, and the people I work with are great. That feeds my methodical project manager’s mind. I’ve also got the creative side I get to work on in my part-time job.

If you’re struggling to find time to “do it all,” remember a few things: Nobody can do it all (I certainly can’t, and I’m not). Determine where you want to spend your time to do what you want. Remember the banner quote last week? “Where you focus is where you thrive.”

When the spotlights dim after our final bows this evening, I’m reminded that the magic of performance is a lot like life itself; it’s crafted from the choices we make on stage and off and the passions we pursue. As I’m heading off into the night’s celebration, ask yourself this: What are you saying “Yes” to? This week, take a moment to reflect on where your focus has been and where you truly want it to be. Embrace the power within you to shape your days, to fill them with the things that ignite your spirit. Don’t wait for opportunities to come knocking; YOU do the knocking. And celebrate your choices.