A Delicate Balance

How to juggle wedding planning with your career

You don’t need to be told twice that life as a bride-to-be is punishing on the day planner. Every decision, from the flowers to the favors, is in your newly banded hand. Planning a wedding is essentially a full time job, and if you’re already a busy professional, guess what? Your work week doubled the moment you said “yes,” and the delicate balance between your professional and personal lives is in danger of collapsing. So how can you juggle your career and your wedding without losing your sanity?

Get A Grip
This advice may sound obvious – but getting organized is the best way to avoid missteps and their accompanying headaches. Pre-think everything. Take control of your wedding checklist with an organizational system you can stick to – even an old fashioned 3-ring binder will work. Use the same method of organization to stay on top of your work day. Get the latest piece of desktop organizational equipment or surf your computer program to find the most efficient daily or weekly planner.

Appointment books or electronic planners are literally the bottom line when it comes to organizing your work and personal life. There it is, right in front of you, a complete visualization of your day, week or month.

Divide And Conquer
Surfing the net for bouquet ideas while on the phone with an important client is generally a bad idea. Instead, segment your day into times when you are solely focused on work and solely focused on the wedding; letting one intrude on the other can slow you down. If you must accomplish some wedding related tasks during the work day, set aside a specific time for wedding planning. Designate your lunch hour for calling vendors or 30 minutes in the afternoon to look for dress ideas. If you’re taking time out of your work day, plan ahead to arrive early or stay late to make up for any lost productivity.

Maximize Free Time
You’ve got a lot on your plate, so what was once “free time” may now have to be used more productively. Try to swipe some items from your to-do list after hours. Instead of vegging on the couch during Grey’s Anatomy, use this time to multitask. An easy chore like addressing save the dates or clipping photos can safely be done in your pjs without missing any of the action on TV.

Get Some Help
Don’t be afraid to delegate. Your fiancé is your greatest untapped resource; divide wedding planning tasks evenly between the two of you. (it’s his wedding too, you know). Then delegate even further. Accept help from anyone who offers. Give small tasks to immediate family members or bridal attendants (key word is small – don’t turn former friends into resentful full time wedding planners). And if that’s still not enough – consider enlisting the help of a professional.

Take A Break
Kicking up your heals as your task list exponentially expands may sound a tad indulgent, but allowing yourself some time to rejuvenate is essential to avoid burnout. Some down time will even make you more efficient. Have you ever tried going for a morning run without a good night’s sleep the night before? The same applies here. What activities comprised your free time before the career versus wedding juggling act seized your soul? Reading? Hiking? Painting? Don’t let those activities slip; take that time to yourself and enjoy the relaxation that comes with doing something that you enjoy.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask
So you’ve organized, compartmentalized, multitasked, delegated and rejuvenated, but you still find that there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and your work is suffering. Don’t ignore the problem and hope it goes unnoticed. Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss your situation. Avoid blanket complaints about being too busy and unfounded requests for time off. Instead, present the problem and possible solutions. Explain the job duties that are suffering, and share with your boss ideas for how you can accomplish them more efficiently.