Balancing career ambitions with personal life can feel like a constant tug of war, especially for women navigating the demanding toys, licensing, and entertainment industries. In a recent webinar hosted by Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT), Nancy Geller—former executive at Disney, Mattel, and Hasbro—shared valuable insights on how to harmonize your professional journey and personal well-being.
Here are the key takeaways from Nancy’s session on how you can pursue both career success and personal fulfillment without burning out.
1. Embrace Imperfection and Flexibility
One of the central themes Nancy discussed was the importance of embracing imperfection. In both life and work, striving for perfection often leads to stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction. She emphasized that it’s okay to let go of unrealistic expectations and focus on progress, not perfection. Flexibility is key:
Shift Your Perspective: Understand that you don’t need to have everything figured out at once. Life is dynamic— your priorities should be, too.
Redefine Success: Success doesn’t mean checking off every box or excelling in all areas at the same time. Instead, it’s about aligning your actions with your current values.
Whether it’s letting go of guilt when personal obligations pull you away from work or giving yourself grace when things don’t go asplanned, embracing flexibility allows you to move forward without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Set Clear Boundaries
In today’s always-on world, setting boundaries is one of the most important skills you can develop. Nancy stressed that having it all requires learning to say “no” to certain demands, whether at work or in your personal life.
Here’s how you can set boundaries effectively:
Know Your Limits: Be clear about what you can and can’t take on. This might mean turning down additional projects or leaving work on time to prioritize family or personal activities.
Protect Your Time: Block off time in your calendar for self-care, family, or activities that recharge you, and treat these appointments as non-negotiable.
Communicate Openly: It’s essential to communicate your boundaries to colleagues, bosses, and even family members. Let them know when you’re available and when you’re not.
Setting and enforcing boundaries isn’t just about saying “no” to others—it’s about saying “yes” to the things that matter most to you.
3. Practice Effective Delegation
Nancy shared her experience as a leader in large corporations, explaining how effective delegation helped her manage her responsibilities while maintaining a balanced life. Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks—it’s about empowering others to step up and grow.
Delegate with Clarity: Be clear about expectations, deadlines, and outcomes when assigning tasks to others. This ensures that your team can succeed without needing constant oversight.
Trust Your Team: Let go of control and trust that your colleagues or team members can handle the tasks you delegate. This not only lightens your workload but also gives others the opportunity to develop new skills.
Recognize That Delegation Is a Skill: Like any other leadership skill, effective delegation requires practice. Start small by delegating simple tasks, and gradually work up to larger responsibilities.
Learning to delegate not only helps you create space for personal time, but it also builds a stronger, more capable team around you.
4. Focus on What Truly Matters
One of the most powerful messages from the webinar was the importance of aligning your daily actions with what truly matters to you. Nancy encouraged attendees to regularly assess their values and priorities.
Identify Your Core Values: Make a list of the things that matter most to you—whether it’s family, health, personal growth, or career advancement. Keep these priorities front and center as you plan your time and energy.
Assess Your Current Balance: Take time to reflect on how well your current lifestyle reflects your values. Are you spending time on what truly matters? If not, what changes can you make?
Rebalance As Needed: Life changes, and so do your priorities. Nancy reminded us that the balance between career and personal life is fluid—what works for you today might not work tomorrow, and that’s okay. Regularly reassess and adjust accordingly.
This focus on prioritization ensures that you are not just busy, but productive in the areas that bring you the most fulfillment.
5. Build a Strong Support Network
Having a strong support system is crucial when striving for work-life harmony. Nancy shared how building relationships, both personal and professional, made a significant difference in her ability to manage everything on her plate.
Here’s how to cultivate a supportive network:
Lean on Colleagues and Family: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Whether it’s at work or at home, having people you can rely on makes a huge difference.
Join Professional Communities: Groups like WiT offer valuable connections and resources that can help you navigate challenges in your career and personal life. Being part of a supportive community gives you access to mentorship and advice from those who have been in your shoes.
Support Others: Remember that your network is a two-way street. Be there for others in your circle, and they will be more inclined to support you in return.
By actively building a network of mentors, peers, and friends, you create a foundation that can provide guidance, encouragement, and a sense of belonging as you balance your life’s demands.
6. Take Care of Yourself
Lastly, self-care is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Nancy emphasized the importance of prioritizing your mental and physical health in order to thrive both at work and at home.
Prioritize Sleep: Getting enough rest is essential for maintaining focus and energy. If you’re constantly sleep-deprived, it becomes much harder to handle daily challenges.
Engage in Activities That Recharge You: Whether it’s exercise, meditation, or a hobby, find time for activities that help you relax and recharge.
Give Yourself Permission to Rest: It’s okay to take a break. Whether it’s a 10-minute pause during a busy workday or a full weekend off, allowing yourself time to rest is key to preventing burnout.
When you take care of yourself, you’re in a better position to take care of everything else—your career, your family, and your personal goals.
Nancy Geller’s tips provide a realistic and encouraging roadmap for women trying to balance demanding careers with fulfilling personal lives. Whether it’s setting boundaries, delegating, or building a strong support network, these strategies offer practical ways to harmonize work and life. The key takeaway? You don’t need to be perfect or do it all at once—small, intentional changes can make a big difference over time.
This blog is inspired by the WiT Webinar “Having it All: The Art of Harmonizing Career & Life” featuring industry expert Nancy Geller. You can watch the full session in WiT’s Video Library.
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