ArcaMax

If I don't schedule downtime as a way to set boundaries and focus on the things that matter to me, then it just doesn't happen, which leaves me feeling burned out and overwhelmed. Let me explain.

I had taken Monday off work and planned to spend it alone. Maybe I'd read a book or catch up on chores around the house and my favorite podcast at the same time. Either way, a day to myself. I had attended a professional conference Friday and Saturday, so an extra day to decompress and relax sounded perfect.

Then, President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for reelection on Sunday, and my son got sick with a stomach bug Monday morning. It felt like the universe was testing me. Did I really mean it when I said, "time out"? Why does breaking news have to happen on a Sunday?

I could have easily gotten sucked into the news cycle and jumped all-in for work like I've done so many times before because that's the life of a media employee. But no. I chose to believe my boss when she said she would cover me.

My husband left work early on Monday to help, but when he got home he didn't find me fretting about all the things I needed to get done. Instead, he found my son curled up in a comfy chair playing a game on his phone with Mom close by listening to an audiobook.

"I'm here to relieve you," he said.

I didn't want to be relieved. I had an hour left of my book, and I would not stop until it was finished. The world could wait.

My husband joined our cozy scene, and I realized something. I didn't need a day all alone. I just needed time to be me with the people who matter most. I grabbed my husband's hand and told him so. "This is exactly what I want," I said. This family of ours. Time together. Time to take care of our son. Time to just enjoy it all.

That elusive work-life balance has to be about setting boundaries. I have to stand firm. I don't punch a clock as a journalist, so it's all too easy to get sucked into every political drama in the name of work. I also realize that breaking news happens on nights and weekends, and sometimes that means I do have to step in. However, I don't need to be whisked away to respond every time. Balance. There has to be balance.

I do like my job, but I love my family.

The 24-hour news cycle will never stop, not for any of us, but my life will stop one day. Bronnie Ware, author of the bestselling memoir "The Top Five Regrets of Dying" says one of those regrets is working too hard. I don't want to look back and see that I missed the most important parts of life -- my son growing up and my husband growing old -- just because I didn't make the time to focus on the things that truly mattered.

We all have to set boundaries and make room for what truly matters to each of us.

Check out Bonnie's weekly YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/bonniejeanfeldkamp. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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