Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

I'm writing this from southern Quebec, just outside a winery, with mountains and vineyards behind me and a beautiful breeze rolling through. I’m taking a little break from several days of volleyball and pickleball because, after four full days of doing all the things, my body had a very clear message for me: it was time to rest.

And that got me thinking about something much bigger than sore muscles.

Taking care of yourself means paying attention to what you need physically, mentally, and emotionally. It means defining what treating yourself well actually looks like for you—and then being willing to honor that, even when it doesn’t look like what someone else would choose.

For me, that doesn’t necessarily mean being completely "on" or completely "off." In fact, I've learned that I do better somewhere in between.

Vacation Doesn't Have to Mean Disappearing From Your Business

Before I left for this trip, I spent some quality time with Claude and ChatGPT working through the messaging for my website. My business has evolved, and I wanted the website to more accurately reflect where I am now, who I serve, and how I help.

Once I was happy with the content, I handed it over to my web designer and VA team.

And they implemented it.

That's the important part.

I didn't spend my vacation buried in website updates. I didn't sit inside for hours tweaking pages while everyone else was enjoying themselves. My team handled the implementation, I reviewed their work, we made a few edits, and my total involvement while I was away was less than an hour.

The website is now live, and I'd love for you to visit dawnmcgee.guru and let me know what you think.

Did I technically work while I was on vacation? Sure.

Did it feel like I was working?

Not really.

And that's exactly the balance that works for me.

The Question Isn't Whether You Can Do It Yourself

One of the biggest lessons I've learned as a business owner is that being capable of doing something doesn't mean I need to be the person doing it.

There are things only I can do.

Only I can determine where I want my business to go. Only I can bring my experiences, perspective, and personality to the work. Only I can make certain strategic decisions.

But once those decisions are made?

There are incredibly talented people who can take the vision and implement it better and faster than I could.

Handing things off doesn't make me less involved in my business. It allows me to be involved where I matter most - the vision and the hands on work with my clients. 

And this idea extends far beyond business.

Getting Help Doesn't Mean You're Doing Less

Let's say you have young children and you decide to get some childcare so you can take an afternoon for yourself.

That doesn't make you a bad mom.

Maybe that time allows you to rest, exercise, meet a friend, work on your business, or simply have a few hours when nobody needs anything from you. Then you can return to your family feeling more centered and present.

It's the same principle I use in my business.

Sometimes I joke that my business feels like another child. I care deeply about it, and I want it to thrive. But caring about something doesn't mean doing every single thing yourself.

Sometimes taking care of something well means knowing when to ask for help.

Your Version of Balance Doesn't Have to Look Like Mine

Today, I'm enjoying touring wineries with friends. My son decided he didn't want to come along, and that's perfectly fine.

It's his vacation, too.

We'll do things together, and we'll do things separately.

There doesn't have to be one "right" way to spend a vacation, just as there isn't one right way to run your business, care for your family, or create balance in your life.

The better question is:

What works for you?

What allows you to get the results you want while still feeling good, whole, and connected to the things that matter?

For me, completely disconnecting isn't always necessary. I enjoy having things interspersed. I can spend a little time checking something important for my business and then head back outside to play pickleball, sit in the hot tub, spend time with friends, or simply enjoy the view.

That rhythm works for me.

Yours may look completely different.

Build a Life That Actually Works for You

We're often presented with extremes.

Work hard or take time off.

Be completely present with your family or focus on your career.

Build the business or enjoy your life.

But life doesn't always need to operate in absolutes.

You can build systems.

You can delegate.

You can decide what's important.

You can protect time for yourself.

And you can create a rhythm where your work supports the life you want instead of constantly competing with it.

So this week, instead of asking yourself what balance is supposed to look like, ask:

What would make my life work better for me?

Then give yourself permission to build around that answer.

As always, what I hope for you is that you live a life you love without giving up the things that bring you joy.

Until next week.