when work is constantly inconsistent.
I keep choosing jobs with very unpredictable workloads.
First in communication, then recruiting, now coaching—none of them came with a tidy, consistent schedule.
And actually, I don’t mind. Maybe I did when I had little to no control over the expectations put on me.
But now that I’m my own mini boss, I actually love the slow moments—and I get excited when things pick up again.
And of course, ten plus years in, I worked on a few tweaks to keep healthy and happy through the ups and downs.
Because I can only function in chaos if I create a little bubble of structure and reassurance to work from.
If you could use some tips, here are a few that help me:
Don’t create extra work when things slow down. Just embrace the break and save your energy for when things inevitably get hectic again (which is exactly what I did last week in Lisbon—wandering around between coaching sessions and inbox clean-ups.)
Get really good at prioritizing. When things pile up, knowing what actually needs to get done first makes all the difference. Everything non-urgent can wait until things are chill again.
Wrap up your days with a check-in. Especially after a busy day, I love to take a moment to recognize what I got done and how I handled things. This helps me appreciate progress and adapt going forward.
Collect all of the data. I spent my first year logging every coaching session and client reach-out on a pretty sheet, and now I actually know when my busy seasons are (turns out, summer was my fullest time—I would have never guessed that, but now I can prep and schedule time off accordingly).
Maybe you are someone that loves an unpredictable schedule, but even if you don’t, you can take ownership of that.
about the author:
Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.
