Take charge of your career and business on your terms
Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look down.
Whether you’re clocking in, freelancing, running your own show, or figuring out your next move, your work life takes up a big chunk of your energy. You deserve work that feels meaningful, manageable, and like it was built with your life in mind. Not your boss’s. Not LinkedIn’s idea of success. Yours.
Why taking charge of your work life matters
If you’re going to spend 40+ hours a week doing something, it shouldn’t leave you constantly drained or daydreaming about escape plans.
When your career or business is aligned with who you are and what you actually want, it becomes more than just a paycheck. It becomes a space for growth, purpose, and pride. Even on the crazy days.
You don’t need to love every single second of your job. But you do need it to make sense for the life you’re trying to build.
How to start taking charge
Step 1: Set goals you actually care about
Why it matters:
Goals give you focus. Without them, you drift. And that’s when work starts feeling like a treadmill you can’t get off.
How to do it:
Ask yourself: What do I want more of in my work life? More freedom? More challenge? More time with people I actually like?
Choose one short-term goal (something achievable in the next 3 months) and one long-term goal (6–12 months out).
Break them down into actions you can schedule, not just “someday” dreams.
Quick example:
Short-term: Take a course in graphic design.
Long-term: Build a portfolio and offer freelance services by next spring.
Step 2: Keep learning and growing
Why it matters:
The fastest way to feel stuck is to stop learning. Growth keeps your brain engaged, your confidence high, and your career moving, even if you’re not ready to make a leap yet.
How to do it:
Block one hour a week for learning (yes, block it—like a meeting).
Choose a format that works for you: books, YouTube tutorials, a certification course, or even a podcast during your commute.
Track what you’re learning and how it helps. That little progress log can keep you motivated on slow weeks.
Quick example:
Working in admin but curious about marketing? Start with a beginner SEO course or listen to a copywriting podcast during lunch.
Step 3: Stop letting work take over your life
Why it matters:
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. Hustle culture doesn’t reward your sacrifices; it just expects more from you next time. Taking charge includes setting boundaries.
How to do it:
Choose an “end of day” ritual. Close your laptop. Take a walk. Light a candle. Something that says, “Work is done now.”
Use your off-hours to recharge on purpose. Make space for things that fill you up, not just things that numb you out.
Don’t be afraid to set limits. You’re allowed to say, “That deadline doesn’t work for me.”
Quick example:
Start your evenings with 10 minutes of intentional transition time: put away your phone, stretch, make a plan for the next day, then fully unplug.
What to do when work is overwhelming
She’s seconds away from flipping a table. Maybe you are too.
When it feels like everything’s on fire, don’t try to fix everything at once. Focus on the essentials:
Write it down. Your brain isn’t a whiteboard. Offload the mental clutter.
Prioritize. What actually needs to happen today? The rest can wait.
Delegate where you can. Even if it’s just asking your partner to handle dinner so you can finish a project.
Ask for help. From your team, your friends, your support network. It’s not weak, it’s smart.
Think about it
What’s one thing you can take off your plate this week, either by pausing it, canceling it, or handing it off? Focus on the essentials. Use a planner or app to get organized, and don’t hesitate to ask for help. Delegating isn’t slacking, it’s smart.
Build work that works for you
There’s no one-size-fits-all path. You get to define what success looks like in your career or business. Maybe it’s a higher salary. Maybe it’s peace. Maybe it’s more time with your kids, or finally going all-in on that side hustle.
Whatever it is, name it. Then start building toward it, intentionally.
This week’s challenge:
Pick one area to start with:
Set a meaningful goal
Commit to a learning hour
Reinforce your work/life boundary
Small shifts add up. You don’t have to overhaul your whole career overnight. You just have to take the first step on purpose.
Want more support in this area?
Explore our Career and Business HUB to reflect, take action, and grab tools designed to help you build a career or business that supports your ideal lifestyle.
Tell me where you're going to start, in the comments below.
New around here? Welcome.
I’m Michelle, a life coach, course creator, and recovering overachiever who finally got tired of chasing the wrong version of success. I don’t believe in perfect lives. I believe in intentional ones.
I started Intendify Your Life to help people stop living for everyone else and start building a life that feels like home.
Warning: I’m a little blunt, a little nerdy, and wildly in favor of tough love and bold decisions.
Want to know the whole story? Start here.
At Intendify, we break life down into 12 key areas and offer guided paths to help you reflect, plan, and take action—so you can start living more intentionally, one step at a time.
It’s like having a life coach in your pocket, minus the awkward eye contact.
