Welcome to our monthly Team Journal! This will be a space for us to give you more details about current projects, let you know how our month is going and what we’re currently working on! Its a chance for you to hear from each of our team members & get to know the CHAR co. team a little better.

This week, we asked our team about current projects, to-do list items and how they find work/life balance amidst this busy season.

1. Current project you’re working on?

• We have a number of new projects kicking off so I have been making sure that schedules for our team and our clients are organized so that we can jump right in with excitement and confidence! – lindsay, project manager

• Right now, we’re currently working through brand strategy for a local non profit who will be transforming the way they operate in 2019. The goal of this transformation is to build collaboration among businesses, donors and other non-profit agencies that will drive lasting change for individuals and our community. – heather, chief operating officer 

• I am currently working on finalizing print material designs for a salon & spa that we recently rebranded. – julia, content designer

• This month I have enjoyed every second of working on a book launch for one of our clients. Launching a book has so many different layers to its process and I love the diversity of this project. Collaborating with our team on everything from social media strategies to planning launch parties for the success of the book has been invigorating! – cherish, social strategist 

• I am currently working on the research for a high end drywall company that brings a beautiful design flair to their work craft. This company has a passion for purpose and making an impact. The research involves lots of interviews and job site tours. Fun stuff! – char, founder & ceo

2. What’s at the top of your to-do list this week?

• To continue working on design for a skincare packaging project we have in the works. Also, I’m planning a last minute trip to Brooklyn for some visual inspiration! – jena, art director

• A ton of strategy meetings for clients – woohoo! Which means making a lot of coffee will be on the list as well! – hailey, brand strategist

• To (finally!) get out (and put into my closet) all my winter clothes. Right now I have gloriously warm sweaters and scarves strewn around my bedroom, begging to be worn. – leslie, writer

• I will be shooting engagement photos on Saturday for some wedding clients. – claire, photographer

• One of the bigger items on my to do list this week is sitting down and planning out our November Digital Content Calendar. This involves a lot of brain space, coordination, organization and curation so I’m ready to hunker down and get that done :  ) – bethany, community creator

3. What does work/life balance look like for you?

• Work/life balance, to me, looks like making time for variety. As a designer, sitting behind the computer can be taxing not only physically, but creatively as well. Making time to travel, switch up my office space, or even just taking an hour in the middle of the day to take a walk makes the biggest difference in how balanced I feel. – jena, art director

• To do my work well I also need to be doing my life well. Self-care, hobbies, rest, and spending time with friends and family are all a part of keeping my mind sharp and my heart full – which then can overflow into the work I do. Practically for me, this looks like turning off email notifications on evenings/weekends, having activities that I am involved in outside of work, and taking frequent snack breaks throughout the work day ;) – lindsay, project manager

• Knowing, listening and understanding when to lean in and when to pull back. Some seasons require us to strongly lean into work – whether that is for financial reasons or a shorter term project that requires our focus. Other seasons require us take a step back – for me and my husband that first season started when we became parents. Three kids later, I also value communication as a key part of balance. For example, communicating to your family about an upcoming active week and why it is fuller than most. Communicating is also key in keeping our most dearest ones close – a Vox to a friend, a text to your husband, I also like leaving written notes to my girls…with all we have at our fingertips, we can be empowered to always remind those we love why they are so important to us – and that’s possible in any season. – heather, chief operating officer

• To me, it means being available and present with the people who mean the most. Working is a gift, but it does not define me or my mark on this world. – leslie, writer 

• Oooooh this is a work in progress and something I have been thinking about a lot this past year. For right now…it means being present where I am. If I am at home, I’m at home and if it is the weekend, it is the weekend. I am pretty good at turning my work brain off when work hours are over which is key to staying refreshed and not falling into burnout. – hailey, brand strategist

• To me, this means setting specific hours that I will be working and unless there is something urgent, making sure that I do not work outside of those specific hours. Time with my husband and my community are a very high priority to me and as work unfolds each day, I must remind myself of what matters most. I have also been learning the power of saying no when it is necessary to do so in order to protect other aspects or relationships in my life. – bethany, community creator

• I find that I am most energized and excited for life both inside of work and outside of work when I have made time for these 3 things: creating time and space each day to spend time with Jesus, enjoying time off with family and close friends and getting outside in nature and enjoying the beauty of this beautiful place I get to call home. When I am able to do these three things I feel like I am able to take on busy weeks and challenging projects with the right perspective because I feel like I allowed myself the space to be fully refreshed.  PLUS working with the Char Co Team makes any “hard work” feel like fun! – cherish, social strategist

• It is being aware of what I am needing to do each day well. It’s an ebb and flow and looks different from week to week. But overall, it’s being aware. – char, founder & ceo
  
• Personally, I find it important to remind myself of what needs to be accomplished in that moment – whether it be a task at work, spending quality time with friends and family or winding down in the evening; it’s so helpful to create mental space in order to do so. Which often simply means reminding myself to be present exactly where I’m at. I’ve also found that creating vision and goals for myself in and outside of work is a huge part of finding that balance. – julia, content designer 

• I actually chose to become a photographer for the purpose of being able to make an income and still be able to be home to care for my children. I don’t generally have office/studio work hours, so most of what I schedule is based around family schedules or activities. That means I have to find little bits of time through the week (like when my youngest is watching a cartoon :) or wake up earlier than my family to make sure any email correspondence or image selection is getting done in a timely manner. And we almost always have dinner together as a family every night. – claire, photographer

We hope you enjoyed hearing from our team and getting to know us a little better! Comment below to let us know what you’d love to hear from us for future journals!