During the pandemic, I relocated from Vancouver to Toronto after my soon-to-be husband got accepted to a PhD program there. I kept my old job in Vancouver, which was now remote — and my relationship pivoted from a long-distance relationship to a VERY close one.

It was a lot of change at once! I had so many competing priorities to focus on in my personal and professional life, from planning a wedding to figuring out my new work schedule.

Sounds easy, right? Ha! Take heart, dear reader. I was able to manage this challenging learning curve — and you can too. Here's what helped me!

When I was dealing with so many stressors — working in a new remote job and adjusting to the new realities of my relationship in a new place — I found it hard to deal with so many competing priorities.

When life went from being very full and happening outside of the house to multiple renditions of lockdowns, I knew I needed to find some sort of stress relief.

Always having been a runner, I found solace in lacing up my shoes to head outdoors. But when the weather wouldn't always permit this (looking at you, Toronto snowstorms!), I found myself exploring a local yoga studio to meet new people and build a consistent yoga practice that could help me cope.

Yoga also forced me to slow down and focus on my breath. This helped me to refocus and reset when I needed it most.

If yoga and running aren't your thing, that's okay. Don't be afraid to try something like:

• Taking a class. Put on your dancing shoes or try a new recipe in a cooking class.

• Joining a club or exercise class. Did someone say Zumba?!

• Learning a new skill — check out 60 Amazing Skills You Can Learn on YouTube.

Take it from someone who has been there, done that, AND bought the T-shirt: change doesn't happen overnight!

When I was trying to navigate competing priorities, I found myself quickly frustrated. Ask yourself: What do I have to do? In the midst of adversity, it's natural to want to control everything — I know I certainly did!

I found great comfort in letting go of what I thought I wanted in the moment, and focusing on the most important steps. By taking life one thing at a time, I was able to be present and focus on each individual step, rather than trying to solve the whole problem all at once.

In my personalbucket, I had to:

• Focus on relocating from Vancouver to Toronto, getting to know this new city during a pandemic

• Supporting my partner, who was in the midst of a very stressful point in his PhD program. Did I mention I was planning our wedding?!

• Keep in touch with my parents.

Photo by Erik Dungan on Unsplash

My have-to-dos:

• I had weekly date-nights with my partner (Did someone say charcuterie board?)

• I also made sure to FaceTime my parents at least twice per week and set aside two hours a week to plan my wedding.

In my professional bucket, I was working remotely with a team located in Vancouver, coaching students with learning and prioritization struggles — in three different time zones. I had to ensure my students were taken care of, while also connecting with new team members.

Prioritizing at work meant that I had to balance company goals, interpersonal relationships, and time zones — oh my!

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

My have-to-do's:

• Connect with my team once per week.

• Lesson plans for my weekly classes.

• Meet one-on-one with my coaching students.

Taking action on competing priorities can seem like a really big and complicated step, but sometimes it is a matter of starting small and working on one thing at a time. Most importantly, remember that you're in control!