As a day job, Robin Arzón is the head instructor and vice president of fitness at Peloton. At home, she is a mother to her one-year-old daughter, Athena. And between all that, she’s done everything since writing New York Times bestsellers, partnering with companies to design chic Sun glasses, glamorous nativity scenesand kickass jogging strollersand tackle marathons and ultramarathons.
You might think Arzón juggles all of these disparate passions and responsibilities by practicing that vague concept of “balance” that so many influencers and celebrities preach. But in reality, « balance » is not in Arzón’s vocabulary and she is proud of it.
« I think our current understanding of balance implies that in a 24-hour day or a week, we’re going to give each area of our lives the same percentage of focus, attention, and effort, » he said. Arzon at SELF. « And that’s a harmful concept because there will be weeks or seasons when it’s just not humanly possible. »
Instead, says Arzón, prioritization becomes key.
« I think prioritizing a shortlist that aligns with our values and our current focus — which can evolve over time — is a healthier approach to what’s actually on your schedule, » she says. And in fact, it makes a lot of sense. Being a multi-hyphen doesn’t necessarily mean trying to do everything at once, but rather identifying what needs to happen, when.
Here are Arzón’s top tips for prioritizing what matters, filtering out the noise, and sharpening your aim.
1. Become aware of your flow states.
You know those times when you feel completely immersed in an activity and completely engrossed in the task at hand? This is called a state of flux, or being « in the zone, » and it’s important to know when these moments occur. This way, you can focus on your biggest passions and the things that might deserve more attention and energy.
« Notice the times in your day when you lose track of time — in a good way, not like fate scrolling through social media — but when you’re really focused on a product, a paper, a spreadsheet, a phone call or a creative activity,” says Arzon.
You might find yourself in these flow states when doing things that you may consider your hobby, rather than those that are part of your job. And that’s okay, Arzón believes: « Often our hobbies, our passions, really start out as a whisper and can turn into a roar with the right environment and the right intention. »
2. Create your own “power posse”.
If you’re not experiencing those moments of flow, but want to connect with your passions – or possibly develop and refine them – Arzón is a big advocate for journaling, vision boarding, and even working with a life coach, if it is accessible to you.
“I also like the idea of creating a group of powerful people in your circle that you respect,” she adds. “It might be people from different industries who can kind of give you little nudges. We know having responsible partners in the workout space really works, but I think we can do it in business and relationships too.
3. Give space to all aspects of your identity to grow.
Yes, Arzón is a new mom, but she’s also an athlete, businesswoman, wife, daughter, sister, and more. As a multi-faceted human being, she refuses to be pigeonholed and encourages others to choose which parts of their personality need to shine brighter at certain times.
