Finding Balance

Being a human comes with difficulties. Being a well-balanced human can feel impossible. Get between seven and eight hours of sleep a night, stay hydrated, keep up with your skin care routine, exercise for an hour a day, participate in professional development, eat healthy meals, spend time with family, connect with friends…the list goes on.

Do all of this in a day AND try not to feel stressed or overwhelmed?! How is that even possible? Sometimes it isn't possible, and that's okay. Some days we have to accept that we will not get it right. But overall, how do you live a life that feels more balanced, and what does that even mean? 

If your "to do" list appears to be the size of North Sister, you feel you are always busy but never feel caught up, or you are constantly tired, your life is probably out of balance. 

So, how do you bring your life back into balance?

Tips to Help Feel Balance in Your Life

Acknowledge and accept that you are a human, not a robot. You cannot do all of the things all of the time. 

You only have so many resources: time, energy, mental bandwidth, etc. So while it is understandable to want to accomplish or do all of the things, all of the time and please everyone in your life, you are only one person with only so much to give. 

All you can do is all you can do. So let go of the need for perfection and being overly involved. You cannot tend to all the tasks that need your attention. And that's OK. Welcome to being a human.

Manage yourself, not time.

People often say they need or want to improve their time management skills.

What if it is more about managing activities? Everyone has the same amount of time – 24 hours in one day. So it often seems that poor time management isn't the issue. Instead, it is too many activities or commitments to manage within your day or week. What tasks or obligations are you willing to let go of to give more attention to something more meaningful? 

To do more of one thing, you must do less of others. You must be willing to cut some activities from your schedule to accomplish higher priorities.

When planning your week, determine which less critical tasks or projects can wait. Then, subtract these from your weekly "to-do" list – and feel the sense of being overwhelmed lessen automatically.

Regarding other people: Identify the people in your life who build you up. They believe in you. They support you. You know these people if you feel better about yourself after being with them. So add these people to your priorities. Spend time with these people. They will energize you, empower you, inspire you, and give you strength rather than stress.

Just say "No."

"Will you…?"

"Can you…?"

"You should..."

What do you think will happen if you say yes to everything? Sometimes we feel pressured or think we "should." So we say yes as a way to people-please. Or we say yes because it might open more doors for our future, or it is an ego boost.  But unfortunately, taking on more is not always better. We can't give every area of our lives our full attention if we are stretched too thin. 

Being able to say no is critical in reducing stress and balancing your life. But, it also gives your yeses more meaning!

Schedule time for yourself

As the saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup. It is easy to say, "I will take care of myself or do the thing that brings joy after ___________. But, the reality is that there will always be one more thing. Learning to pause and create space for yourself is key to being able to do the next thing. 

It takes deliberate effort on your part to make that happen. So make it a priority to schedule time for yourself to engage in activities that bring you peace, health, joy, or whatever you most need now.

Be intentional in finding time for rest, play, and personal growth. Make space in your day to read, go for a walk, or practice mindfulness. Scheduling space in your day to tune into yourself is a must if you want to be able to show up in all other areas of your life. 

There is an illusion that you can take care of yourself and find balance once this moment in time is over. Once this moment is over, there will be another challenging moment around the corner. 

For this reason, you must find ways to create balance in your life. The process of finding balance in your life is a personal quest, as each individual has their own unique set of values. 

The quote, "Life is a journey, not a destination," has much value in reminding us about maintaining a balanced life. First, be in tune with yourself and conscious of the signs your life may be out of balance. Then, take time to realign your priorities and find balance within your life.