6 Tips for Creating Balance in your Life
Shemeka Brathwaite, MSED is a peak performance strategist, keynote speaker, and coach. She is often invited by organizations, associations, and educational institutions to provide inspiring programs on productivity, leadership, and executive presence. Her immersive training programs help professionals learn how to implement new systems that streamline the demands on one’s time, so they can achieve more at work, increase their influence, and live intentionally.
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Everyone goes through a period where life feels out of control and imbalanced. It's perfectly normal! But how can you achieve a balance in these hectic times?
Understanding what balance truly means is the first step toward creating a balanced lifestyle. Life balance doesn't necessarily mean giving equal amounts of time or attention to each part of your life. That's the big myth!
Life balance is about knowing when to give a little more effort, when it's time to call it quits, and when everything feels just right.
These six tips will help you strike a better balance in life:
1. Make time for you. Realize that you're important and valuable. Taking care of your happiness (and sanity) is an essential part of creating a balanced life. Even if for just two hours each week, put everyone else's needs aside and focus on you!
- Take a candlelit bubble bath while having a glass of wine and catching up on your favorite Hollywood gossip. Or, maybe just take your dog to the park on a sunny afternoon. Do whatever helps you unwind and enter a mindset of total relaxation.
2. Strive for a healthy lifestyle. Both exercise and a conscious diet are necessary in order to remain healthy and happy. Set aside 30-minutes each week to exercise. Your workout can be anything under the sun, as long as it keeps you active.
- If eating healthy is a challenge, avoid bringing unhealthy food into your home. You can't be tempted if it isn't around the house. Not only will it keep your heart healthy and your waistline under control, it'll promote healthy eating habits in your children.
3. Leave work in the office. There's a reason you have a work schedule: your employer is only willing to pay you for a specific amount of time each day. Do your family a favor and leave work at work. Avoid overworking yourself if there isn't a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
- If you find that there aren't enough hours in the workday to maintain your responsibilities, find a way to strengthen your productivity while at the office. If this proves to be fruitless, explain your situation to your employer. He may be willing to pay you for an extra hour each day or lessen your workload.
4. Make time for love. Rekindle the romance by making thoughtful gestures. Bring home a candle in her favorite scent, send roses to the workplace, or maybe even hire a maid so your wife can spend more time doing the things she loves. Spend quality, uninterrupted time with your spouse.
- Simply watching TV together isn't enough. Send the kids over to grandma's house for a weekend and plan a romantic getaway. If you're on a budget, plan a romantic camping trip. Nothing says romance like 2-days in the wild.
5. Live within your means. If your finances are causing you stress, it's time to reassess your budget. Make budget cuts in order to proactively work towards achieving your financial goals.
- Eliminate obvious splurges, such as cable television upgrades and pricey cell phone plans. Cut down on your energy bill by turning down the thermostat and doing laundry less frequently or during non-peak hours.
- As a final resort, you may need to sell your home or downgrade to a cheaper rental. Sure, it's nice to have granite countertops and sprawling acreage, but can you go without? You sure can. Live within your means and feel the relief it brings!
6. Socialize. Hanging out with friends allows you to unwind and have a few laughs. Make it a point to meet up with friends at least once each month. Go out to dinner or host a get together in your home.
- If your spouse is jealous, double dating is a great opportunity to include him in your social life.
Leading an unbalanced lifestyle is one of the leading causes of stress for professionals. Inability to cope with stress can cause numerous health problems, such as weight gain, migraines and even heart complications. Fortunately, you can be the exception. You can ward off health problems by nipping stress in the bud.
You are now empowered, equipped, and ready to create balance in your life! Practice these strategies each day and, one day soon, you'll feel the harmony of a balanced life.
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