Are you feeling overwhelmed with everything that’s on your plate right now? Juggling your career, relationships, fitness, self-care as well as personal projects all at once can have you feeling all over the place and extremely stressed out. The never-ending rat race causes many to burn out early, running out of fuel before their complete potential is met. As sad as it is, this phenomenon stems from people’s struggle to attain and maintain balance in life. For some, the path begins with the search for a semblance of balance while for some, it’s the difficulty of maintaining it consistently.
Balance is something that everyone strives for in their life. Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced life is the key to happiness and stability. The definition of a balanced life is different for everyone yet everyone seeks it in their own personal way. If you’ve been desiring balance in your life but can’t seem to understand where to start, we’ve put together 4 fundamental reasons why your life may be feeling off-balance and what you can do about it.
1. You don’t know what balance means to you
Praying for balance while not truly understanding what it means to you is a pointless exercise. As mentioned above, the definition of balance varies from person to person, from wanting to balance one’s responsibilities at home to wishing for a better work-life balance and more.
A good practice is to brain dump all your emotions on a piece of paper. We might not always feel comfortable talking to someone but our emotions still need a safe space for release. By jotting these feelings and thoughts down in a journal, you can understand what’s going on in your life through your emotions and find balance in the places that you’re struggling. Reflect on the different areas in your life:
Mental health
Physical health
Emotional health
Spiritual
Social
Environmental
Financial
Career
These journal prompts can help you attain the answers to your pressing questions.
- What does having a well-balanced mind, body, and soul mean to me?
- How would my life look once I attain balance?
- How can I go about achieving balance in the different areas of my life?
- When I think of balance, I feel xxx…
Once your idea of a balanced life is clear, you can align your vision with practical action steps. But remember, a balanced life can’t be achieved overnight, so measuring your progress as you go can be a great motivator for you to work towards the life balance you crave.
2. You are lacking in self-discipline
Self-discipline keeps you accountable in life. Without having proper self-discipline, we procrastinate, waste time, fail to follow through on things, and border on being lazy. This causes feelings of overwhelm, guilt, and out of balance. Evaluate the spaces in your life where you might be lacking in self-discipline. Take time to think of practical tweaks you can make to help you follow through with things that you usually let slide. To live a balanced life, the first thing you need to do is give yourself permission to prioritize making balanced choices. Reduce distractions that don’t align with your values and beliefs to get a clear idea of your priorities. Don’t feel guilty for setting better personal boundaries and for turning down tasks and activities that will make you feel overwhelmed. It’s perfectly fine to say no to something that you don’t want to do.
3. You’re not investing in self-care
Balance cannot be attained unless you make the conscious effort to take time out for yourself. It could be something as simple as connecting with a hobby that you lost touch with, like reading before bed or going for an early morning run. Giving yourself ample time to relax and decompress will pay off in the long run as it will help you stay connected to your true self. It doesn’t matter how you decide to spend your free time as long as you consciously step away from daily obligations. There’s absolutely no need to feel guilty about taking time out for yourself. It’s difficult at first with all your responsibilities looming over your head but it will teach others to respect your personal boundaries and become self-sufficient when faced with your absence.
As Sylvester McNutt said, “If you’re a giver, always looking out for others, always feeling drained because you break yourself so others can stay together, take a break from it. Add value to your own life first. All self-love and peace to your life first.”
4. You aren’t being consistent with your actions
While life can be unpredictable, having a plan can help us achieve a semblance of balance in our lives. Having a consistent plan is key especially when it comes to finding balance. This applies to all aspects of your life, from your diet to your workout routine, your workflow, and much more. None of us should feel like we’re running in a race from the minute we wake up to the moment we mentally log off for the day. A set plan allows you to visualize your tasks for the day, even the week. Ensure that you include time to rest, recharge, and be inspired as well as time for self-care in your schedule. You may not deem it important but trust us, it absolutely is. As the week comes to an end, reward yourself with a celebratory action to end the week on a balanced note. Being on a scheduled clock is extremely counterproductive so don’t forget to allow yourself some unscheduled time as well.
There are several different ways in which you can bring balance into your life. The above tips are only an outline for greater goals and aspirations. They will help you feel less stressed with faced with adversity and give you a sense of control over your life. Finding balance increases efficiency in all spectrums of life, making you feel like you’re making the most of your time on this beautiful Earth.
Listen to Dhruv Singh explain why finding balance in life is so important.
Read more: How To Cope When Mom Guilt Is Getting The Best Of You?
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