Living in a world that keeps changing almost faster than time itself, most of you are aware of the time squeeze to get things done. The pressures at work can easily carry over into personal life and vise versa. Parents, especially, find themselves drained physically, mentally, and emotionally at the end of a day.
When you have many things to do running around in your mind, you can easily feel overwhelmed. To remedy this, it is important to strive for balance and to stay focused. However, sometimes these two goals are in conflict.
You may have experienced times when you focused on something and lost your balance. This can happen when there are too many things to do and not enough time to get everything done. At this point, some of you may make lists, which can be helpful.
In addition to lists, the following plan will help you consider what needs to be done and how each item is tied to your values:
• Set up a 4-cell grid.
• The two cells across the top (left to right) are labeled “Urgent” and “Not Urgent”.
• The two cells going down (top to bottom) are labeled “Important” and “Not Important”.
• Place all of the things you have to do into one of these cells.
Filling in these four squares helps you establish your priorities according to your values, be more focused, and feel more in control of your life. Now you are ready to look at how to increase the feeling of balance in your life.
When there is not enough time to accomplish as much as you had hoped to do in a day, it is even more important to select one or two of the following suggestions to create a feeling of inner balance:
1. Count your blessings by writing down three things you are grateful for and why (because) at least three times a week. It helps the most when you are having a tough day.
2. Practice “savoring” the joys of life instead of “stewing” on problems. Notice an increase in energy when you are savoring even momentary pleasures.
3. Spend time and energy with family and friends. Strong personal relationships bring a high level of satisfaction with life.
4. Write a gratitude letter to someone whom you are grateful for in your life. If possible, visit the individual and read the letter to him or her. If a visit is not possible, you can email it, call the person or send it by mail. Notice how you feel after doing this.
5. Take care of yourself physically. Even 10-15 minutes of exercise and/or meditation can release tension. Get plenty of sleep, and make healthy food choices to have the energy that you need.
6. Be sure to find time to laugh and catch yourself smiling.
Hopefully, choosing to do some of these ideas for balance will be renewing, increase your energy, and help you focus.
In addition, the 4 square grid will help you to prioritize the things you need/want to accomplish. This clarity helps energize and motivate you to make the most of your available time. It also increases your confidence in the choices you are making. What choices are you going to make that will help you focus and keep your balance?
Believe it or not, balancing your life does not require massive changes.You don't have to quit your job, abandon your family and escape to a remote retreat in order to feel peaceful and happy. In fact, true balance is something that starts WITHIN YOU first and foremost - no matter what else is happening in your outer life circumstances.
Below you'll find three simple ways to begin building a greater sense of inner peace and harmony:
1.Quiet Time One of the first things we tend to sacrifice when we're busy is our personal time. Instead we devote all of our energy and attention to caring for others, multi-tasking, meeting responsibilities and "being productive." Over time this depletes our energy and we begin to feel more and more burdened by our responsibilities.
To live a more balanced life, quiet time to yourself is CRUCIAL. You may believe that you don't have any time available for yourself, but something amazing happens when you consistently MAKE time; you find yourself feeling happier and more energetic, your focus improves - and you still get plenty done! Just a few minutes spent sitting quietly in meditation or reading a book can do wonders in transforming stress into peace and happiness.
2.Self Care Beyond making time for things you enjoy, there are other ways to nurture and love yourself on a daily basis. Getting a full 8 hours of sleep (or as much as you personally need) is a great start, as well as eating nutritious food, exercising daily and speaking kindly to yourself.
Have you ever noticed that when you're really tired or stressed, even the smallest problem can seem like a nightmare? On the other hand, when you're feeling well-rested and centered, you're much better able to handle upsets. Caring for yourself is one sure way to consistently replenish your energy, inner peace and joy - which means you'll have the strength to handle whatever comes your way.
3.Flexibility Did you know that one of the biggest causes of stress is rigid expectations? We all do it from time to time; get a mental picture of how our lives "should be" - and get really annoyed when our outer circumstances don't cooperate! One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself is a flexible state of mind. In other words, learn how to detach from unrealistic expectations and go with the flow.
When you have a flexible mind-set, you're able to deal with crises and problems much more easily because you're not working against a preconceived notion of how things "should be". You're able to tap into your creative problem-solving skills and move through challenges without all the drama and frustration. Be like the tree that bends with the breeze - and you're much less likely to break!
These inner changes can make a dramatic difference in your state of well-being, but you may also want to examine your outer life circumstances and see if there are other small changes you can make to help support your inner work.
For example, you might choose to let go of certain obligations that are no longer meaningful or enjoyable to you. Just because you agreed to host weekly meetings for a support group three years ago doesn't mean you have to keep doing it forever - especially if it's become a drain on your time and energy!
Be willing to let go of activities that no longer complement the lifestyle you desire, and you'll create a space for greater fulfillment, joy and peace.
Both Maurine Patten & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.