5 Fearless Ways to Achieve a Balanced Life
Wake up. Get up. Eat. Work. Sleep. Repeat. And in between, wait for the weekend with eager anticipation!
The office clock seems to be ticking slower than usual. There are forgotten dishes waiting to be done at home. Laundry to fold. Deadlines to meet. This is the reality that most of us are stuck with every single day, and the mere thought of it all makes your stress level rise astronomically. At times, it’s like the weekend can’t come soon enough.
In this fast-paced and highly stressful world, finding equilibrium is a challenge that seems impossible to achieve. On most days, you might even find yourself at your wit’s ends. Everyday living dictates that you should tick off the various items on your to-do list pertaining to work, home, health, religion, money, friends and family — it’s the ultimate, daily juggling act!
How exactly do we balance our lives in order to avoid a chaotic crash or worse, a burnout? Here are some tips that might work for you:
1. Choose single tasking. We all like to practice multitasking. After all, doing two things at the same time will generate more productivity on a given time frame. Or does it? The truth is quite the opposite. While multitasking forces you to shift from one task to another, single tasking allows you to focus on a single thing, making it more realistic to accomplish. Trying to meet that deadline? Your e-mails will have to wait.
2. Practice mindfulness. Do you find your thoughts to be wandering away while doing a particular task? Break this habit. Make a conscious effort to be in the present. Distractions are aplenty, but don’t let yourself be tempted. Periodically breaking off from whatever it is that you are working on to check what’s up on social media will only eat your time up ―trust that you won’t need to know what your officemate had for lunch or the details of an acquaintance’s mother-in-law’s woes! Mindfulness equals productivity and quality. Cultivate mindfulness by enhancing your ability to focus on the now: meditation and yoga are good aids.
3. An attitude of gratitude. Hashtag #blessed. Do you roll your eyes when you see it? As it turns out, being thankful for the little things (or big) does bring more happiness, contentment, and doses of positivity in life. Foster an attitude of gratitude; be grateful for the things that you DO have, rather than what you DON’T.
4. Exercise. No big secret here. Exercise releases happy hormones. People who exercise regularly sleep better, are more flexible, and are healthier (physically and mentally) than most. You don’t need a gym membership to do this: a tip is to incorporate exercise in your daily routine. Climb the stairs instead of the elevator, walk and take the longer route… And don’t stop at the physical aspect of exercise, do mental exercises! Read, solve puzzles, learn a new hobby or language!
5. Ask and you shall receive. If you feel overwhelmed with all the responsibilities, do not assume outright that people won’t care to lift a finger to help you. People love helping for the sole reason that it feels good. We are all looking for ways to pay back the kindness that have been shown to us beforehand.
How about you? What do you do to manage to stay on top?
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Chris Petersen has more than 30 years of experience in the technology and the financial services industry. She is an author, Fintech strategist, speaker and an advocate for women’s leadership. For a dose of inspiration, you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook or connect with her on LinkedIn.
