Living a ‘Balanced’ Life

I wrote this piece for Curate Magazine: Issue 4 Well

How do we find balance in our daily lives? From being efficient and reaching the bottom of our to do list, to truly being in the moment and feeling a general contentment for life. This is the goal right? I want to feel like I have utilised every opportunity in the day, have engaging and meaningful chats, do body conditioning exercise and be focused and productive when working. How can we reach a clear and focused state of mind with daily surprises and ‘life admin’ to get in the way?

At work we’re spending mounting hours in front of a screen and often this connection doesn’t stop there, switching from productive applications and emails to Netflix, web browsing and gaming in our free time. Not to mention our phones constantly asking for our attention. With so much to occupy our minds, its no wonder we’re so time starved.

How can we find time amongst demanding work hours and down time for those passion projects we want to formulate beyond a note on our phone or a post-it. To bring balance into play we need to master utilising time, despite hectic schedules it’s actionable for
us all.

Knowing when to stop

Putting in the hours and working hard is the golden path to getting you to where you want to go but progression can feel slow, meaning it can be hard to stop. I used to think a day off could put you behind schedule and the competition but rather than burning out, you can be at your sharpest and most charming by seeking inspiring experiences and getting some rest penciled in the week.

Often by withdrawing from a situation and re-evaluating how to move forward we see things in a new light. Learning to identify pivotal moments to take a pause and appraise your work flow will lead to rounded thoughtful outcomes, consequently with more impact.

Start something

Taking pauses in a work place with deadlines set by clients or bosses is one thing but it still doesn’t make it any easier to start that passion project — how do we get them underway? We want people to understand, even like our ideas and this can often lead to lengthy planning. Try a new model spending just 10% of your time at the beginning of a project planning and 90% acting upon it and shaping as you go. Maybe a quick plan has flaws, that’s ok, we now have time to test them and iron out the creases along the way, building beyond anything we could have planned for. By allocating time in your week for your passion project, you’ll get bits done and into motion, working your way through that to do list.

Be present

Back to the moment. What brings you here? Should you be doing something else right now? Whilst reading this article has your mind drifted to your errands, your date tonight or leaving on time to make that appointment. We all constantly rally between thinking about the past and the future, by living in the moment, we practice listening to ourselves and others, rather than reminiscing over a past memory or jumping ahead to a future plan. When we are present we add value to a moment, setting aside judgement and preconceptions, we see and experience the true character of others and enjoy now. People and experience’s may even surprise you from time to time.

Ignorance isn’t shameful

It’s ok not to have the answer, to change your mind and to see where the moment takes you. Sometimes answers can act as a full stop, causing us to miss opportunities and lack understanding to a counter perspective. Having an answer for everything your accountable for may feel satisfying and comforting but being open to suggestions may lead to a more interesting, balanced life. We often forget that nothing is fixed or permanent, it’s just a perception, reserve the freedom to change your opinion and have your mind changed.

Increase your liveliness

It’s a good day when you feel ready to take on the world, what can we do to promote this energy? There’s never been a better time to get your body and mind in shape, with such an array of approaches and offers from endless classes, gyms, personal trainers and magical nature, there truly is something for everyone.

Give things a chance, good habits aren’t formulated over night, to begin you’ll feel like the worlds worst swimmer, yogi, runner, you name it, but over time aerobic exercise has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, to provide stimulation and calm, countering depression and dissipating stress by reducing levels of stress hormones. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. Little by little you’ll earn a sense of mastery and control, of pride and self-confidence. Your renewed vigour and energy will help you succeed in many tasks, and the discipline of regular exercise will help you achieve other important lifestyle goals and an overall sense of wellbeing.

Our lives are complex and have many ever changing components, can you really bring balance to your life without becoming a slave to routine? Maybe balance is greater than us as individuals. In times of chaos or the opposite when nothing seems to be sticking or taking off — keep at it, change will come and things will shift. Let us not over plan but learn on the go, working towards a healthy and colourful life. Try to find contentment in accepting people and occurrences for what they are and adapt to life’s surprises. Sometimes you’ll work late all week, sometimes you’ll get it wrong and sometimes you won’t exercise and eat an entire pack of biscuits. That’s ok, balance is the highs and the lows. Be in the moment and utilise your time well.

I wrote this piece for Curate Magazine: Issue 4 Well
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