[WI] How To Create Balance In Your Life

6 Handy Tips

It happens to all of us ‒ experiencing a time in life where it feels that everything is out of control and totally off balance. But that’s life ‒ it is quite normal!

However, don’t despair ‒ you can achieve a balance in these hectic times…

If you understand what balance really means, you have covered the first step towards creating your own balanced lifestyle. A balance in life does not necessarily mean you have to pay exactly equal amounts of time or attention to each and every part of your life. That is just a big, sad myth…

Creating a balance in life is all about knowing how and when to pay a little more attention, give a little more effort, time to stand back and call it quits, and when everything falls into place and feels just right.

Here are 6 tips that will help you create a better balance in your everyday life: 

1. Time: Make time for yourself. You need to realize that you are important, valuable and an asset. To take care of your happiness (and sanity) is an absolute essential part of creating that balanced life you are looking for. Put everyone and everything aside at least once a week, even if for just two hours, and focus on you!

• Relax in the tub with bubbles and candles while enjoying a glass of your favorite and maybe even catching up on all the gossip. Taking your dog for a stroll or down to the park on a sunny afternoon, or for a walk around the block or ‒ for the lucky few who live on the coast ‒ go for an early walk on the beach. Take time for yourself and do whatever helps you relax and destress, and enter a mindset of absolute relaxation.

2. Health: Try to sustain a healthier lifestyle. Everyone needs exercise and a healthy diet to remain healthy and happy. Take half an hour out of your daily schedule for some exercise. Go for a walk. A workout can be anything a little bit more physical than wasting away on the couch ‒ the criteria is that you need to keep active.

• If it is a challenge to eat healthy, simply don’t buy anything unhealthy ‒ and don’t bring it into your home. You can’t be tempted to take a bite of chocolate if you don’t have any around the house. Stay away from places where these are at your fingertips. It won’t only keep you healthy with a strong heart and a slim waistline, but it will also strengthen healthy eating habits in your home, including your spouse and offspring.

3. Work: Don’t bring work home ‒ leave it at the office. The reason you have a work schedule is because you are only paid for a specific amount of work time. Do yourself and your family a favor and close the office door behind you when you leave from work. Don’t over work yourself if you don’t have access to the pot of gold at the end of the work rainbow.

• If work takes too much time and you don’t have enough hours in the workday to what is expected of you and maintain your work responsibilities, improve your productivity while at the office. Learn to delegate if you can. If this is not possible, talk to your employer. They might pay you for an extra hour or two each day or lighten your workload.

4. Love: Make time for it. In today’s busy world this is something that gets pushed to the side too easily. Reawaken the passion in your relationship by being a bit more thoughtful. Buy flowers every now and then; bring home a candle in her favorite scent; send her roses at her place of work; maybe even hire some help so your better half can have some time for the things she loves. And spend some uninterrupted high quality time with your spouse and the kids.

• Slouching in front of the TV and watching something together is not nearly enough. If you have kids, sent them off to grandma’s for a few days and plan a romantic getaway. If money is tight, go on a romantic camping trip, or go away just for one night. Nothing says romance like a day or two in the wild or just getting away from everything.

5. Money: Live within your means. Live by a budget. If money matters are causing stress, take another look at your budget. Get rid of unnecessary luxuries and work proactively towards your financial goals.

• Eradicate obvious splurges, such as cable or satellite television and expensive cell phones. Save where you can ‒ cut down on your electricity bill by switching off and turning down the thermostat. Do laundry less frequently. Use electricity sparingly.

• Include thinking of relocating ‒ before it is too late. You may need to sell your home or downgrade to something cheaper. It’s nice to have granite tops and wide, open spaces, but think what you can go without ‒ you might be surprised. Live within your means, stick to a budget and enjoy the relief it brings!

6. Hanging out with friends and family who don’t live with you allows you to let loose a bit and enjoy a few laughs. Meet up with others at least once a month. If you can afford it, go out to dinner together, go see a show or host them in your home.

• If you have a jealous spouse or partner, double-dating or going out in a small group is a great way of including him or her in your social life ‒ even if it is a game of golf.

Living an unbalanced lifestyle is probably one of the greatest causes of an unhappy and stressful life. If you can’t cope with stress, it can lead to health problems, such as diabetes, weight gain, headaches and migraines and even heart problems. Luckily, it is not difficult to become the exception. The easiest way to get rid of most health problems is to nip stress in the bud.

Use these guidelines to create better balance in your life! Practice this each day and sooner than later ‒ just like a car with new wheels ‒ you will experience the harmony of balance…