In our daily lives, so many things are vying for our attention, and our responsibilities may pile up or conflict with each other, and everything can feel a little out of control sometimes. All of this can make a sense of balance in our lives hard to come by. Some might even say that there is no such thing as balance. It’s becoming more common to think that some aspects of your life will have to be sacrificed at certain times so that other aspects of your life can prosper.
I personally believe in balance. And I don’t just believe in it, I need it. Because of my anxiety and experiences with depression, I don’t do well when things feel out of balance. I thrive on stability and I like knowing that I’m tending to each aspect of my life somewhat equally. I’ve realized balance is one of my values and needs for my mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
If you’re looking to create more balance in your life, this is for you. And if you don’t believe in balance, I encourage you to keep reading anyways. Maybe you’ll be led to new realizations about balance and what it could add to your life.
Creating and maintaining balance in your life won’t be an easy task, but I believe it is possible. Read on to learn all about it!
Before you can create balance in your life, it’s important to take the time to reflect on your thoughts about balance.
I believe everything starts with your mindset, so before you can create and maintain balance in your life, you have to figure out what your thoughts and feelings about balance are. Do you believe in it? Is it realistic for you? How important is it to you?
Starting with questions like these can give you a better understanding of your overall impression and beliefs surrounding balance. This will also lay the groundwork upon which you can either start to learn how to live in a more balanced way, or find alternative courses of action if you really don’t think balanced living is for you. The key is to be honest with yourself so you can really discover what your overall mindset about balance is.
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Once you’ve established your mindset about balance, and if you’re ready to create more of it in your life, then it’s time to take action!
If you’re ready to create more balance in your life, you have to take intentional action. Keep these next steps in mind and you’ll be progressing towards a more balanced life in no time!
1. Write it all down.
Writing is a powerful practice that can have a huge impact in basically all aspects of your life. It’s an extremely helpful tool, especially when you’re trying to create more balance.
Take the time to write out everything you want to balance in your life. This could include time spent with family and friends, your work duties, household responsibilities, self-care practices…basically everything that you want to put your time and energy into in the current phase of your life.
Writing all of this down will help you get it out of your head, get organized, and visualize a plan of action to create more balance in your life.
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2. Prioritize.
Now that you have everything written down, it’s time to prioritize. Really think about this, and don’t prioritize based on what you think is expected of you or what you should do.
Your top priorities are a reflection of what you are the most committed to dedicating your time and energy to. Your middle priorities are still valuable to you, but are maybe less urgent than your top priorities. And your lowest priorities are things that you need to do but don’t necessarily enjoy doing all the time.
Decide where each aspect of your life fits into your priority list and align your priorities with your values, needs, and beliefs. Prioritizing the aspects of your life will help you to intentionally prioritize your time and live a more balanced life.
3. Decide on your non-negotiables.
Once you’ve ranked all the aspects of your life based on priority, you’ll be better able to discover what your non-negotiables are. Non-negotiables are aspects of your life that you simply cannot live without and you will not sacrifice. They are your top priorities and they have the biggest impact on your well-being.
To discover what your non-negotiables are, reflect on which aspects of your life you just can’t see living without on a regular basis. Maybe you absolutely need to exercise every day. Maybe you’re dedicated to spending time with your family every weekend. Maybe you can’t live without frequent and consistent alone time.
Whatever your non-negotiables are, stick to them. They are important and meaningful to you for a reason, and no one can take them away from you. Deciding what your non-negotiables are and sticking to them will have a big impact on how you live your life and will make it easier to create balance in your life.
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4. Assign your time realistically.
In order to create any sense of balance in your life, you have to be realistic about how you assign your time. Really think about how much time you realistically want or need for each aspect of your life, your priorities, and your non-negotiables.
If you’ve effectively prioritized and decided what your non-negotiables are, it’ll be easier to plan the time and energy you put towards each aspect of your life accordingly. Your top priorities will most likely require more of your time, and your non-negotiables will always have a place in your daily life. Those aspects of your life that are lower on your priority list will still have their place, but they might not require as much of your time and energy.
It’s just a reality that some aspects of your life will require more time and energy than others. And that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be out of balance. As long as you plan realistically, and don’t expect too much or too little of yourself, you’ll be more able to live a balanced life.
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5. Prepare yourself for setbacks.
Even after you do all of these steps, creating balance is not a foolproof system. There will be times in your life when balance isn’t realistic or achievable for you, and that’s okay.
Preparing yourself for setbacks doesn’t mean you don’t believe in your ability to live a balanced life. It just shows that you are aware of how unpredictable life can be. And if you’re prepared for these setbacks, you’ll be less likely to be negatively affected by them when they happen.
Setbacks do not take away from the value of your efforts to create more balance in your life. So if a setback comes up, or you go through a phase of life where balance is hard to establish, don’t feel bad about yourself. You’re only human, life can be difficult sometimes, and none of your efforts go to waste.
Once you’ve created more balance in your life, keep these next practices in mind so that you can effectively maintain that balance.
1. Check in.
Checking in with yourself is so important, especially when it comes to maintaining balance. Even if you think you’ve got a good thing going and you’re living your most balanced life, checking in with yourself can allow you to really discover how you’re doing mentally, physically, and emotionally with the practices you’re putting in place to live more balanced.
2. Reflect.
Once you’ve checked in with yourself, you may feel called to reflect on the effects that creating balance brought to your life. Reflect on the positive impacts, the struggles you’ve faced, and the things you’ve learned. This process of reflection will also help you realize what is and isn’t working.
3. Make adjustments.
Checking in and reflecting will then make it easier to make adjustments. Maybe your priorities changed, or some of your non-negotiables aren’t adding much value to your life anymore, or your whole view of balance has shifted. In any case, it’s okay to make adjustments to fit the current phase of your life. You’re always growing and evolving, so the way you approach, create, and maintain balance will too.
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Balance might not be for everyone, but if it’s important to you, do whatever you can to bring it into your life. Your mindset will lay the groundwork, the actions you take will help you create it, and the right practices will allow you to intentionally maintain it.
Do you believe in balance? What are some of the ways you create and maintain it in your own life? Let me know in the comments!
what do you think?