5 Ways to Maintain Better Balance in Your Life

These days, despite technological advancements and constantly having the world at our fingertips, it can seem harder than-ever to maintain work-life balance.

There's just so much to do, and only 24 hours each day to do it. You wake up, go to work or school, and home come with just a few hours to get everything else done before it's time to go back to sleep and start the cycle all over again. All of this is even harder when you're so worn out from the day that it feels like the only option is to laze around scrolling through social media. Maintaining a better balance, however, can help you feel happier and more energized during the day, allowing you to make your time work for you. Here's where to start.

Take It One Step at a Time

Before you launch into creating a new calendar for yourself, throw out any notions that you're going to create the "perfect" schedule. Between jobs and academics, social activities, time with family, exercise, hygiene, keeping up with errands, cooking, cleaning and recreation, you're unlikely to pack everything into a single day, or even a single week. That's 100% okay.

Don't make any immediate changes. Instead, go along with the status quo for a few more days and really pay attention to how things go. You might not be able to make any changes to your work schedule, but look at your free time and see how it gets divided up. Are you not making time for things that are important to you? Are you spending a lot of time doing activities that aren't making you happier or allowing you to actually rest and relax? See where you can take smell steps toward better balance, without unrealistically packing your schedule. Also, think of out-of-work activities not as individual tasks, but things that can work together. Can you exercise while you watch that series that always puts a smile on your face, or cook a healthy meal with the help of a friend?

(via Unsplash)

 

Also read about: The Best Activities for Replacing Doomscrolling (Without Actually Putting Away Your Phone)

 

Don't Be Too Strict

Scheduling out time for all of your biggest priorities every week can be a big help, but don't feel like you have to adhere to any plan too strictly. Some people really struggle with changes to their agendas, and if that's you, you'll want to give yourself extra leeway here, because unexpected things are bound to happen. You might have to make a bigger commitment at work than you expected, have a social event pop up out of nowhere—or get canceled—or have a matter with a family member or friend that suddenly requires a lot of your time and focus. Other times, you might not just have the energy to stick to the program. When this cases, it's important to remain flexible and learn how to make compromises, whether it's dropping things entirely or adjusting your schedule later to make up for it. Being open-minded and staying positive can make a big difference, because this exercise isn't about having an impeccably balanced schedule, but instead leading a life that feels balanced and brings you what's important.

 

Make Time for Rest and Reflection

It may seem counterintuitive, but slowing down and actually carving out time for yourself can make it feel like you have more time than ever. Rest and sleep are absolutely critical, as are mindfulness and reflection, because they can help you be more resilient and energetic and make the most of the moments you have.

It's also crucial to have some kind of emotional outlet, whether that's journaling, creative exercises or chatting with someone you trust, because keeping negative feelings bottled up can make them fester and impact everything we do. Process those feelings, and you'll find that your day-to-day experience becomes less of a struggle. Seek out hobbies that bring a spark of happiness into your life by bringing a sense of satisfaction or fulfillment.

And never forget the impact of being mindful and present throughout your day. This means living in the moment and being intentional about where you spend your time and how you savor it. Work or academics can be a big source of stress and distraction, but when you learn to stick to worrying about those things on the clock, you can get a lot more out of the rest of your day.

This is also an important part of creating better balance because it allows allows you to see spots in your life that don't align with your best interests. Don't think of it as a quota of hours to meet in various areas, but a quest toward what works for you and improves your life. Without forgoing yourself responsibility, see if it's possible doing less of the things that drain you and more of the things that make you feel great.

(via Unsplash)

 

Also read about: 6 Activities to Experience the Ultimate National Nothing Day

 

Don't Overload Yourself

Having work-life balance isn't about doing everything, and instead doing what works for you. If you're relying on sheer willpower to be ridiculously productive and do a million things to the point of exhaustion, you're not going to be able to keep up the habit for long. Balance includes rest and self-care, so instead, work to prioritize the things that are most important to you. Remember not to say yes to absolutely everything just to please others, and instead of ensuring everything is flawless, try occasionally settling for "good enough." Never forget that being balanced means you're getting through life without sacrificing your happiness and well-being.

 

Struggling to be more articulate? Click HERE for our top tips on actually saying what you mean and making yourself heard.