Balance

Learning to create balance in our lives in just as important to our overall health and well being as eating a balanced diet. Yet finding balance in today's frantically paced world is no simple task. The pressures of work, family, friends, finances, social obligations, and life-changing events (i.e. career changes, marriage, divorce, death of a parent) often throw our lives out of balance. Even happy events like birthday parties, gatherings with family and friends, graduating from high school or college, or getting that job you've been wanting carry along their own pressures. Stress--along with its harmful effects on your health--is the result.

Stress is the number one cause of illness in our country. It can cause fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, insomnia, depression, muscle tension, and migraine and tension headaches. Persistent stress can lead to many serious, even life-threatening, medical problems including heart attack, high blood pressure, ulcers, and stroke. Research has shown that rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, can be caused by stress. Research has also shown that stress is a major contributor to many types of cancer: stress weakens the immune system leaving it with fewer and weaker cells to do the work of fighting off problems.

Learning how to manage our stress levels and bring our lives back into balance is of critical importance. Balance quite simply means we can't do everything. Each of us needs to examine our priorities and set boundaries, cut or delegate activities we don't enjoy and/or don't have time for, and forgive ourselves the time to do the things that are most important to us.

Ways to restore balance and reduce stress:

  Spend time deciding what is really important in your life, both short and long term. A good way to do this is to keep a log of everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. Then decide what's necessary and what satisfies you the most, and what needs to go.

 Feed your soul as you would your body. Trust in a Divine Power and renew your relationship with Him daily. Find strength in the knowledge that He is working in your life every day.

 Learn to say no. Whether it's a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child's teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it's OK to respectfully say no. Be realistic about and respectful of what you expect of yourself and don’t over commit. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.

 Leave work at work. With today's technology, which connects you to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there's often no boundary between work and home unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.

 Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. 

 Rethink your cleaning standards. An unmade bed or sink of dirty dishes won't impact the quality of your life. Do what needs to be done and let the rest go. If you can afford it, pay someone else to clean your house.

 Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming and anxiety-producing misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. 

 Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music. Unwind after a hectic workday by reading, practicing yoga, or taking a bath or shower.

 Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.

 Protect your day off. Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more relaxing.

 Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep, among other things, dulls the mind, diminishes your ability to remember and pay attention, increases inflammation, and can lead to depression, anxiety and a weakened immune system.

 Accept the fact that there are times in your life when you will be temporarily out of balance.

 When your life becomes too overwhelming, share your feelings with those closest to you, or seek professional support from your Pastor, your doctor, or a counselor.

Remember, creating balance in our lives isn't a something you do once and it's done. It is a continuous process. Demands on our time change as our family, interests and work life change. Assess your situation every few months to make sure you're keeping on track. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle.

Sources: Susan Wilson Solovic~SCORE Women’s Success Blog

Mayo Clinic.com: Tools for healthier lives

Tim Connor - EzineArticles.com Expert Author

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