7 Ways to Achieve a More Balanced Life
Are you feeling run down and stressed? Unsure of how much you’re spending or saving? Answering work emails or texts after hours?
Feeling like you’re not living a balanced life?
You’re not alone.
People everywhere are struggling to achieve life harmony, from balancing a budget to eating a balanced diet, to maintaining healthy boundaries between work and life.
It can be tough to juggle everything, but it’s important to try and find a way to make things work for you and not against you.
7 Tips for a Life in Harmony
Here are several strategies for achieving a greater life balance.
1. Adopt a “less is more” philosophy
Simplifying aspects of your life can help you achieve a more even keel. This can be done by getting rid of unnecessary things, like:
- material possessions you don’t need
- activities or people you don’t enjoy or those that don’t support your goals
- food and drink that lacks nutritional value and harms your health
- redundant bank and/or investment accounts
- unnecessary tasks or those that can be handled by someone else
Spending time on unimportant or superfluous items can take away from the time you could be spending on things that are important to you.
Evaluating your life and getting rid of what doesn’t serve you is a great place to start.
2. Instill Habits and Routine
Developing healthy habits, creating a routine for yourself, and sticking to it as much as possible can help you find and maintain alignment between different aspects of life.
This can help reduce stress because you’ll know what to expect each day and be able to plan ahead.
A regular routine could involve:
- waking up and going to bed at the same times each day
- eating meals at approximately the same times daily
- scheduling specific time for work, exercise, meditation, or reflection
- setting aside certain hours and days for family and socialization
When you have a plan, it’s easier to achieve balance. But be sure not to become too rigid with your routine or else you’ll find yourself feeling trapped.
Flexibility is key or you’ll just be introducing new stress to your life.
3. Freshen Your Diet
What you put into your body has a significant impact on how you feel. Eating balanced meals with a variety of healthy foods helps ensure that your body gets the nutrients it needs to function at its best.
People who follow a healthy balanced diet typically feel better, have more energy, and enjoy greater physical and mental health.
If your diet is not very healthy today, start by swapping out some processed foods (i.e. chips or crackers) with whole food snacks like nuts and seeds, reducing your red meat consumption by including more chicken and fish, and using olive or coconut oil instead of butter or margarine.
Strive to eat whole, unprocessed foods such as:
- fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables
- lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, or tofu
- healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive or coconut oil
- whole grains, beans, and legumes
Keep sugar, foods high in saturated fat, and processed foods to a minimum.
Read: What Alcohol Costs You: The Financial Reality of Drinking
4. Get Active
Exercise is another important piece of the puzzle when it comes to achieving balance in your life.
Not only does regular physical activity help you maintain a healthy weight, but it can also:
- boost your mood
- improve sleep quality
- increase energy levels
- reduce stress and anxiety
- help manage chronic conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes
There are endless ways to get moving, so find an activity or two that you enjoy and make it part of your regular routine.
You don’t have to join a gym or start training for a marathon.
Taking a brisk walk around your neighborhood, jumping rope or going for a bike ride with your family, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator are all excellent exercises to get you moving.
5. Pay Attention to Your Money
Money is another factor that can have a significant impact on our lives. It’s important to be mindful of how you’re spending and saving your money, as well as what debts you may have accumulated.
Track your expenses to ensure you know where your money is going. Establish a saving and investing plan to help you achieve financial goals.
If you’re carrying a lot of debt, work on creating a realistic payment plan to pay it off as quickly as possible.
Debt can be stressful and cause tension in relationships, so getting it under control is crucial for achieving balance in your life.
When you’re not in control of your money, it controls you.
But when you balance your budget, your savings and emergency funds increase, your credit cards get paid in full each month, and your investment accounts build wealth.
6. Work at Work
It’s crucial to maintain healthy boundaries between work and life. This means setting limits on working outside of regular work hours and making sure you have time for leisure activities and relaxation.
Take several mini-breaks throughout your workday to step away from the computer, give your eyes a rest, and move about.
Block time on your calendar for not just meetings but also for uninterrupted deep work, processing emails, placing phone calls, brainstorming, and creative collaboration.
Automate and delegate tasks when you can, ask for more help if necessary, and use your vacation days to unwind and stave off burnout.
Working hard is important, but it’s also essential to get away from it and take time for your loved ones.
7. Take Time for Yourself
Additionally, it’s also important to schedule downtime each day just for you. This can be something as simple as reading a book, taking a walk, journaling, or spending time in nature.
When you practice some self-care, it allows you to recenter and recharge so that you can show up more fully for the other important people and things in your life.
Keep it Simple
Incorporating balance into your life doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Making small changes in each of these areas can have a big impact on how you feel overall. And when you feel good, you’re better able to achieve success in all areas.
By simplifying, setting priorities, eating healthy foods, exercising, spending less than you earn, and maintaining healthy boundaries between work and life, you can find more harmony and achieve a better sense of wellbeing.
When you find a healthy balance in all aspects of your life, you’ll be more productive and happier overall.
Do you have any helpful tips for achieving balance in your life? Share them with us in the comments below!
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