By Krystal Escoba
There's nothing more valuable than a healthy lifestyle. So I am personally highly committed to taking care of my mind, body and spirit. And the way that I do that is through balance.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. In our modern world, most problems stem from a simple lack of balance. By that, I mean achieving the balance between your work and personal life without letting either one suffer.
Here are 3 keys to help you find the right balance in your career and personal life.
1. Start With Self-Care
When it comes to work-life balance, the first thing that comes to mind is often something along the lines of "quit your job and go live on a farm." This seems like an oversimplified solution to the genuine issue of work-life balance, but it's actually one of the most powerful tools at your disposal.
The reason? You can't take care of anyone else unless you've taken care of yourself.
Taking time for yourself doesn't mean you're being selfish; it means you're being smart.
For example, if you don't make time to exercise, chances are your energy levels will suffer. And if your energy levels suffer, it's hard to be as productive as you could be at work.
If you don't make time for family or friends, then you're not giving them the attention they deserve, either. So how will you start? Evaluate your priorities.
Countless things are pulling at our attention every day; it's impossible to do everything you want to do. The key is prioritizing what's important so you can give those things your complete focus.
It's easy to get bogged down by distractions, so start making a list of what you have going on in each area of life so you can see how much time and energy you are going to put into each one of those.
By the time you figure those things out, you will feel that your tasks are lighter, less stressful, and you’ll feel happier because you’re able to treat each one with enough time and energy. Hence, you’ll have more time to do what you love most.
2. Grab A Planner For Each Area Of Your Life
A planner helps you to stay organized. Whether you need to track deadlines or appointments, or your family's activities or your own, a planner provides order in your life. You can choose from planners that are general in scope, for example, planners that cover work and social activities, or you can get planners that focus on one area of your life.
What is the best type of planner? There are so many choices out there, it can be overwhelming. Here are some options to get you started:
Day-planner: If you need to check off appointments throughout the day, a day-planner is for you. Day planners usually have hourly boxes to fill in during the day with what you did at each time slot. Some even have spaces for notes about meetings or what you accomplished during the day.
Weekly-planner: If you need to see an entire week's schedule at once, a weekly planner may be perfect for you. Weekly planners usually include daily planning spaces and large spaces where the weekends are broken out separately. In addition, the Sunday pages often have inspirational quotes and space to write down your weekly reflections.
These will help you oversee what will happen or what is happening with your whole day or week. You may set your priorities as well and monitor your daily activities. These planners may sometimes be your journal as well when you look back to each one of them.
3. Organize Your Day To Bring Balance In Each Area Of Your Life
The best way to stay focused on your goals is by creating a daily routine that allows you to progress in all areas of your life. The term "daily routine" may sound mundane, but it's the engine that makes everything else work.
I've had my fair share of ups and downs these past years, and one thing has remained consistent: if I don't structure my days around what matters most to me, I'll end up spinning my wheels. Make the investment of time upfront to create a daily plan, and you'll get more done without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
With a few tweaks, you can increase the number of productive hours in your day, which will leave you feeling more energized and motivated.
One of the best ways to bring balance to your daily routine is to organize your days to have a mix of work, play and rest. You don't necessarily need to work more hours than everyone else to be productive — just find a way to be more efficient with your time.
Prioritize what is really important during working hours, then schedule time for relaxation and fun.
How will you do it? Start each day by identifying your top priorities and scheduling them as such. It's tempting as an entrepreneur to try and tackle every task on your list, but this often leads to poor decision-making and burnout.
By prioritizing your most important tasks, you'll ensure that you complete those essential items before moving on to less important matters.
Final Thoughts
Let's face it. Life will always be unpredictable, but there are some things we can control.
The main thing is balance.
It's so hard to find, but when you do, you'll be able to enjoy life without stress and drama. I love this quote by Sarah Kay: "When you get into the habit of doing the right thing, it's like falling in love with yourself."
Embrace change, but don't let it control your life. And most importantly… never stop learning!