Strike a balance to take back the reigns to your life

By: Natasha Archary

balance life

If only it were possible to clone onself. That way, splitting up the twenty-fours in a day and winning at this thing called life would be doable. Or if entire replicas of our person were not practical then perhaps a few more pairs of hands?

We’re all juggling heavy workloads while still trying to maintain healthy relationships, making time for family, hitting personal development goals with studies and find a way to fit in a workout or two.

Is it even possible? It may not seem that way if you take all that’s on your shoulders as one massive goal to tackle. Stress factors into the equation, zapping you of the energy to concentrate on tasks separately. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed with all that you have coming at you but knowing how to manage and achieve a calm balance can do wonders.

Balancing act

If you’ve ever been to the circus and watched a tightrope artist, you’d know what sheer determination, concentration and balance can attain the near-impossible. Zoning out all distractions and keeping the focus on the end goal is vital for success in any area in life.

The key to reaching the finish line is to get your mind under control. Negative thoughts have a way of manifesting your reality unfavourably. Affirmations and a positive mindset need to be worked on regularly. Believing in yourself is powerful beyond measure.

Break it down

It’s impossible to do it all as one incredible task. Dissecting every area and all that needs to be attained in each sphere into bite sized chunks on the other hand is completely manageable.

stress balance life

At work

Set manageable, attainable tasks for the day. Prioritise the deadline driven ones and set aside a reasonable amount of time for each.
Don’t dwell too much on the blunders you can’t fix or allow your colleagues to get under your skin too much. The only person you can control is you and that’s your lesson.
Set aside a five minute break every hour to realign your focus. A quick breather can help make all the difference and give you clarity.
If flexible working hours are not allowed, then take your lunch outside of the office when you can. A change of scenery or a brisk walk around the office park could be all you need.
Cut yourself some slack. You’re only human and you’re doing the best you can.

At home

You need to have quality family time. Stop answering emails during dinner, be present in your kids’ lives and put a stop to being available to work 24/7. You are not a machine. You need to unwind and make memories that your loved ones will remember for a lifetime.
Don’t make promises you won’t be able to keep. Telling kids that you’ll be home before bedtime is not only an unrealistic goal but one that will leave them disappointed if you miss storytime. Rather tell them, you will be home as soon as you can.
If you can’t get out of a work commitment, try to make up for time lost with loved ones by planning a game night or fun family day.
Workout when you can, but most importantly, eat healthy and try to get adequate rest.
Get the support and help you need from your partner by expressing when you are overwhelmed. Communicating your frustrations, concerns and inability to cope is not a sign of weakness.

Adulting is a monster all it’s own. Life has a way of showing you just how finite you are in the grand scheme of things. Stress leads to early heart attacks, depression and suicidal ideation and if at any point you feel you cannot strike a healthy work life balance, seek professional help. Your mental wellbeing should not be an after thought.

Written by: Natasha

Balance Mental health Stress