Public Spark

Whether it be school and work, work and leisure, raising the kids and leisure, or anything else, each and every one of us lives a life of constantly juggling activities. It can be difficult and overwhelming at times because life has surprises or we simply take on too much than we can handle at a certain time. Perhaps sometimes it may be good to take a brief break and think about how we balance our life. Is it balanced? Is it effective? Do we need changes? These are questions that I ask myself and these are 10 ways that I try to maintain that balance in my life.

1. Being in the “zone”

   This can be a struggle for me at times, but I try be in the zone with what I am doing at that moment. By that I mean if I’m working on my blog, I devote my whole attention to blogging. It is easy to want to think about things like “what I’m going to do this weekend,” but by doing this I am less stressed, more efficient at the task at hand.

2. Time Management

   Along the same tokens as being in the zone, time management allows for use of time for efficiency. That way I can generally map out how balanced I want my life to be.

3. Build a strong social support network

   This is so key. It is easy to be wrapped up in work, mostly because of perhaps a financial necessity. However, it is important to have quality friends who you can laugh and have fun with.

4. Have hobbies

   I think I would be quite sad without my hobbies or if I didn’t have time to do things that I enjoy. For me, my main hobby right now is singing. I also like to draw, travel, cook, dance, read books, and play golf.

5. Have energy boosters

   These are different for everyone. Simply put, everyone needs energy!

6. Have a balanced diet

   This is also hard to do, especially with so many fast food distractions. This goes along with giving yourself energy.

7. Get plenty of rest

   There is no magic number on how much sleep is enough, although experts estimate 6 to 8 hours of sleep for adults. The best is to understand your sleep cycle and not be influenced by others. When I don’t have time to get 8 hours, I usually meditate or have “quiet” time for myself.

8. Get exercise

   This is particularly key for me because I predominately work in front of a computer all day. It can be mundane and also counterproductive to sit in front of a computer for a long time. I take breaks and get exercise to clear my mind.

9. Know that you’re only human

   It’s easy to want to do a lot of things at one time, but there has to be a limit or else burn out is just around the corner. Prioritizing is one of the useful tools for me. Also recognizing that you have to say no sometimes and giving yourself permission to ask for help.

10. Having plants around

    I grew up around parents who loved to plant vegetables and flowers around the house. Recently, I have been attracted to the beauty of orchids, as my dad is an avid orchid grower, and I have been taking care of cattleyas. There is something to be said about nurturing and growing a plant.

What are some of the ways that you balance your life?