Do you feel pressed for time? What do you do to maintain a sense of balance while accomplishing all your daily responsibilities?
When answering this question, consider deeper unconscious beliefs that may be holding you back from experiencing inner-balance. What is driving you on a deeper level? What keeps you out of balance?
We may inadvertently cram our schedule because of the following:
1) We don’t know how to relax and do nothing. Having space in our day makes us feel anxious or lazy. We feel the need to be busy.
2) We don’t feel worthy. We need to prove ourselves through productivity. If we’re not productive, we feel worthless.
3) We don’t know what we need to feel balanced.
When we’re out of balance, we feel out of sorts. When we keep doing too much, we feel weighted with responsibility. We smile less, we don’t feel like ourselves, or we get snappy more easily. We may feel pressure to take care of everything. Perhaps we find it challenging, humiliating even, to ask for help. We may find it difficult to give ourselves self-care because we feel we don’t deserve it.
It’s important to meditate on what may be constantly driving us out of balance on a daily basis. It’s also important to meditate on what balance feels like to you. Whatever it may be, take time to contemplate on what’s on your plate and what you can afford to let go.
Through meditation, we are able to tune into ourselves and create inner balance. We learn how to take care of ourselves. When we are balanced, we become more grounded, we feel healthier, and we experience more productivity.
In this video below, I discuss in more detail 5 ways you can create more balance in your life. Be sure to take a listen!
Here are the brief bullet points!
- When creating your schedule: if feels stressful, it’s going to be stressful.
When you’re creating your schedule and your shoulders start to tense up as you book 4 meetings back-to-back, you are likely cramming your schedule with too many appointments at once. If it feels stressful, it will be stressful! Give yourself space and downtime in your schedule. You’ll be more productive that way!
- Know your energy and what works for you.
Knowing yourself and what works for your energy is key. Pay close attention to what gives you energy and what depletes it. Don’t engage in things that will constantly burn out your energy. Plan recovery time if needed. It’s vital to know how to balance your own energy.
- Clearly express your needs.
Do you give, give, give? If you’re a natural giver or doer, you may very well feel uncomfortable saying “NO” or disappointing other people to take care of your own needs. Whether it’s loved ones or co-workers, it’s important to learn how to communicate your boundaries with clarity. When you honor and express your needs, you express our truth. In turn, you honor those who love and respect us.
- The more you practice relaxation in your day, the more balanced you will feel.
Through meditation, rest, and relaxation, we teach our body to respond to the stresses of life in a different way. Each time we engage the relaxation response, we release the “fight or flight” mode and engage the parasympathetic nervous. This allows us to “rest and digest” and return to homeostasis.
- Make an intention.
By setting an intention to create more balance and centeredness, we welcome that energy to permeate into all aspects of our lives. By embracing this intention, we give ourselves permission to release stress and overwhelm. Our intentions help to guide our own energy.
Finally, when you’re planning your schedule, center yourself first. Give yourself permission to have breathing space. Feel what inner-balance is to you and then create your schedule from that place within. Practice connecting to this inner-feeling every time you schedule an event. Your body will tell you what feels right or good for you. I’ve often noticed the level of ease and synchronous connections when there is more spaciousness in my schedule.
Hope you find these tips helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts about it and what you do to create more work-life balance!
Love, Sura
