It is sometimes difficult to recognize when we lack balance in life.  We go to work every day or engage in the same activities without recognizing that we do not have a life in balance.  A lack of balance manifests itself as:

1) Doing the same things every day without inviting anything new in our lives

2) Overworking and taking work home so as to “get ahead” in that area of your life

3) Having parts of our lives, like relationships, our home or our children falling by the wayside because we simply have no time to devote to them

4) Letting our personal selves go because we don’t have the time to do much other than shower and do our laundry. 

Do You Want More Balance in Life?

If I asked you if you wanted more balance in life, you would probably  say “yes”.  And yet, how to accomplish this is almost always a mystery to most people.  If you are one of these people, you need first to forgive yourself for letting your life go astray.  Going astray is a rut that many people find themselves in and it can be overcome. 

Take a hard look at your life and pay attention to what you’re using too much time and energy on and what you’re letting slide.  Ask yourself what the harm would be in making a shift and letting go of all of the time and energy you’re spending on, say, work.  If you work less, what will happen and how tragic would it be?  If you are being pushed to work by your boss beyond that which you are comfortable with, ask yourself if that really is the job for you.  Recognize that you have to start somewhere to get the balance you want in your life and that it could be as extreme as changing jobs or working part time. 

Take another hard look at those things you want to add to your life.  Do you want to improve your relationship with your significant other?  Do you want to spend time with your children? Do you want to work on weight loss and exercise but you can’t find the time?  Whatever it is you are interested in increasing, you need to find your passion in it and your desire to spend more time and energy on it.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to write these things down so you are clear on the imbalance in your life and on the direction you want to really take.  Make some hard choices about what you are choosing to give up in order to be more balanced.  Recognize that no one person can do and be everything. Pick and choose carefully those things you are most passionate about.

Then just make the changes.  It’s as simple as that.  Again, you need to forgive yourself for not being the perfect employee, the perfect parent or the perfect cook.  Allow yourself to enjoy a better balance in your life without being perfect at everything.  And don’t forget that balance means taking time for yourself.  Perhaps it is going to the gym or getting a massage—anything that pampers the person you are.  Even taking a walk on a sunny day or spending time working out at home with a exercise DVD is a treat to yourself that you deserve and that should be a part of the balance you bring into your life.