Finding Balance in Your Life: 7 Tips for Improving Your Mental and Physical Well-being
To be honest, whenever I hear the word "balance," my first thought is "fuck balance."
Balance can be an illusion.
Why? because I believe we should strive for something more holistic. Rather than striving for work-life balance, I prefer a focus on work-life "synergy."
Instead of focusing on things we don't care about and working hard to achieve balance, why not concentrate on what we enjoy and go hard on it?
I personally don’t work 9-5 or have a normal job, nor do I intend to have one.
With all that said, deep down, I believe, in terms of mental and physical health, our bodies crave a form of “balance.” No wonder the phrase "work-life balance"— is not going away.
Because too much of anything can lead to exhaustion.
As it turns out, the balance we seek is NOT found at the intersection of good and bad. But rather, it’s doing things that matter most in a healthy and sound way.
Here are some ideas on finding balance to improve balance in your physical and mental wellbeing
1. Prioritize self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and healthy eating.
When i was younger, the only thing I knew about healthy eating was eating a "balanced diet." At least, that was what i was taught in school.
Eating a balanced diet that includes whole foods and nutrients that support mental and physical well-being.
But it turns out it goes beyond that - e.g. focusing on real foods is more important than any ultraprocessed foods.
Making healthy choices, such as exercising regularly, meditating, and eating a nutritious diet, can improve our physical and mental health.
Also, another top self care habit, is to get enough sleep and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Plus, remembering to take breaks and give yourself time to rest and recharge.
On the other hand, making poor decisions, such as neglecting self-care, can have negative consequences for our well-being.
2. Create a daily routine and stick to it to increase productivity and reduce stress.
Developing a daily routine helps you condition your mind so that you achieve your goals and have better habits.
The upside is that it consumes zero bandwidth or discipline.
Another way of being in control of your routine is - incorporating stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, saunas (hot baths), or light exercises such as yoga into your daily routine.
One lesson I learned the hard way about living a more balanced life as it relates to my daily routine is incorporating physical activity into your daily routine, whether it's going for a walk, jog, yoga or gym.
3. Reconnect with friends and family.
I'm not from the United States, the United Kingdom, or any other first-world country. So I used to believe that in the first world, every parent kicks their children out at the age of 18.
Then I got to this side of entrepreneurs who are both making money and yet mindful of their choices over the long term and realized:
"how you treat your kids at the stage where they’re close to becoming adults is the same way they would treat you when you get older.
So, it makes sense that the “balanced” way of building a business is by prioritizing your family and treating them right.
The key is to surround yourself with people who can provide you with moral support and spare you from being a solo-turkey.
Another advantage is that it has a positive spiral effect on your family's wellbeing by lifting them up as well. Imagine being the only successful kid in your family.
Push yourself to do better because when you do that then the people around you start doing better automatically
4. Set boundaries and learn to say no to commitments that do not align with personal values and goals.
You’ll enjoy life more and others will respect you for it when you start setting rules and boundaries on how you live and how others do business with you and then stick with them.
As one who started as a freelancer only, one of the top reasons I embraced building my own business was to enforce boundaries on how I related to clients.
No matter how much I loved to serve and help people, I wanted to go beyond the point where I only traded my time for money.
This has brought so much more fulfillment and balance to my life.
5. Engage in hobbies and interests to promote relaxation and joy.
Some hobbies like writing can fit at whatever level you are.
While some others work best on casual periods or season in life.
Depending on your season you are in your work and life. E.g. You may be at a point where you only want your foot on the gas. But after you attain a certain level of results you still need some balance.
Having hobbies shows you can focus on your own needs and interests.
Do you find yourself having a loss of interest or withdrawal from activities that you once looked forward to or even loved, sports, hobbies, going out with friends?
What are some activities and hobbies you've always wanted to try? Start bowling them down to regain balance in life.
6. Practice mindfulness and being present in the moment to decrease anxiety and improve overall well-being.
There was this point where I had a long conversation with someone for the first time. When we were discussing the next day and he was trying to cement some previous points, I could barely remember anything he had said the previous day and he was disappointed.
I then realized, even though my body was there while he was taking, my mind was absent.
Practicing mindfulness means being present, aware and curious.
One needs to Practice mindfulness to be present. Else you may be chasing your goals so hard or not at all without even realizing it.
A good habit to practice mindfulness is keeping a journal to track progress and reflect on personal growth.
7. Practicing gratitude and focusing on the positive aspects of life to boost overall mood and outlook.
There’s no balance in life without gratitude.
It doesn’t matter what you achieve - you’re forever going to be moving the goal post and feel empty.
Embrace from today the version of you who walks with faith and is immersed in gratitude and joy🌺
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