In my last blog – Part 1 of Finding Balance – I introduced the meaning of balance;
I also talked about “tidy up” and “whitespace”. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, click here
This week I want to give you the first 3 of 6 Strategies for Finding Balance. Try them out, see how they feel and continue to practice the ones that help. You will soon find you are feeling happier, stronger and more steady.
1. Awareness
Start to notice where you are spending your time.
What things are bringing you joy; and what things are draining you?
For me, I love spending time playing with my kids. This brings me pure joy. I don’t however, love our morning routine. I am always feeling hurried, unorganized and well just “off”. Make an effort to see where you can spend more time doing what brings you joy.
How can you bring those things you love into the moments that are draining you?
I know my mornings are tough so I make a strong effort and do things the night before to prepare – for example: make lunches and prepare clothing. This gives me more time in the morning and it allows me to enjoy breakfast and maybe even find some time to cuddle or play a little with the kids. Does this always go as planned? Of course not, especially on days when the basement has flooded…but being aware this is a more difficult time of day allows me to structure it differently. I encourage you to take a look at your schedule, not just the ‘where you have to be’ parts, but the routine parts as well.
Next, notice how you are feeling about each event.
Really pay attention to the thoughts and feelings you have. Often it is helpful to write these out. When you see things heading toward the stressful parts of your day, find a way to make them easier for you, and ask yourself…
- How can I bring more joy to them?
- Can I prepare in advance in some way?
- Can I move things around?
- Can I remove them entirely?
If you have made your joy or love list, start to pull from those. When you do make a change, notice how it feels. Does this change in my schedule or does preparing the night before make things go more smoothly and/or bring more joy?
2. Delegate
You are not an island.
You need to remember – it is ok to ask for help. Look at the schedule you have now, after reorganizing as much as you can, then delegate to someone else if and when possible. This could be simply having your children help more around the house with chores, or asking your significant other to pick the kids up an extra day of the week, or possible find another school mom who is open to carpool tradeoffs. This can potentially free up a day of picking up the kids.
You may also want to look outside the house – could a housecleaner or a babysitter help? Are there family members or friends around that could help in some way? Asking for help is difficult for some of us who feel that we need to do everything on our own, or just want it done our way. However, it can give you more time and freedom to choose what you want to do with that time.
3. Connection
Connect. People need People!
Having connections with other people is so important to finding balance. However, part of this is about figuring out what kind of connection you as an individual need. This points to your personality.
Are you more of an introvert? Then a one on one connection, conversation with a close friend over coffee, might be what you need to feel connected. If you are an extrovert, some time spent with larger groups, playdates, or parties may help you feel socially connected. Staying connected to others, no matter where we fall on the introvert/extrovert spectrum is important. It helps us remember we are not alone, that others are there to help. It also helps us remember that others’ struggle in the same way we do.
Something else to keep in mind however – you want to make sure the people you are choosing to connect with bring you joy. Surround yourself with healthy, positive people that you trust!
Now you have 3 new tools to try out and see what works best for you. Make sure to implement them each day a part of your routine and you will began to “find balance” and enjoy your day in a new way!
Be sure not to miss Part 3 as I share the last 3 of the 6 Strategies for Finding Balance.
If you found this helpful, please share with family, friends and your social media world!