One of the most important ingredients for a fulfilling life is balance. The question is, how does that look in action across various areas of our lives? If you’ve been wanting to live a more balanced lifestyle, look no further than this list for examples of how you can do just that!
1- NUTRITION: Prioritizing your health without depriving yourself of your favorite “guilty pleasures”
If you’re looking to lose weight, become more fit, or just become healthier, your natural inclination may be to cut out any and all foods that aren’t considered healthy. Yes, there are certainly times and situations where it’s best to adhere to a stricter diet. (For example, needing to lose a lot of weight for medical reasons).
In the average case, though, treating yourself to not-so-nutritious snack/meal/desserts in moderation might surprisingly help you achieve your desired result. (Of course, above all else, honor your individual needs and circumstances). Overly restrictive diets tend not to be as sustainable as well-rounded, balanced approaches. Also remember that the point of eating your favorite treats is to enjoy them. You can’t exactly enjoy something if you feel guilty about enjoying it. So when you indulge, let yourself do so guilt-free!
Simultaneously, your main focus can be on eating foods that meet your nutritional needs/goals that you actually enjoy and look forward to eating. Do your research to find recipes that check both of those boxes. Show yourself that it’s very much possible for food to be both nutritious AND delicious!
2- FINANCES: Being smart with your money without depriving yourself of the things/experiences you deeply desire
Similarly to #1, a keyword here is “depriving”—something NOT to do! That’s what moderation is all about. Of course if you’re on a tight budget right now or can’t afford certain things you want at the moment, then those desires will have to wait until your circumstances change.
However, when you can afford to treat yourself without it causing financial hardship, go for it! (Again, above all else, honor your individual needs and circumstances). Consider it an investment into yourself and your happiness, which is one of the best investments you can make. As long as you’re smart about how much you spend and when you spend it, there’s no need to feel guilty. Similarly to the point made in #1, feeling guilty about your purchases defeats the purpose of enjoying them!
In the meantime, be on the lookout for good deals, discounts, etc. on things you want or need to purchase. Also keep in mind that while the saying “you get what you pay for” certainly has validity to it, it’s not always true or relevant. Not everything that’s more expensive will automatically be better-quality than their cheaper alternatives. Even so, not everything you want or need has to be the highest-quality option. It’s just a matter of knowing where to cut corners versus where the bigger investments are important and worthwhile.
3- WORK: Working hard at your job/career while making time for a personal life
Also known as work-life balance, both sides of this coin are essential for living a fulfilling life. Different seasons of life may tug you in one direction more than the other, and there’s nothing wrong with that. For example, your first few months at a high-paying, high-stakes job may be a time when your personal takes a backseat to your professional. However, in the grand scheme of life, it should even itself out. You probably don’t want to feel like you worked your life away while barely stopping to appreciate anything else, nor do you want to feel like you slacked off at work or didn’t achieve your long-standing professional goals.
In large part, it comes down to time management and making sufficient time for both work and play. Knowing when to hustle and put in those extra hours will get you closer to where you want to be professionally. Simultaneously, knowing when to slow down will prevent you from burning out and let you nurture your personal life. No matter what your work schedule looks like, it’s unlikely that you’re working for 100% of your waking hours on a daily basis long-term. It’s how you spend the time that you’re not working or sleeping that counts. It can help to plan ahead and block off regularly scheduled time for what/who is most important to you. This way, your personal life is getting similarly high prioritization to your personal life!
4- SOCIALIZATION: Surrounding yourself with good company while setting aside time to be in your own (just as good) company
Needing to be around other people all the time or relying on others for validation, happiness, etc. is a recipe for always feeling lonely. At the same time, it’s important to realize that the right relationships can significantly enhance the quality of your life. Those right relationships can include familial, platonic, romantic, etc. They also include one very special relationship—that with yourself! Spending time in your solitude to recharge, reflect, and get to know yourself better is essential. Without it, you might not feel the most connected to your true self. This can result in getting swayed by others in directions that don’t align with who you really are.
Alternatively, prioritizing that quality “you” time can help you make informed decisions for yourself based on more extensive knowledge of yourself. On top of that, it can help you attract more high-quality, compatible relationships. That’s because the better you know yourself, the better you’ll know what kinds of people you want in your life. Those relationships can provide you with so much value—deep connection, quality conversations, mutual support, mutual love, and much more. Once again, similarly to #3, time management comes into play for creating this balance. Be sure to set aside enough time for those special people in your life AND your special “you” time!
5- ACTIVITY LEVEL: Getting out there and being active (in various ways) while making time for rest
Your activity level can encompass different things—physical fitness, going out with friends, going out solo, picking up hobbies, traveling, etc. Putting yourself out into the world in any number of these ways is part of living a plentiful life. Simultaneously, having down time is important for your health. Always being in go-mode during your free time can lead to burnout, even if all the activities are enjoyable for you.
Since there are so many ways to be active, one way to create balance in this area would be to only focus on 1 or 2 at a time. For instance, if your social calendar is currently booked solid, maybe save traveling for after that winds down. If your schedule as a whole feels too hectic, don’t be afraid to decline or postpone plans that aren’t high priorities for you right now. Contrastingly, if your schedule feels a little too light, reflect on how you want to fill it. Think of activities that you haven’t prioritized lately but would like to, and start prioritizing them. This example of balance is yet another demonstration of the value of time management!
The bottom line…
Now’s a good time to ask yourself, “have I been taking an all-or-nothing approach to something (or many things) in my life?”. If the answer is yes, know that it’s not too late to make a change. Whether your need for balance pertains to one of the above areas or something else, these tips can be applied to ANY area of life (this list only gives 5 of countless examples). If the shoe fits, wear it! No matter what area of life, balance starts with developing a “this-AND-that” mindset. Give it a try and watch your life change for the better!