Life is hard. Finding your balance can be overwhelming and seem like an impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be.
Make it easier on yourself and learn how to create equilibrium in your life when you need it the most.
Here are our top tips:
1. Practise self-care
Take care of you.
It might seem obvious, but it’s not always your main priority. Mental health is your lifeline, so think positive thoughts and be kind to yourself. Figure out a way to stay motivated and remind yourself to be nice.
Self-doubt is your enemy, so crush it. Make some sticky notes with motivational words or phrases that build confidence and remind you of your strengths.
Harness those butterfly-in-the-stomach feelings and reread them when you feel down or uninspired.
2. Manage triggers
Pay attention to situations where you feel triggered or emotional. Once you identify these issues, you can work to avoid them for your peace of mind.
Triggers are anything that elicits a defence response in your body to a person, place or object. Identifying and avoiding instances where you feel provoked can keep you calm and prevent potential anxiety attacks.
It can also create stability and control in your mind over stressful situations and put you more at ease.
3. Prioritise and organise
Some of us just feel better when our stuff is in order.
If your life is cluttered physically or mentally, take the time you need to organise. You can prioritise everything once things are where they should be, from your dreams and goals to your tasks for the day.
Jot them down, spread them out like puzzle pieces and then put them where you want them to go.
Having a value system in place when you do this helps tremendously — being mindful of what belongs where in your life can better equip you to make decisions that will ultimately help you in the long run.
4. Shift perspective
Close your eyes and focus inward for a minute. Ask yourself questions that remind you of why you’re doing something. What is your end goal?
Try to reinforce positivity all the way around. Focusing on negative thoughts gives them power over you that you don’t want them to have. They sneak in on you and can cause feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome.
You’re doing great no matter what you’re doing, so tell yourself that as often as you have to until it sinks in. You’ve got this.
5. Indulge a guilty pleasure
When your dog does something good or is just being cute, you want to give them a treat. Do something similar for yourself.
What does your guilty pleasure look like? Is it a manicure at a local salon? Is it indulging in a soap opera or relishing that pint of rocky road ice cream?
Whatever your guilty pleasure is, reward yourself with it. Treating yourself improves your mental health, so what are you waiting for?
6. Explore and unplug
Take a walk around the block. Step outside, breathe some fresh air, and disconnect from reality and technology for a while.
Even five minutes unplugged can do wonders for your brain productivity because overstimulation isn’t good for anyone.
Moderation is key. Give yourself the time to recuperate so you can come back refreshed and ready to tackle your day.
Step away from whatever is bothering you — it will still be there when you come back. You need to listen to yourself when it’s time to take a breather.
7. Just say ‘no’
Learn how to say no when it doesn’t serve you.
Set some boundaries and stop being so nice all the time. Saying no is a big way to lessen the pressure you put on yourself to please others around you.
Saying no to minor things can make the most significant difference. Something as small as choosing not to cook dinner can free up hours that you could use for extra work that needs to be done or self-care.
Learn how to let go of expectations you or others have for yourself and manage your time more efficiently.
8. Rest and rejuvenate
Resting is so important, and sleep isn’t the only thing that refuels your brain.
Relaxation puts you in a better mood and relieves stress and anxiety from everyday life. Take a nap in the middle of the day if that’s what you need to do. Meditate. Take a personal day. Do whatever you feel you need to do to avoid burning out.
Your brain registers tension from being overworked and tells you when you need to reel it in and dial it back. You go full throttle all the time without taking a break. Your mind will thank you for it.
9. See friendly faces
It’s so important to make time for those you love.
Working provides many personal benefits, but it can be a bit isolating. Take time to visit friends that are co-workers outside of the workplace.
Surrounding yourself with people who uplift and support you is good for your mental health and makes life easier.
Build a solid support group of friends and family that will pick you up when you’re down, and be sure to do the same for them in return.
Put yourself out there if you feel like an area of your life could benefit from gaining a new friend with similar interests. You might be surprised how fast you find one.
10. Set some goals
Take time to set goals for yourself if you haven’t already.
Be realistic, make sure they are attainable and achievable, and give yourself a timeline. Start with short-term goals and then move on to long-term objectives you’d like to achieve down the road.
Goals don’t have to be some elaborate lifelong dream you’ve wanted since you were a child. Start simple, like washing the dishes tomorrow on your lunch break.
Once you accomplish something, do a happy dance, celebrate your accomplishments and then set the next one.
Having something to work toward gives you incentive and inspires growth.
Find your balance
It’s vital to find balance to avoid feeling overwhelmed and get more enjoyment out of life.
Use these tips to reach a state of equilibrium. You’ll reap the benefits by living all your days to the fullest, even if that means taking a guilt-free power nap or learning when to say no.
