January is Get a Balanced Life Month. What could be a better time than starting off the year with this intention?
I enjoyed reading the Get a Balanced Life Timeline. In 1817 Robert Owens divided the day into 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation, and 8 hours of rest. Obviously, this was just for the working man. When Ford established the 9:00 to 5:00 workday he found that his workers got more done than when they were working longer hours.
I feel that the first step in getting our life balanced is to check in with how much time we are spending on what activities now. Keeping a log in your journal will let you know how much time you are spending on each activity. For me, it’s hard to guess because my days are not the same. When I started documenting in my journal, I found that I was spending more time on some tasks than I thought and quite a bit less time than I thought on others. It’s a bit of an eye-opener.
The next step is to take your calendar and schedule time for some of the things that make you happy and give you joy. Balance is about having some fun time but still keeping up with what is necessary to keep your home and business running smoothly.
For me, I know that finding small things that can be done in short periods of time work best. For example, I like to work on the Sudoku puzzle in the morning with my first cup of coffee. I also like to take an hour for lunch on workdays and do the crossword puzzle with my husband. Scheduling once a month to meet up with a friend or group of friends for coffee or lunch is a goal that is usually met.
What I would like to incorporate into my schedule is more reading time just for fun. I also would like to work in some time to walk outside.
I love this quote “Balance is bringing things into harmony. It’s not something that you can get, but something that you continually do. Life is a game in which you are continually juggling many balls in the air.” by Gustavo Razzetti from an article in Psychology Today.
I would love to hear how you work toward balance in your life.
If you recognize that you are struggling with managing your time and want some help or accountability, join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space for You virtual support group. Each month everyone in the group chooses what project they want to complete. This month I will work in my office while others in the group will work on the project of their choice.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of four books as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
I reflected on your post and realize that I don't think I've experienced true balance in my life, where all aspects of my existence were getting enough attention (overall), since college. 35 years of being a teeter-totter with one end up in the air and one end down in the dirt sounds terrible, but it only seems that way when viewing it dispassionately, not from living inside. In my first career, I was almost always working, but when I wasn't, I was stressing about work; however, for the past 22 years, my career has given me so much free time, I often feel like I should be doing more, or something else, but I'm usually too content to take bold…
I like how you methodically wrote down your activities to see how much time you spend doing various things. I think I might try that and see what happens.
My word of the year is "alignment" which is similar to the word balance in that whatever I put into my day should fit into creating a sense of rightness in my life. If I am spending too much time doing something that doesn't reflect my goals or values then it means my life needs adjusting.
For your desire to read more: I just heard that there is a trend now called the "Silent Book Club" where people are bringing their own books to book club and reading them quietly alongside…
This post resonates with me! My word for 2024 is balance. It is key for me to enjoy my moments throughout the day and week. My hubby's goal is to spend time thinking, reading, etc.. so this weekend, we picked out a chair and a table for the nook so he can enjoy it during the work week and on weekends. If he doesn't use it, I will. =)
Reading your words and how you are going about finding balance made me feel calm. Your approach makes sense to me. And in particular, I love how you prioritize the fun and nourishing things. I agree that balance isn't something we achieve but something we are constantly adjusting.
For me, there are self-care non-negotiables like meditating, journaling, eating healthfully, and moving (walking and yoga) time with friends and family. When I do those, I feel more in balance. The other things are also important- working, teaching, writing, learning, volunteering, entertaining, and exploring. However, if I neglect the self-care piece, the other areas suffer.
I like the quote you included. Daniel Levitin in his book The Organized Mind refers to creating balance in your life much the way a conductor conducts an orchestra. You sometimes need more of one section than another to create a working harmony.