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.