Life balance: not easy but necessity (guest post)

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My sensei, Mizfit, knows this to be true as I still look to her for guidance on BALANCING life and getting it all done!

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t get it all done.

I am my all means the definition of a work in progress.

I have made improvements, though, and that in and of itself is cause for being thankful!

I’ve learned that balance in life is not easy, but it is a necessity. We can’t get it ALL done nor expect to get none of it done at the same time. Mizfit’s term of monotasking has been my biggest area of focus.

Monotask!

Do each task you set out to do to its fullest and to the best of your ability. I don’t halfass and I don’t put too much work into anything. I just do my best. I try to do each task separately now, too, so they don’t cloud together. Into mush.

I work to live and don’t live to work.

Period.

We all may not have the job that we dreamed we’d have nor are we 100% ecstatic about going to a place for 8+ hours a day away from the things we do love.

However, 99% of the time, it’s what we have to do to make a living.

Do a job and do it well, I always say.

Don’t make those 8+ hours misery nor make it so much fun that you’re job hunting every 2 months. I know that my job is what helps me vacation, travel, have dinners out with my husband, so it affords me those things I love to do. I respect it, but I also leave it at the door once I walk out of it.

Who comes first?

Your dog? Your children? Your husband? Your wife? Your cat? It should be YOU.

I’ve learned that I have to balance enough to make time for myself.

Whether it’s a 5 mile run right when I wake up or 30 minutes to make my toes look decent and not runner-like. If we take time for ourselves, we’ll feel at least a tad more refreshed than we did before. We also won’t feel as expended in the 5 million directions we get pulled in daily.

Organize as best you can.

I stay organized with a planner at work and a separate one for home. I pre-plan as much as I possibly can.

That includes date nights, time with friends, time to workout, time to blog, anything. If I at least set aside a reasonable amount of time to accomplish everything I want to accomplish, they don’t bleed together. They get their own separate special time.

Aaaand I don’t forget important events causing me to let down others – I’m big about keeping commitments.

Don’t over-commit.

In order to not let anyone down, including yourself, know your limits.

All-in-all I remember to not give in one area more than I should in another – after taking a look at prioritization.

Life isn’t about giving ALL to others and it’s not about giving ALL to yourself either.

That’s my main takeaway for BALANCE.  What’s YOURS?

 

Kat is a pug-mom and wife trying to stay fit while tackling work, getting creative intermittently, studying for her NASM CPT exam, and managing asthma while taking on an active life in general! Her fitness blog, sneakersandfingerpaints.com, helps her hold herself accountable for all the goals she plans on accomplishing and inspiring others to do the same.

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Comments

  1. Love Katrina and love this post! I have found myself doing some self-talking lately when it comes to being balanced and productive, mostly in terms of “finish the task at hand.” The Internet has stolen some of my focus powers, which in turn leads to lack of balance.

  4. TRUTH! It’s way to easy to let the most important priority (you) get set aside to work on everyone else’s. And you’re totally spot on about Working to Live. I remind myself daily and have pretty travel pics posted all around my cubicle that the time put in here allows me to have those awesome times there 🙂

  5. Hi Kat,

    I love your article. I want to read this from time to time especially when I feel so down due to work and other stuff. Life is not all about working. That’s what I really needed to hear. Thanks a lot! 🙂

  8. Oh my goodness. This was like a God-send!! Exactly what I needed to read this morning! I currently am that person that’s not happy with their job and dreams of those days where I can quit and pursue my DREAM job whole heartedly. But before that can be possible, I do have be CONTENT where I am right now and know that it could be worse, and I’m blessed to even have a job. I’m guilty of super multi-tasting, so I love the content of monotasking and doing ONE thing AWESOME at a time! Must implement this. Great post.

  10. I’ve found the best way to get the most out of life balance is to take a proactive approach to things. By taking the initiative it can free up time and leave room for the fun things in life – like blogging or surfing.

  11. You definitely have the right take on balance. My biggest issue with balance is that no matter how much I plan ahead and try to schedule in certain things, something always comes up. My friends don’t spread out their time like I do and they expect that if they are going out to dinner at the drop of a hat, that I should be there too and that what ever I am doing is not as important as spending time with them. They won’t take no as an answer either so right now, this is my biggest issue in finding my balance. I’ve tried to talk to them about. They aren’t quite getting it. But a few more discussions and point proving and I hope they get it.

    • Hopefully it’ll work out! Sometimes if someone plans something last minute and I can’t squeeze it in I decline – politely 😉

  12. Love this Kat.
    For years I was so overcommitted. I said yes to every single group I was asked to be a part of and was miserable. No time for me.
    Now I may still be overcommited: full time job, blogging, marathon raining, time for family & friends, etc., but at least it is stuff I WANT to do so it makes me happy.

  13. Such a great read Kat!!!!! So much is so true!! I am horrible at multi-tasking! learned that early when I was working 60++++ hours a week & also trying to get my beloved workouts in & errands had to be done too..

    I do agree with your comments on the job… BUT I will say that if you are young & can find a way to make a living at something you love or even like – DO IT THEN. I spent way too many years getting up to disliking every day due to work I really did not like so…. I guess I have a slightly different perspective on the work part… but try to get to it when you are young because the older you get, things become much more complicated… just my truth – maybe not others…

    Also, if you can “like” your job but maybe not the perfect job – your comments are spot on…

  15. Have been running/triathloning/etc. for upwards of 30 years and have always worked full time outside of the house- but daughter always came first THEN my workouts THEN my career. But I did get it all done and continue to do so (and then some)-I love to pack in as much in a day/week/month as I can as it is a short and sweet life.

  17. Thank you for this lovely post, Kat. 🙂 Sometimes, I manage to do multi tasking, it’s really hard but you have to focus on every task that you’re doing. But of course, you need a time to relax and have some fun.

  18. Wow, I totally needed to hear this! With work, blog, friends & family time I’m constantly being pulled in a million directions – and then there’s social media to distract me even as I’m multitasking. It feels horrible to only be partially present in what I’m doing – will certainly give these tips a try!

  19. Your point about making the right priority/priorities is really needed for having a balance in life…If you work all day and just focus on caring for people around you, you are doomed to burn out and not enjoy life.Yes, making time for yourself does matter big time.

    Thanks for your wonderful thoughts in this blog, I will surely share them 🙂

  20. I think that’s a beautiful, meaningful line …”Life is not about giving ALL to others and it’s not about giving ALL to yourself either.” That spells out what balance in life is all about. When I was working for an advertising Agency we had a client who would say …”You can call me anytime, wherever I may be during weekdays. But Saturdays and Sundays are mine and my family’s” .Early on, he knew what balance was and went on to live a happy life.

  21. I agree that life is a definitely a balancing act. My question is how do you go about doing that if you are someone that does a lot of travelling in the corporate world. I’ve had this job for about a year and have never felt more out of balance ever before. Guess it comes down to priorities, work or everything else?

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