Generations ago, people didn’t talk much about finding and keeping a healthy balance in their lives. Choices in everything from how to work to what to eat were fairly limited. But now, thanks to our modern-day access to all kinds of life options, it can be hard to practice moderation. It takes a bit of effort to maintain balance, but we have some ideas of how best to do it.
Write it down
The simplest and most effective way of creating change in your life is to start by getting the details down in front of you. Begin by listing the parts of your life where you feel out of balance. Too much work, too little exercise? Too many friends, not enough quiet time? Love to spend and hate to save? Whatever aspects of your life could use a moderation fix will become more evident to you as you make a list for yourself.
Unplug
Just as we know that “all work and no play” makes Jack a dull boy, too much of anything can make us not only one-dimensional, but unhealthy. The technology of information and entertainment is so easily accessible that we have to be the force that says “enough!” for ourselves. This means making the active decision to disengage from your phone, computer, social media and e-mail at a certain point in the day (or at least for a certain part of your day) to engage in other activities.
Avoid unhealthy stress-relievers
With so much going on in the wide, wired, and too-busy world, sometimes having countless ways to unwind can be more daunting than too few. Being human, we like to do what gives us comfort. Get stressed enough and you’ll find comfort in what’s close at hand: your favorite online store, food, or caffeine and alcohol. Unfortunately, all of these outlets lend themselves to excess when they are used to fill a need — that of finding balance. Your best bet is to maintain that balance in a way that won’t backfire on you.
Find a positive way to unwind
Whether you choose yoga, running, biking, walking or kettlebells, integrating some form of exercise into your schedule for at least three days a week (five is better) can make a significant difference to your overall health and fitness by improving the condition of your heart, muscles and mental outlook. Now that you’ve taken that good hour or two to unplug completely in the morning or evening, you’ve freed up time to maintain balance. Be careful, though — even healthy practices like exercise can turn against you if you don’t practice moderation.
Try inner quiet
Sometimes just being alone can be a means of achieving a healthy balance in your life. Whether you meditate with quiet music or fish in the great outdoors, regularly doing an activity that allows introspection and mental stillness can be peaceful and rejuvenating.
Moderation is simple to envision and more difficult to practice. With all that you do — work, sleep, play, eat, create — ask yourself if the balance of activities (or lack thereof) feels right to you. With a little bit of mindfulness, you can accomplish all that you want and maintain balance in your life, too.
