The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you've lost it. Anonymous
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I love the quote above, but if I am honest I think it should read just a bit differently. I would say the key to keeping your balance is knowing when you're about to lose it. As humans, however, we do not often have that blessed foresight that would keep us from crashing and burning as we so often do.
Balance is one of those trendy words that is thrown around a lot today. I've heard people say they are working to keep a 'work-life balance.' I always wonder how exactly they can do that or truly if they really even understand what it means. If you asked me the question, "do you wish to lead a balanced life?" my answer is yes! However, it's sometimes very hard to figure out what exactly that balance should be.
In truth it isn't just work & life that need to be balanced, it's life in general. Your home life, family life, work life, volunteering life, spiritual life etc. I would suggest that in this day and age of constant communication it is really hard to do that, at least for me.
I've been through this before, unfortunately. I can look back at a handful of points in my life where I would say that I approached 'burnout'. I have a hard time saying no to others and ultimately I tend to overcommit myself. I hate to let people down but in the end I run myself ragged. It's a fine line between being selfish with your time and being wise with your time. I don't like to be seen as selfish but unfortunately that often leads me to act unwisely.
Part of this process of getting 'healthy' goes beyond just the physical goal of losing weight and climbing to Everest Base Camp. It is also about me restoring balance (or at least figuring out what that might look like for me). I love my job and I think I'm pretty good at it too. When I first started it almost five years ago I wasn't busy enough. I'm not sure when that changed but now I have the opposite problem, I'm too busy! I first realized it last year when my mom was sick. I was incredibly busy between work and taking care of her. After she passed away I expected that to ease just a bit but if anything I feel even more busy.
It's not just as simple as leaving on time at the end of the workday however. I have made commitments to projects that I must (and want to) fulfill. It will not be fixed overnight. However, I want to begin looking at my life through a more balanced lens. What am I called to do with this life and how can I best organize my time to accomplish that? For starters that means having some different priorities. I am trying to get involved in a local church (beyond just attending) and also to find time to exercise as simple as that sounds. Certain weeks of the month I find myself with early mornings and late nights which doesn't leave a lot of down time. I don't have many answers right now but at least I am beginning to think about it. I think that is a good first step.
I get that, Jodie!! I am also trying to fit in exercise. I had a pretty good routine going into the summer, but now that school has started it is so much harder! I'm tired! I can imagine how hard it must be for you, with the job that you do! I am praying for you and I know the Lord will show you the balance He wants you to have in your life!
ReplyDeleteYes, but you have a family to take care of so you also have a crazy schedule! The older I get the more I realize it's a challenge at every age and stage of life for all of us! (and that balance will probably look different at those stages too)
ReplyDeleteI have balance issues too! I finally decided that I will do my very best at work, but that it won't be more important than my health or family. Sometimes that means finishing things late or not doing them as well as I would like to. That is a hard pill to swallow but overall I feel better.
ReplyDeleteAbout the exercise -- I have standing appointments that I just don't break on Mon, Tues and Fri. That way, even if I can't get to it the other days, my week wasn't a total disaster. It helps that the I go to a yoga studio and that my teachers expect to see me. I will admit that gets me through the door at least 30% of the time. It also helps that I pay for my classes. It makes me more serious about getting there and working hard once I'm there.