Making Time for You
Attend to your spiritual needs. It is important for you to feel connected to the universe and to find your purpose in life. Making time for spirituality allows you to direct your attention inward, leading to greater resilience to life struggles and even a longer life.
- Do not confuse spiritual needs with religion–the two may or may not intersect. If you are religious, this can include organized services and time with small groups who share your focus. Passing on your beliefs and history to your family can also be a big part of this.
- Spirituality can also come from being a part of the larger community, in whatever form you enjoy. It can include volunteering with a special community service project or connecting with others in your neighborhood. Other forms of spirituality may be meditation, journaling, prayer, or even doing yoga.
Spend Time with People Who Nurture and Support You
that you deserve to be loved and to find happiness in life. Even though you may not be able to choose those you work with, you can make an effort outside of work to keep positive people close. Doing so will help balance your life.
- If you feel obligated to spend time with family members who may not always be supportive, make this time very limited and infrequent. You may not be able to cut a negative relative out completely, but you do not need to see him or her on a daily basis. That is a privilege for those who love and support you.
Recognize Quality Over Quantity for Family
No matter what you do, you will never be able to dedicate as much time as you’d like to your relationships. However, when you make sure that you are fully present and engaged during the time that you do have, you can maximize on even the small moments you spend with those you love.
- Commit to unplugging during family time. Unless you are on call for life-threatening emergencies like a doctor, those calls or emails can wait. Make it a rule that everyone unplugs together.
- Do not make the mistake of thinking balance only happens when you spend an equal amount of time at work and home. The minutes you spend there don’t count as much as spending each minute making the most of the situation.
Learn when and how to say “no”
Saying no is healthy and should not be seen as a negative. No doesn’t always mean you are not interested or capable. It can mean you just simply do not have the time or the request doesn’t serve you. Be honest and open about why you are saying no. You will find people respect that more than having you say yes and not being able to complete something.
Try pairing the “no” with a qualifier if you are worried about ruffling feathers. If you are asked to volunteer at the Book Fair at the kids’ school, simply tell them you are already committed to another activity but would make a cash donation towards the fundraiser.
Saying no to small things that do not fit into your priorities or bigger goals can allow you to say yes to the more important things.
Schedule in Down-Time and Breaks
This may seem odd at first to actually block out time to not do anything, but it will help make sure you actually take a break. Set an alarm if you have to that reminds you that the break time is coming up and take the break when it comes up. Do not put it off—make it fit into your schedule to give yourself time to “reboot”.
- Taking a break means physically walking away from your desk to stretch your legs or get a change of scenery. It also means unplugging from checking work emails or taking calls.
- Schedule breaks at home, too, during times you can truly get alone time. Taking a break while the kids do homework or asking your partner to attend one sports practice each week to give you a break are both examples of at-home breaks.
Take That Summer Vacation
Research in the field of psychology by Alison Gopnik, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley has gone to show one major difference between the adult brain and that of a baby.
Think of that feeling of excitement you feel when you visit a new city or park, that feeling of wanting to take in all the scenery and culture, and that is the difference! As adults, we have learned to dampen down a large part of our brain, only being able to intently focus on one task.
Babies however, cannot focus and are captivated by various stimuli around them, splitting their attention all around and taking in as much as they can.
We all still have the ability to do this, but with scheduled daily routines, this becomes impossible.
A summer vacation somewhere exotic could be an opportunity to experience the world in the eyes of a child once again. Everything around you will work to rejuvenate your spirit and renew your energy. Learning new cultures and gaining new experiences will sharpen your creativity and unlock new ideas and innovations.
Whatever field you may work in, tapping into your creative side releases a sense of childlike fun, wonder, curiosity and playfulness in you that helps you in solving any work or life challenges you may encounter.
But your work guilt aside, put on your vacation clothes and create personal and family memories that will live on for decades to come.
To learn more about how vacations can keep you healthy and balanced go to:
www.top10reasonsvacationskeepyouhealthy.com and get the book.
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