Ever feel like something is off? Finding life balance is the key to living well. Many people feel that they are really triumphing in one area of life, while another is falling apart. Others feel like they have it all, but still do not feel truly happy.
You probably feel like you are juggling a dozen balls, with your job, kids, spouse, health, etc. It feels as if at any moment you will start to drop some of these balls. While our society emphasizes success in some areas, it neglects many others. Your identity can become the work you do. What good is it to be financially successful if you still feel unhappy. You may find yourself turning to medication, therapy, and rehab to simply survive in this world.
The area that usually needs fixing is your work life balance. Regardless of your career, it likely takes up a major part of your life. It is very easy for this to take over completely. You don't want the focus on work to end up distracting you from other important parts of your life. Even if your job is really important, it really just serves two purposes:
-- Financial means to do what you really want to do (ie. be with your favorite people, relax, live life to its fullest), and
--You may get a sense of purpose from your work, particularly if it is a passion for you.
Work must stay in perspective. You cannot allow it to take over your entire life, unless you are a nun. It is easy to get into the mindset of constantly working, with the promise to really start living once you reach a certain goal. Unfortunately, you will always find another goal to reach.
The time to start living is now, in this very moment. Being present in the moment requires a high level of self awareness. Our culture is not good at this on a whole. You eat, drink, shop, work, etc. all to really avoid anything remotely close to introspection. You don't want to look in there--it is really dark and scary.
In order to find life balance, you are going to have to be aware of your inner needs. You have an internal compass, and it will tell you when you need to cuddle with your spouse, play with your kids, have a nap, etc. Being disconnected is easy and accepted in our society. Reconnecting with others requires the discomfort of being vulnerable and open. This connection is essential to being happy.
The connection with yourself may be the most important of all. You are probably very disconnected to yourself even if most of the time you are alone. It is common for you to want to do one thing, but have your brain telling you that you 'should' do something more productive. If you don't do what you 'should' do, you will find yourself miserable with guilt.
When you take away all of the 'shoulds', you begin to see how effective your internal compass really is. You have to stop 'shoulding' all over yourself if you hope to ever really find work life balance.
About the Author:
Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS is in private practice in Texas, where she focuses on helping clients create a healthy lifestyle. Check out her site to create your own personal development plan. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
View this post on my blog: http://travelnursesuccess.com/work-life-balance-tips
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