If it were as easy as simply deciding to be more balanced, everyone would be doing it already. Living a balanced lifestyle comes down to an art form for many, and although we do our best to keep things steady, there are times when the scale tips one way or the other for any of us. This can lead to uncomfortable strains on your time and energy, and a great deal of stress for you.
If you are always rushing, then you have no time to truly enjoy the fruits of your labours, much less enjoy the time that you spend or the life that you lead. The catch 22 might seem to be that you need to work every waking moment to achieve the standard of living that you desire, but by then you have no time to enjoy it! So the big question is coping with this desire, and forcing it to merge with your reality.
If you want the best for yourself, then you are one of millions of women who do. No one wants to have to settle for less when they can afford more, and sometimes this means that otherwise rational women work themselves into the ground in order to keep up the “perfect” lifestyle. What you should really be aiming for is a balanced lifestyle. You may have the great home and the fancy television, but when was the last time you had a chance to sit on your designer couch and really enjoy a movie? If you can't remember, then your life is way out of balance.
It might seem almost tragic to accept less than the best, but if you are not enjoying what you have, then do you even really “have” it anyway? Consider the time that you spend working, and compare it to the time that you spend enjoying yourself. Obviously, you may not be able to make these times match, but if you are spending no time on yourself, then it is time to find a way to cut back on the responsibilities that are keeping you so busy.
Work, even work that you love, should be the means to make a living, and not your whole life. Make an effort to come home and not think about work on the weekends. Do not let this cause you to spend more time working during the week. If you simply cannot handle your workload without going way beyond 40-60 hours a week, then you are heavily overworked. Do you need an assistant? A partner? Talk to your boss or hire someone yourself to help take care of some of the burden. Your time and health is worth the money.
If you cannot afford your home or car or whatever else it is that is so important to you without working at the level at which you are working now, then think hard about it. Can you move? You might not want to leave your beautiful home, but a smaller place could bring you just as much pleasure - more so if you actually have the time to sit back and enjoy your surroundings. A less expensive car might seem like an insult to your success, but do you really need or even want what you are driving now? Think about accepting less, and allowing it to make you even happier than the best.
A bit of free time might not seem like it is worth changing things to lead a more balanced lifestyle, but is your health? Being “on” all the time is stressful and puts a great deal of pressure on your body. Add to that the fact that you are probably not eating right, sleeping enough, or getting enough of the right kind of exercise and you are mixing up a recipe for disaster. Stress negatively impacts many aspects of your health, from causing simple headaches or even migraines to making you more susceptible to illnesses. These things will put you behind in your wok, causing even more stress in your life. Do you see how this can build up to a nervous breakdown? If you find that you need more information on how stress affects your body, log onto www.pfizer.com and in the Well@pfizer you will access expert content you need.
Slow down and allow some peace, relaxation, and rest into your life. A day at the spa once a week or once a month is much better than nothing, but learning to balance your life is even better. Even if your only work is caring for children, you deserve a vacation some of the time. Find a way to leave them with someone you trust at least once a month, and hopefully more, and allow yourself to truly relax, which is what life balance is all about.
Get enough sleep. You need 7-8 hours a night, period. Do not skimp on sleep to make up time for work, hanging out, or for any other reason. Getting enough sleep will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
Schedule time for yourself. Write it in your planner or on your calendar and treat it as an unbreakable appointment. Time to relax, refresh yourself, and find your centre again will help you maintain your new, healthier lifestyle and will allow you to truly find balance in your life.
Healthy living begins with you and the choices you make! And it's not just about what you eat and how much you exercise. Modern life can be busy and stressful, and that can be just as much of an impediment to healthy living as a bad diet and lack of activity.
If you're serious about healthy living, you need to examine how you deal with daily obstacles, as well as how often you take time to reflect and rest. Healthy living isn't just an idea, it's a lifestyle, and that means that the changes you make have to be committed and lasting.
Overhauling your diet and exercise regime are obviously the first step towards healthy living. The next is curbing destructive habits like smoking or alcohol abuse. But what most people don't realize is that stress can be as harmful to your body and wellbeing as any other toxin. Managing stress and getting adequate rest is crucial to wellness. You might want to explore soothing activities that release tensions and lower levels of adrenaline, such as massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy and hypnotherapy. If you are serious about managing stress and creating and fostering the mind-body connection over the long term, you might want to take up training activities like yoga or Pilates. Well@pfizer is a credible resource for information on getting your body active and will provide more detailed strategies on investing into your health and guiding you towards a more balanced life, with the priceless benefit of looking after your health
If stress and tension have become chronic issues and are causing other injuries or illnesses, you might want to try some remedial or holistic therapy.
Invest in your wellness, and you'll see your quality of life skyrocket!
For more information visit wellatpfizer.co.za or pfizer.co.za.
