How do you create healthy work-life balance?

One common misconception about Mindfulness is that it clears your mind. Similar to saying "I'm too dirty to take a shower" is the saying "my mind is too busy to meditate". The point of Mindfulness is to allow yourself to see your thoughts and slowly learn not to get attached or sucked into them. One of my favorite sayings inspired from Pema Chodron is Desired Change Comes From Observation Without Judgement. Mindfulness allows you to rest in life. It allows us to learn to tolerate the feeling of groundlessness without panicking or grasping for comfort. We learn the "bad" isn't bad at all. We learn the "good" isn't worth clinging to. If your pen runs out of ink, we must get a new one and keep writing, no sense in wasting time in anger.

Mindfulness is a mental state characterized by being fully present and engaged in the current moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts and feelings, as well as the external environment, in a focused and non-reactive way. By practicing mindfulness, we are consciously directing our attention to the present moment. A key takeaway from mindfulness is that it can be a powerful tool for cultivating personal discipline.

I use mindfulness daily to create work / life balance . I ride my bicycle for two or three 10 minute intervals as I work from home and fear a sedentary life style . I look at the beautiful nature that are around, feel the sun, wind and breeze, listen to the birds, say hi to people as I ride -keeps you in the moment

One of the great ways mindfulness helps my work life balance is by being fully engaged in the present moment, weather I'm working, taking a break, or resting at the end of the day. It's not always easy, but it's worth the effort.

An easy way to get started is by taking a mindful S.T.O.P. Break. This acronym helps you remember to Stop-literally pause and be still (if possible). When we quiet out mind and body we can be truly in the present moment. T is for Take a Breath (or two or three!). Noticing the breath as you inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth and allow your shoulders drop down and release tension can feel relaxing and energizing. O is for Observe. You can observe your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, or your environment. Observing, without judgement helps you practice presence. Observing helps you be self compassionate by acknowledging what you need. And finally P is for Proceed Mindfully trusting it only takes a moment to practice!

Mindfulness practice is great for shifting negative self-talk (your inner voice/the way you speak to yourself). We tend to hold onto negative memories really easily, but our brain needs a little more help to remember and re-experience positive moments. Do you still think about (and cringe over) an embarrassing memory from years ago? You’re not alone! Our brains are great at holding onto these unpleasant moments. Mindfulness is so helpful because it helps us practice really experiencing enjoyable moments (even if it’s something small like a delicious bite of food). The more attention we’re able to focus on these experiences, the happier and more balanced we feel.