Finding balance in the chaos

I’m all about balance. I have to be when I’m working full-time, in school part-time, training for a race, writing a newsletter, and seeing my friends in between. There are many things to juggle, and I’m just trying to stay above water most days.?

I don’t believe we need to sacrifice parts of ourselves to live a fulfilling life, but we do have to create time for what’s important. We can’t be all things, all the time, to all people. I can’t run, study, work, write all at once. It’s impossible. And I also can’t focus on just those things all the time. I need to be able to take breaks and have fun.?

Our lives should not be revolved around being the most productive versions of ourselves. Rather, our lives should be a balance between what we must do and what we want to do. I have to work to earn a living, so I have a job. I want to run, so I’m training for a race. I have to take care of my health, so I incorporate movement as much as possible. I want to write, so you keep seeing more of this newsletter.?

Here’s how I try to find the balance in my life:

Setting boundaries?

I work from home and have flexible hours, but I set very specific hours and only work within that time. I have to separate work time from the rest of my life so that I can focus on my other priorities. This is easier to do because my hours are flexible, but I need structure to function. So I created my structures. I have my lunch hour blocked off on my calendar and turn off all work notifications once it hits 4:30 pm. My boundaries might shift depending on what needs to be done, but I stick to it most of the time.?

Saying no?

Fighting my deep FOMO by saying this, but I can’t do everything. And that’s okay! I say yes to what I can especially if it fits what I’m prioritizing. But if I don’t have time or need to study, then I’ll say no. I have to say no. Saying no is what keeps my calendar from becoming insane. This doesn’t mean saying no to everything. You can’t keep saying no to hanging out with your friends or saying no to doing fun things. Saying no means that you’re discerning between things that are good for you, things that are bad for you, and what you have time for. Say yes to the things that keep you moving in the right direction, but say no to what’s holding you back. I wrote about this in a previous issue of my newsletter so check it out here.?

Prioritizing self-care and rest

Self-care and rest are essential not to just being productive, but to being human. Taking care of yourself is not a privilege, it’s a necessity. We live in a society that emphasizes how much we produce, over our humanity. It’s time for us to take back our humanity and rest. I make sure to build self-care into every single day. It looks different each day, but I stay as intentional about it as I can. Somedays, it’s a refreshing shower at the end of the day or taking time to cook myself a nourishing meal. Other days it’s a solo dance party in my room or journaling. Taking care of yourself comes in different forms, but it’s something we have to do. Being constantly stressed, tired, and anxious is not good. Find ways to practice self-care every day.?

Consistency over perfection?

The need to be perfect kept me from doing what I wanted. I do not need to be perfect to do something, I just have to keep showing up. I’m not the perfect runner and I’m still working on my form, but I keep showing up to my training. I’m not the perfect writer, but I keep publishing my newsletters. Doing something consistently will get you further than attempting to aim for perfection every time. Perfection, much like comparison, is the thief of joy. I don’t run because I need to be the most perfect runner. I run because it’s something I enjoy and it makes me feel better. I don’t need to be perfect to enjoy something. Do it badly, do it stressed, do it sad, do it happy, just do it.?

Planning ahead?

This is the real secret behind the curtain. Leaning into planning has helped me stay on track. I started planning my workouts ahead of time so I always know what to expect. I’m also beginning to plan my work day out the day before. I get distracted and off track if I don’t have a schedule in place to follow. Following a schedule makes it easier for me to do it. I pick out my outfit for the day the night before so that I don’t have to think about it in the morning. I set my gym bag by my closet so I can just grab it and go. Making things easier for future Yukta makes everything easier.

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