We all share this simple truth… life is a balancing act.  We all feel the familiar pull of several commitments simultaneously… family, work, friends, acquaintances…. they can all be wonderful experiences.  Then why do we feel stressed so much? More often than not, people tell me they feel like they can’t possibly add (or remove) a single ‘to do.’ Despite these feelings, we continue to try to do it all, sometimes to the detriment of our own happiness and success.  We all want to feel some sense of control, but we can’t without a thoughtful attempt to balance our lives.

I came across this interesting definition…

“Balance:  a condition in which different elements are equal

or in the correct proportions.”

I really like this definition, particularly the words:  “in the correct proportions.”  This, to me, is a critical distinction from other definitions of balance. If you take other definitions literally, it is akin to labeling family and friends and work and chores as ‘equal.’ In reality, life is always in flux and at times your family and friends require your full attention.  Other times, work occupies the majority of your resources.  Neither is permanent, but they also are not equal.

So, where am I going with this?  My recommendation for this cold Monday morning in February…Let’s consider the components that make up our world.  Let’s assign the ‘correct proportion’ of our available time and resources to each component for just this week.  Let’s try a new approach to balance that is based in real time and considers our real limitations– 60 minutes in an hour, not a second more. I hope to take it one step further and make appointments in my outlook so that I can visibly see what I want to accomplish this week.  I believe that if we try this approach, we may have a better sense of what balance is truly about.  Then we can make any decisions about priorities in a wiser, more thoughtful way.

Good luck!