Are you stressed, tired, overworked, stuck in a rut, unfocused, not reaching your goals or down in the dump? If so, I can guarantee you are not balancing your time and energy in an effective way. I do my best to balance these 6 aspects of life and suggest that you take a look at what areas take up your time and energy. Each day, you have about 16 hours to prioritize your time. The other 8 or so should be spent getting restful sleep in your amazing bed (put as much money into a great bed as you can…you spend 1/3 of your life there). If a couple of days get away from you, read this and bring yourself right back to balancing what matters. Get rid of all the other stuff in your life.
1. Self-Care – Exercise, nutrition and any appointments (physical or mental). Spend time improving your health.
2. Fun – Doing things you enjoy and are passionate about. Things that make you feel happy and alive. Spend time improving your mood.
3. Relaxation & Rejuvenation – The stuff in life that makes you feel ‘ahhhhhh’. Relaxing with a significant other or a little quiet and alone time is what most of us need. Spend time just being and recharging.
4. Giving to Others – Doing things for others, supporting a loved one, or volunteering. Maybe you do this for a living or for your kids. Spend time improving the lives of others.
5. Growth – Reading, praying or learning something new. Spend time improving the quality of your education, spirituality or mindset.
6. Sh*t List – You’ve gotta keep attacking your sh*t list. This is that stuff that is flat out annoying. The things you hate and don’t want to do. The stuff that is not that much fun and probably uncomfortable. It is incredibly important to take care of this, because if not, it can bring major sources of complacency, stress, anxiety, etc.
Too much taking care of everyone else, your own health will suffer.
Too much self-care and you aren’t giving to others.
Too much relaxation and you become stale.
Too much of your shit list, and that just sucks. Ignore it, then you become overwhelmed, too comfortable or anxious.
Too much fun, well that is kind of debatable. If other pillars are lacking, you need to refocus. Once you achieve a healthy balance, you will find that you are able to have fun in almost any scenario and that is when you are really winning the balancing act!
1. Self-Care – Exercise, nutrition and any appointments (physical or mental). Spend time improving your health.
2. Fun – Doing things you enjoy and are passionate about. Things that make you feel happy and alive. Spend time improving your mood.
3. Relaxation & Rejuvenation – The stuff in life that makes you feel ‘ahhhhhh’. Relaxing with a significant other or a little quiet and alone time is what most of us need. Spend time just being and recharging.
4. Giving to Others – Doing things for others, supporting a loved one, or volunteering. Maybe you do this for a living or for your kids. Spend time improving the lives of others.
5. Growth – Reading, praying or learning something new. Spend time improving the quality of your education, spirituality or mindset.
6. Sh*t List – You’ve gotta keep attacking your sh*t list. This is that stuff that is flat out annoying. The things you hate and don’t want to do. The stuff that is not that much fun and probably uncomfortable. It is incredibly important to take care of this, because if not, it can bring major sources of complacency, stress, anxiety, etc.
- I consider my work mostly as giving to others, growth or fun. That changes depending on what is going on. You will probably be able to put your work into one of the categories. If you consider your work, almost exclusively as part of your sh*t list, it is taking up too much of your energy. I would start by dealing with that issue first. Forty-something hours a week of sh*t, leaves very little time and energy for the rest of the pillars.
- Each of these pillars can be done alone or with others (especially with people who enhance the experience like a family member, best friend or significant other). Attacking your shit list with someone who is fun, may help. Doing something fun, with someone who is shitty, will not.
- At the end of the week, order the pillars based on where you are spending most your time and energy. Then make the necessary shifts in your priorities.
Too much taking care of everyone else, your own health will suffer.
Too much self-care and you aren’t giving to others.
Too much relaxation and you become stale.
Too much of your shit list, and that just sucks. Ignore it, then you become overwhelmed, too comfortable or anxious.
Too much fun, well that is kind of debatable. If other pillars are lacking, you need to refocus. Once you achieve a healthy balance, you will find that you are able to have fun in almost any scenario and that is when you are really winning the balancing act!
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