“Always keep in mind the paramount importance of living a balanced life, with emphasis on nurturing strong family ties while still doing the things that you find rewarding for reasons other than mere monetary income”
-Derric Yuh Ndim
In this life you will be pulled in a million different directions and enticed by an endless array of aspirations. The good and bad news in all of this is that you get to decide what you chase and how you spend this precious time that you have here on this earth.
Why is that a bad thing sometimes?
Because balance then is our responsibility and is often lost when we don’t make a point of finding it in the midst of our day to day lives.
So then, what is a balanced life?
Lets start with balance:
Balance(noun): A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
Balance(verb): To keep or put something in a steady position so that it does not fall.
Keeping these definitions in mind, what does it mean to live a balanced life?
A balanced life is one where our time, energy, and intentions are evenly dispersed amongst every aspect of our lives. Between family, work, dreams, time alone, hobbies, and community, there’s a lot of things in this life vying for our attention. When we understand how to keep these various elements in their correct proportions we are working towards balance.
Balance is an art form we must practice. If we neglect to balance our lives properly we will start to see various elements of our lives slip through the cracks.
Have you ever dove head first into a career only to resurface months later and realize you haven’t had a chance to take care of your mental health leaving you burnt out? Or have you ever gotten into a new relationship and suddenly neglected your other friendships and responsibilities?
We can’t give all of our attention to just one thing in life and expect to not lose balance in doing so.
As leaders we must find balance between our personal and professional lives if we want to have a career and lifestyle that is maintainable over time. Something important to keep in mind as well is that balance for me will look different than balance looks for you. We all have different lives, responsibilities, and passions, so what works for one person in regards to balance won’t necessarily work for you.
The common thread in all of this is however, is that if we want to have balanced lives we have to be intentional with our time and energy.
We must recognize the significance of this singular life we’ve been given and find a way to be fulfilled in every aspect of it. We must identify the things that matter to us and make it our intention to hold them all evenly in our hands.
That means occasionally making sacrifices to keep what’s important on an even playing field. That looks like working hard during work hours so that you can spend your time off fully present with your kids. It means a couple less drinks on Margarita Monday so that you can wake up with your kids before school and not feel sick. It means a million different things for 7 billion different people-but the key is to find that balance. To dwell in a place of fullness that allows you to be fulfilled in the areas of life that matter most to you.
It means having an awareness and gratitude for the grand scope of this life.
And on the days when we do let things slip through the cracks, we have to be willing to take a deep breath, pause, and regroup.
A balanced leader is a well rounded one.
I hope you find that sweet spot in your day to day life.
Next week we will take a deeper dive into what a balanced life looks like and look at the long term benefits of seeking balance. But for now…
Lead Well,
