This concept has always been a bit strange to me as how does one find balance? There are so many variables that the first thing I always want to do is define the concept.
Are we talking in general over a lifetime? Or are we speaking about a daily discipline? What are we balancing? Home and work? Or self? Ultimately to me, it can only be self as there will always be troughs and peaks, periods of stress and eustress with reference to work, deadlines, children, family, and home. The latter interchanging or conflating sometimes at the pace of a laid-back ballad and other times similar to a hard-punching rock number on steroids.
In my opinion, thus, finding balance is similar to finding peace and to achieve that, one has to have a solid dose of self-awareness.
Who are we really? What are our priorities and personal goals, our soul intents? Do our soul intent and worldly intent match up? Those of us who have gone through (quite) a few decades of life will know that as we cycle through the seasons these intents differ and ultimately one only realizes it when we take the time out to intentionally question which season we are in.
I am one of the fortunate who really love my work, when I therefore get stuck into a new project my stress is created by anything that drags me away from that project, whether that be additional work or home responsibilities becomes irrelevant. I will work day and night to create the solutions I envision when in this zone.
However, when I am busy with a home or family project, the same principle applies.
Is it thus right to say I need to find balance between work and home? Or is it going to be better to recognize my personal drive and sometimes quite impatient nature as the creator of my reality which can be interpreted as stress or an imbalanced approach over a defined period? For me what has worked has been this self-awareness and when it comes to those projects and times whether it be home or work where the demands and to-do lists are simply just too long for one person, to then, intentionally, work some additional tasks into my day!
You read the previous sentence correctly, by the way. Along with being in the zone and doing the projects you thoroughly enjoy, comes a sense of achievement and satisfaction that truly helps with creating balance and a sense of well-being, without which doing the mundane is simply soul-destroying.
My final contribution to this subject shows up as two cliches (with my personal twist) that I personally find a huge amount of value in:
1. Don't sweat the small stuff daily but do take a weekly or fortnightly stock take.
2. Outsource your weaknesses, delegate, and collaborate where possible, and on the smaller stuff, don't micromanage.
Finding balance in life is a personal journey that hinges on self-awareness and adaptability. It's about aligning our priorities, acknowledging our strengths and limitations, and making intentional choices that foster well-being amidst life's complexities. This is your reminder that balance is not a destination, but a continuous journey of growth and self-mastery.
Let's embrace this journey with intention, resilience, and grace.
© Debbie Engelbrecht 2024
Debbie is the MD at
Staff Training, providing soft skills and leadership training for South Africans since 2000. Should you wish for Staff Training to put together an annual training package for you, please email info@stafftraining.co.za