Out of Balance? Tips to Tango on the Tightrope of Life

Give me some time and I’ll find a way to spend it.

Chores, blogging, time with the kids, reading, biking, styling my hair. I’m sure you have a list, too. Add things like morning routines, a day job and sex and suddenly you’re wobbling to find balance. A priority or two might careen off the rope, which can lead to feeling overwhelmed, spent and stressed.

It doesn’t matter how much you change your schedule or lifestyle – there will always be a way to fill up the hours in the day. Even now without a day job, I still find myself scrambling to meet a deadline from time to time.

Point taken: There will always be a need for balance.

Where does that feeling of balance exist? In my experience, there are a few areas to foster before feeling good about my tightrope routine. What seems like a to-do list is really a basic dance – which can lead to fun, sexier moves once in place.

Ready to replace wobbling with a tango, samba or pirouette? Start with a basic foundation. When I take care of these beginner’s moves toward a balanced life, there is more time to have fun, be spontaneous and do some amazing work.

Step one: The Essentials.

Plan ahead. Living in the moment is a lot easier to do with these essentials in line: Food, shelter and clothing.

Specifically -

Food

Create a weekly meal plan. Head over to The Organized Home for the long version of this tip.
Grocery shop using a master shopping list. Click here to download mine (items are in order of how we navigate the store) or revise at will.
Pack snacks and water for long car rides or shopping trips. Granola bars, nuts, crackers and fruit are easy to grab and go. This saves money by avoiding fast food and convenience stores, too.

Shelter

Live like a small house. A minimalist approach to personal possessions means I spend a lot less time cleaning and decluttering. Get as much off the floor as possible and donate the stuff you never use. Here are some really good posts to help you get started.
A guide to creating a minimalist home from Zen Habits.
Clear the clutter you can’t see from Be More With Less.
Managing common household clutter from Serene Journey.
Get and stay organized by subscribing to Unclutterer.

Clothing

Find your laundry groove. I like to wash and dry everything in one day, dump in a big pile on the floor and fold it all at once.
Store things like cloth napkins and wash cloths in a basket and quit folding them.

Step two: Reclaim your attention and set boundaries.

Turn off distractions like the cell phone, TV, social networking sites and email. When you need to get something done, give it your attention. Single-task.

Set a timer. Take 10 minutes and see what you accomplish. Then give yourself permission to stop or take a break when the bell sounds.

Break up with social networking sites. A friend recently sent me this email: “I am breaking up with Facebook! There is too much life to live and too many baby giggles that I don’t want to miss.” That really sums it up. If you want keep your Facebook relationship, consider limiting the time with a timer or checking it once a day.

Limit email checking. The more emails you send, the more you’ll get. Give it your full attention once or twice a day instead of each time the ”new mail” icon appears on the screen.

Take a vacation and don’t take the laptop. A notebook and pen works for those moments when inspiration hits.

Step three: Self care.

Spend time in solitude. Filling your schedule to bursting never feels like balance. Give yourself permission to be alone. It could be on a walk, sitting on the couch or a moment with the bedroom door closed. Tell the people you love: “I need to be alone for 15 minutes.” Lay down and daydream. Rest from the demands of those who need you.

Feeling centered, the wobbly dance of life spins and twirls straight to joy.