Spiritual Growth
It is important to take time each day to relax, reflect and consciously think about improving yourself. This can be done in a variety of ways; including meditation, walking, attending services (e.g. church), etc. I try to do this through prayer. Prayer is a wonderful way to relax and connect with God and depending on your religion, this can be the foundation for everything else that you do. Be careful if you put this off until you are already in bed. It is difficult to be effective when you are tired.
Family and Friends
Connect with family and friends as much as you can. These people are your backbone and connection to life. Call your parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, etc. Try to have dinner or participate in other activities with your family as much as you can. Do not forget to call friends that are not involved in your day-to-day life. Mark it in your calendar to call these folks at least once a month. Make sure you are mindful of their time so that both of you can give each other your full attention.
Physical Health
Do at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. If you have a hard time getting motivated, get involved in an active hobby (e.g. running club, basketball league, yoga classes, etc.) that commits you to that activity. Whatever you do, make it a habit so it becomes part of your day. Eat healthy food and do not binge on anything. If you have a sweet tooth, be careful what you keep in the house. If you have lots of fresh, healthy food lying around you will be amazed how your cravings will shift away from junk food.
Personal and Intellectual Growth
Treat this just like your physical health. You should be doing something daily and making a habit of it. With all of the advancement in technology, this can be a breeze. For example, you can listen to a podcast or a book on tape that interests you on your way to and from work. Or you could knock out two birds with one stone and do it while jogging. Again, if self motivation is not your strong suit, join a book club, sign up for a class, ask your company what training they encourage and go do it. You should never stop learning.
Career
Do something that makes you happy each day you go into work. It may be tough to “love” every day of your job, but it is definitely important to have a career that at least inspires, thrills, entertains, motivates, or satisfies you. Set goals each year with clearly stated objectives and track your success. Each day should have purpose and meaning, and each day should have a plan, which should connect to your long term career goals.
Finances
Though happiness far outweighs money, having financial stability relieves a lot of stress that can tamper with your balance. Make a budget and track your budgetary goals against your actual spending. Set yearly and long term savings goals. If you fall short, what happened? It is always important to evaluate any time things do not turn out as you had hoped.
Love and Romance
If you are married or have a significant other, showing and sharing love with one another can be one of the most fulfilling things that you do. Sometimes, we can get comfortable with the ones we love the most so remembering to break away from your routine can keep your love alive. Go out on dates no matter how long you have been married. Or if you have children, surprise him or her with dinner even though you may not cook, take walks together, hold hands, kiss, etc. Whatever you do, be thoughtful and do not be afraid of a little romance. I cannot think of any couple that is in love that is unhappy or unfulfilled.
Physical Environment
This piece involves everything from your home environment (e.g. having the lawn mowed, house cleaned, laundry completed, etc.) to your community environment (e.g. giving to charity, being involved in the neighborhood picnic, coaching a little league baseball team, etc.). The key here is that neglecting your physical environment can really throw you off and make you less effective by pulling your focus away from where you are. Just think, we never feel quite on top of our game when we know we have 8-10 chores to do when we get home from work. The trick here is to stay ahead and involved so you do not get overwhelmed at an inopportune time.
Fun and recreation
Finally, have some fun! Fun and recreation is the ultimate combing tool when you are having a well-balance life. Go out to dinner with friends, go on a hiking adventure, read your favorite book, take your wife to the movies, etc. Part of the idea here is that having a balanced life is not only fulfilling, but it also tremendously fun, and we can enjoy every aspect of it.
Good luck and happy balancing!
