Life is just sometimes chaotic, right? I’ve always had a very full life, even since college. I juggled going to college/uni, studying at home, working part-time, blogging, hobbies, and making time for family/friends/relationships. However, if there’s one thing that everyone in my life calls me, it’s organised. That’s not to say I’m perfect but how I balance everything in life is something I’ve been fine-tuning since I was 16!
Plan out your week
If there’s one thing that helps me balance my life, it’s weekly planning. I sit down on a Friday, gather my planning tools, and get everything out of my head. By planning tools, I mean my bullet journal, colored pens, Google Calendar, and Asana. I also have a wall calendar for general plans too. First, I’ll brain-dump everything I think I have to do in the upcoming week. Next, I prioritise what needs to get done and what I’d like to get done. The needs get organised and put on Google Calendar, the rest sit on a running to-do list.
Say no more often
This is a hard one if you’re a social butterfly but sometimes, you just don’t have time for everyone and everything. It genuinely depends on what your priorities are right now. Mine are my business and my finances. I’ve told friends about this and they understand. Those who don’t, they’re not really my friends anymore. If the people in your life can’t respect your boundaries, they shouldn’t be in your life. Saying no to plans doesn’t make you a bad person. Just find time to schedule those plans at a later date.
Listen to your body
One thing I’ve found working from home but still juggling lots of plates is my body often shuts down when everything is too much. I was diagnosed with stress headaches when I was 15 and if I don’t catch them, they turn into migraines. That’s why I try to avoid this. Stress is part of running a business but a lot of time, it’s over something I can’t do anything about. That’s why I schedule in buffer time in my weekly schedule, just in case I need to take an hour to myself to just relax during the day.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is king! If I get less than 7 hours of sleep, my day starts off well but I’m done by lunchtime. If I get 8 hours, I’m usually okay until late afternoon. I’m not lying when I say that sleep can make or break my day. That’s why I go to bed and wake up at a similar time every day so my general sleep pattern is 11pm to 7am.
Schedule alone time
As an introvert and someone running a business from home, I spend a lot of time alone. However, I don’t really consider this ‘alone time’. I’m talking about actively spending time doing something on your own. For me, my morning and evening routines are alone time as well as when I treat myself to a day out of the house every fortnight. For you, it might be scheduling time for a hobby or a self-care night.
Make time for those who matter
Whilst I’m very secure being on my own, it’s important not to get too secluded! Even with a busy schedule, you can make time for those who matter the most to you. A quick 10-minute phone call, a coffee after work, whatever you like to do with close friends and family. If you’re super busy, just get a date put in the diary for the following month!
Treat yourself regularly
What is the point in life if we can’t treat ourselves? Again, this is super personal! Treats to me can be anything from a share bag of Cadbury’s chocolates to concert tickets! They can be inexpensive until you save up for something that costs a little more. Smaller treats that you don’t usually buy feel great on a regular basis!
Find routines that work for you
If you’re a regular TEE reader, you’ll know I’m a stickler for routines. However, that doesn’t mean they have to be rigid. You can have a selection of tasks you’d like to include in your routine but just pick and mix from this list on a daily basis. If you’re new to routines, I’d recommend keeping them simple.
Reset every week
I’m also big on my Sunday resets! Since implementing them this year, I feel so much more refreshed on a Sunday night and ready to tackle everything on a Monday morning. I have a general list of what I do every week but I can switch it up every week. One Sunday, I’ll do a deep clean of the house, the following week will be focused on self-care, the next will be all about planning and the final one is spare. I’ll alternate these every month so I at least get one of them in every month.
Prioritise what’s important to you
At the end of the day, having a balanced life means something different to each of us. Some of us need a lot of time alone and at home, others thrive in social settings out of the house. One month, you might need to focus on work but then you might focus on fun the month after. It’s all about prioritising what you think is important and making time for what fills your cup.
Pick your non-negotiables
This is basically what you want to get done for yourself. It could be a morning workout, going to a coffee shop every week with a friend, or time to plan your week. For me, I like to put my non-negotiables in my morning and evening routines so they get done first thing or before bed. Non-negotiables could be tasks you do daily, weekly, or monthly.
Focus on healthy habits
This follows on from my previous point but implementing healthy habits really does help you find some balance in your life. Whether it’s working out at the same time every day or having a water bottle on your desk at all times, you can even stack new habits onto existing habits to maintain them. It’s something you’ll have to work on daily but it’s worth it in the end!
It might seem overwhelming how I balance everything in life but it’s honestly something that I’ve been working on for nearly 15 years. It’s mostly trial and error until you find what works for you, especially when it comes to prioritising what’s important to you and saying no to loved ones on occasion.
If you enjoyed reading about how I balance everything in life, you can find my other organisation posts here. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram too for more day-to-day happenings!
