What Does It Mean To Live
A Balanced Life?
There aren’t enough hours in the day! There are too many things to do and not enough time! I am so far behind in all my work! These are just a few of the more popular idioms people say when describing the lack of time they have in their lives. However, time is merely an excuse used by many to explain why they neglect to stay on course and reach personal success. Over the years, I’ve watched dreams of grandeur shared amongst my peers turn into after thoughts but it doesn’t have to be that way.

So, how balanced is your life? Are your actions aligned with your goals? A wise man once told me that the key to a happy, healthy, and successful life is balance. Happiness can only be achieved if there is true balance between the physical, the mental, the spiritual and the emotional sides of our being. If your lifestyle isn’t balanced that will lead to stress which can cause the body harm.

So what makes a balanced life? I believe a balanced life consists of fifty percent work (career, education, personal growth, etc.), twenty percent play (vacation, hobbies, sports, activities, etc.) and thirty percent reflection (rest, sleep, journal, reflecting on your day, etc.). This is a formula that I guesstimated much like how chefs eyeball the amount of sugar or seasoning needed in a recipe but its true.

Last year, I decided to put my theory to the test and document my day. I broke out every hour of the day and assigned an action to it starting with the reoccurring activities such as work, gym and volunteering. In the end, the analysis revealed that I spend half of my day at work, a third of my day at rest, and the remainder of my time enjoying some form of entertainment.

I can’t help but wonder if my life appears so balanced then why don’t I have everything I’ve ever wanted? Why am I not living out my dreams? Why do I keep getting the same results? One night, the answer came to me like an epiphany. Balance has a direct correlation with individual goals. Depending upon one’s individual goals he/she may have to work harder to achieve his/her goals. In other words, in order to achieve balance one has to first take a thorough inventory of their lifestyle. Assess how they spend their time then, and only then, can they determine the proper changes to make in order to achieve their goals and ultimately balance.