At any given moment, your attention is divided among your many obligations at home, work, and among your friends and family. There’s only so many hours in a day – and you only have so much energy. Where do you find the time and strength to do it all? To preserve your energy, it’s important to strive to live a balanced lifestyle that respects all areas of your life that demand your attention, and ensure that each segment receives the attention it deserves.
About a balanced lifestyle
A balanced lifestyle is one that dedicates the proper amount of energy to work and play, activity and rest, family and friends, self-care and caring for others. A balanced lifestyle involves understanding that busyness and stress have their time and place, but the proper stress management techniques ensure that these feelings don’t take over and impact your daily routine. Life is hectic, but the key to managing it is making sure that you’re making time for you.
The importance of a balanced lifestyle can be traced all the way back to Hippocrates and Galen, who suggested that health is affected when “equilibrium” is off balance. While scientific understanding of the human mind and body is much more comprehensive than when Hippocrates first developed the idea close to 2,000 years ago, the core tenet still holds true: a balanced lifestyle preserves health and wellness.
How can you maintain a balanced lifestyle?
1) Explore activities that contribute to stress reduction
Stress management is of utmost importance in maintaining a balanced lifestyle. There are different types of stress, and not all of them are “bad” stress. However it’s when stress runs unchecked that it begins to encroach in other areas of your life, such as difficulty leaving work at the office. Since everyone experiences stress differently, there are a variety of stress reduction tactics that can prove helpful. Medical professionals suggest a wide range of solutions from listening to music, to spending time with friends and loved ones, practicing gratitude, and decompressing at day’s end. No matter what it looks like, find a stress reduction ritual that works for you, and make it a part of your regular routine.
2) Engage in self-care
Being intentional with your “you” time solidifies that, no matter what happens in your day, you’re still at the forefront. Holding space scared to spend time with yourself and unwind helps separate your obligations to others and obligations to yourself, consciously creating balance in all areas of your life.
Self-care can take many forms. Meditation is one go-to self-care practice, excellent for creating a space to set intentions and reflect on the day. Meditation has relaxation benefits, too; a 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine confirmed that meditation can be a powerful stress reduction tool.
Even something as ordinary as your skincare routine can be a compelling way to care for yourself. The set routine anchors your morning and evening while delivering the rejuvenating botanicals your skin needs to thrive. Products like our award-winning Night Magic facial oil deliver ultra-hydrating prickly pear oil and calming broad spectrum hemp extract for youthful, glowing skin — a true sign that you’ve been taking care of yourself.
3) Try products with CBD
Cannabidiol (CBD) is all about balance. This phytocannabinoid, or cannabinoid derived from plants like hemp, interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a starring role in homeostasis, or keeping your body in its natural, balanced state of being.*
If you’re curious about exploring what CBD is and what it does, there’s a rich array of product types to choose from. Our The Daily vegan softgels include 15mg of broad spectrum hemp extract, strategically paired with extracts and oils designed to improve absorption of the cannabinoid. This easy add-on can become a part of your morning coffee ritual or included with your lunchtime cup of tea.
4) Find time for an exercise you enjoy
Working out is not only beneficial for your body, but for your mind as well. Exercise impacts your mood, both in the short-term and the long term, helps reduce stress levels, and helps promote the good night’s rest you need to recharge for the next day.
5) Try your hand at healthy cooking
Implementing healthy eating habits into your day-to-day is similar to exercise in that it aids both your body and mind. A study published in Appetite found that eating a well-balanced diet not only resulted in positive health for the body, but also in an all-around better mood. But it’s also deeper than that: Eating well is an intentional act, one that puts your health first and creates balance in your mind and body.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to give up French fries and ice cream for good. Life balance applies to your diet as well, finding room for foods you enjoy while ensuring your body and mind are fed the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals. Looking for healthy spins on some of your favorites? Try a dairy-free “nice” cream or baked avocado fries with smoky tomato mayo.
6) Get organized
A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh found that just the idea of organizing and decluttering has calming effects. Implementing organizational tendencies in your life can increase those positive effects tenfold. The study also found that an excess of visual stimuli can be a distraction, affecting our ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand.
7) Do activities that make you happy
This one may seem obvious, but it can easily slip to the back burner as you focus on caring for family members or completing big projects at work. Much of your day is spent focused on the needs of others; it’s easy to forget to enjoy yourself. But it’s all about balance and finding time to ensure you’re focused on your own happiness as well. If you have a hobby you love to pursue, be sure to take time to enjoy it, whether you like to go out for long walks, explore new recipes, or knit hats for your friends.
Exploring ways to achieve a balanced lifestyle
Living a balanced lifestyle is certainly easier said than done. It can be hard to implement balance when work and family obligations demand your attention, too. But neglecting yourself doesn’t do you, or others in your life, any favors. Striking a proper life balance is the best way to preserve your energy, so you can be present and engaged at every moment.
