So many times I hear people talk about “Work Life Balance” and it immediately makes me chuckle because I think, “good luck with that”. I’ve yet to see anyone pull off the ever elusive, “Work Life Balance”. I believe that the truth is it’s all about INTEGRATION. Integrating love, work and life in general since it’s virtually impossible to balance equally everything that we all have going on.
I’m bringing this subject up now because “spring fever” adds a deeper layer of potential stress to our desire for balance. In New Jersey we say “forget about it” plus this spring fever thing is for real, it’s not a disease but a condition that’s even defined by Wikipedia so it must be true J.
“Spring fever a term applied to several sets of physical and psychological symptoms associated with the arrival of spring. In general, it refers to an increase in energy, vitality and particularly sexual appetite, often particularly strong in those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD)[1] and thus experiencing lows during the winter months.”
So, now that we’ve cleared this up, let’s get to the good stuff. The key is to avoid burn out and disappointment in our quest to balance everything, instead, I suggest you try integrating it all.
1. Take an inventory of the time that you spend doing non-essential tasks that don’t serve you emotionally, physically or financially (i.e. getting into the vortex of social media for hours throughout your day) and free that time up for more important affairs.
2. Now that you have freed up some time schedule important “Me Time” for love and self-care! This could include things like getting out on dates (weather you’re single or in a relationship). Commit to working out, enjoying an occasional massage, keeping to a healthy diet, etc.
3. Establish a mindset practice, and if the term is foreign to you, its simple, “…before happiness and success comes your perception of the world. So before we can be happy and successful, we need to create a positive reality that allows us to see the possibility for both. “ -Shawn Achor
4. Don’t feel guilty when you have to dedicate time to work, family, fun, etc. Every one of those areas of your life have merit and should be given its due time.
5. The key to NOT feel guilty when you’re with your family, work or when you are playing and having fun, be present and completely enjoy the all your experiences.
As a matchmaker and relationship coach one MAJOR thing I always tell my clients, “attracting love and/or having a relationship and growing a business, raising children as a single parent or any other important aspect of your life is NOT mutually exclusive. You can have it all as long as you learn to integrate, because everyone deserves to love and be loved!