Our Endless Quest Towards Balance

By: Kerry Rork

Balance - that seemingly mythical term that often finds itself on New Year’s Resolutions while often never actualized in any capacity in our real lives. Why is it so hard to find this balance between our work and our play, the more mundane aspects of life coupled with the thrills of friendships, adventures, and parties? 

If you sometimes feel like you can’t breathe underneath the ever-mounting piles of work or find homework becoming the last priority between your relationships and going out, you’ve come to the right place. Balance is certainly not an easy task. 

It is important to note here that what is balance for some is hell on Earth for others.  Take it from the show, “Emily in Paris:” “some of us live to work while others work to live.” There are people who need to work more than others to feel fulfilled, but that does not mean that every little moment of the day should be taken up with emails, spreadsheets, and an endless to-do list. On the opposite side of that coin, do not let your goals slip through the cracks. 

Remember the goal is not perfection but room to both breathe and grow. If you find yourself suffocating, look at what you can give up. Learn to say ‘no’ to new activities, clubs, and plans to allow yourself the chance to relax and reflect.

Your first step can be to access where your life is and where you want to go. Are you exhausted from work? Perhaps, it is time to give something up and use that time to breathe.

Set some goals. Where do you want your relationships, your career, your life to go? Make realistic and structured plans to achieve those goals. Think SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. This can help you brainstorm what your steps are.

Remember: Reassessing your life should not become a one-time thing, rather a regularly repeated habit. Give yourself the time to assess where you are with your goals and what may still be inhibiting them. This change won’t happen overnight.