How to Thrive and Live a Well-Balanced Life

Chaos. This was the only word I could describe my life as I sat in my dining room that was filled to the brim in boxes in front of a never-ending to-do list of personal and work-related tasks. At that moment, I realized that if I were going to survive closing on a house, a global pandemic, work deadlines while juggling motherhood I would need to dig deep for motivation to push through.

As I began to find small ways to operate at a higher efficiency, I realized that I would not only survive this tough month, but I could also thrive and live my best life.

If you’re reading this, then I assume YOU too are interested in chasing after your dreams, setting goals, while also not causing burnout. There is beauty in changing small habits. Here are a few things that have worked for me:

1) Multi-purpose everything you do.

Work smarter, not harder. Exercise with a walk after dinner while spending time with your family. This helps reduce anxiety and stress by spending time in nature in addition to burning a few calories. If you have little ones or a significant other longing for your attention after a long day, this doubles as an opportunity to get in quality time with them as well.
If a morning commute is part of your daily routine, swap out a few of your favorite tunes for an inspirational podcast or an audiobook while driving to the office or riding into town on the bus. You will be fueling your mind with knowledge and motivation to keep going.

2) Prepare, prepare, prepare.

Weekly food prep has never been something I’ve thrived at, but there are several other ways to protect yourself from an overly busy daily schedule. Have a plan for your week. Make sure your fridge has all the ingredients you need for the week to avoid an after-work store run. If you have an appointment or a late meeting one day of the week, reserve that for your restaurant or take-out night. Guiltlessly eat the Chinese takeout and enjoy every bit of it.
Find small ways in your day-to-day schedule to prepare at night rather than the morning of. From experience, the ten minutes I carve out to prepare in the evening always saves me a million minutes, and my sanity during a busy morning routine.

3) Be open to asking for help.

This one is a no brainer. At some point, you will need help. Whether it be keeping up your household, meeting a deadline at work, struggling with a tough mental health week, you must learn to pick up the phone and rely on your sister circle, your significant other, a parent, or a friend for assistance.

4) Carve out time for rest and recovery.

Once we have our minds set on a goal, we put forth every ounce of effort and restlessly continue this cycle for months – sometimes years. If we want to jumpstart our careers, we rush to every networking event. If we set a new fitness goal, we give ourselves strict diet restrictions. We work hard. So let this be your gentle reminder to give yourself a break.
Even being the magical beings we are as women, we must remember that rest is key always. Make it a goal to have one day of the week that is truly dedicated to relaxing. Say no to the invite and realign your mind, body, and soul.

So, it’s that simple! YES – our lives get busy. NO – we do not have to put our dreams on hold. To recap, we can thrive and maintain balance by multi-purposing everything we do, preparation, asking for help when needed, and carving out time for rest. I challenge you to adopt even one of these tips and watch your life transform!

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