In conclusion
Now you have read the “Balance in life” material. Hopefully, it has given you some ideas about what you can do, and how, to take care of yourself and your needs. Continue practising what is relevant to you. Take a few minutes each day to reflect on what you might do differently tomorrow.
Use the questions below to get ideas about what you would like to do more of and less of, based on the content in the different sections.
Have you tried to take care of your needs during the day? Have you taken breaks, eaten in a way that gives you good energy, done something simply because you want to and not just focused on performance?
Have you done something aligned with what you value in life, even if it feels like you don’t have time or you feel resistance for different reasons? This could mean going for a planned walk or run even though you really don’t feel like it, getting up when the alarm goes off even though you want to snooze so that you can have a calm morning and a proper breakfast, or going to bed on time even though you would rather binge-watch series half the night.
Have you been consciously present in what is happening a few times during the day? If not, is there something you can do to make that happen? Perhaps consciously directing your full attention to what is happening around you for a couple of minutes – what you can see, what you can hear, what you can feel on your skin, what you can smell. Or choosing an activity that requires your presence, such as knitting, drawing/painting, baking or cooking a new recipe.
Have you been criticising or judging yourself or what you are doing? If so, can you find a more respectful way of speaking to yourself? Can you be factual and use problem-solving when there is something you can change, and aim for acceptance of what you can’t control? Try to let it be, and choose to refrain from rumination.
Thank you for choosing to spend time with this content, and good luck in increasing the balance between stress and recovery!