Finding balance in your life

Get into a good health routine

Now that most of us have settled back into our normal routines after the holiday season, it might be time to have a look at areas in your life that may need improvement.

If you sometimes feel as though you are on a treadmill trying to manage every aspect of your life, and that you are just not getting everything done, you might need a little more balance in your life. A well-balanced life is crucial for our health and well-being, so ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you eating healthily?
• Do you make time for regular exercise?
• Do you make enough time for yourself to re-charge and de-stress?

Eating healthily does not mean being on a diet, it is rather about incorporating healthy food choices into your daily routine to help your body be as healthy as it can be. The following guidelines should make eating healthily easy:

• Eat enough calories but not too many.
• Keep portions moderate.
• Eat at regular intervals to keep your blood sugar levels constant.
• Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
• Eat a wide variety of foods.
• Drink more water.
• Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products.
• Don’t be the food police. You can enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet.

We all know that we should be exercising more to stay healthy, but this is often neglected because most of us claim to be too busy to exercise. The irony is that exercising more would give most of us more energy to tackle our daily tasks. If Barack Obama can manage 45 minutes of exercise most mornings, then surely all of us can find the time to make exercise a priority!

The key to continuing with an exercise routine is to find some kind of exercise that you enjoy doing, which means that you wouldn’t have to force yourself to do it. The next step would be to commit yourself to exercising a few times a week.

Remember you don’t have to be able to run a marathon to benefit from exercise, a daily walk, or some yoga, pilates or powerplate would be just as good, if not better than more strenuous exercise, as you will be getting the added benefit of mentally relaxing and de-stressing as well.

In order to live more balanced lives, we also need to ensure that we are making enough time for ourselves and that we are looking after our own needs. When our own needs are met, we have so much more to give to others. Make time every day to relax and unwind, maybe by starting or ending your day with a short meditation or a fragrant bubble bath.

Give yourself something to look forward to by scheduling a monthly treat such as a facial or massage, or anything else that you enjoy and that you know would make you feel refreshed.

Connect with friends and family who make you feel good about yourself – make it a priority to regularly phone or email friends and family members that do not live close to you.

By taking small steps to take care of ourselves we can hopefully find the balance we need in our lives to become less upset by the small irritations that our daily routines may bring; and live healthier, less stressed lives.