HEALTH + WELLNESS
Today ’ s world is high pressure , which generally means higher stress levels . That said , we are the masters of our own destinies and there are some simple , effective methods we can all strive to put in place to help redress some much needed equilibrium in our lives – once things feel solid , positive and on a better , more fulfilling path , the after-effect is that the negative voices we may carry ( that often harbour blame , guilt , or resentment ) dissipate , replaced instead by greater love and acceptance for ourselves .
Work
No matter how much you love ( or dislike ) your work , if you spend more time thinking about your job than anything else then you have your priorities in the wrong order . In the battle of time to relish your children simply being children , or sitting down for an uninterrupted dinner with your partner a couple of times a week over making more money , or achieving ‘ success ’, quality time will always win . Remind yourself that family comes first and then do something to physically prove that point , which can start off as simply as coming home early one night a week .
Leave your work at work and , unless it ’ s a bona fide emergency , stop taking business calls or responding to work emails outside of working hours . Better still , leave your phone out of earshot once you ’ re at home , so you can keep your attention elsewhere – this is a big ask , but if the thought of it causes you anxiety , that ’ s a surefire sign of imbalance . At the very least , put your phone on silent , check it if you must and build up a resistance from there .
In work and in life overall , it ’ s important to grasp the ‘ yin yang ’ of it all – success and apparent failure is all part of achieving balance and most of us likely have a bit of both in our lives , but only focus on one . If you are someone who naturally gives yourself a hard time when comparing yourself to your colleagues , shift that mindset to recognise where you ’ ve succeeded . If you can work out what you ’ re afraid of and why this makes you focus on the negative instead of the positive , you can then find ways to better yourself in the area that you think you ’ re lacking in .
21st-century women have a pretty strong and positive identity when compared to their counterparts from years gone by , but , according to psychology , adult women still struggle with low self-esteem and ambivalence at work becoming frustrated and impatient when developments in their careers don ’ t happen exactly as they imagined . Which is where finding the balance between diligence and passion , and being open to alternative opportunities comes in . Say yes more at work – if an opportunity is presented to you that isn ’ t what you originally had in mind , grab it ; what ’ s the worst that could happen ?
Family & Relationships
Ensuring that you dedicate as much time to your important relationships as you do to your job is a slow and steady transition that won ’ t be achieved overnight , but that will make all the difference eventually . A good starting point is to make a note of important dates – birthdays , anniversaries etc . – and actually do something to mark them ; even an e-card is better than no card at all . Make sure you transfer them at the end of the year when you get a new calendar or diary , too .
Ensure that your loved ones know where your priorities lie and do everything you can to let them see that they are your first choice . Be specific here – it ’ s better all round to state that you ’ re going to spend an hour alone with each of your children at least once a week than to say that you ’ re going to try and spend more quality time with each of them . Quality time is a brilliant concept , but it ’ s also a vague one , so unless you ’ re clear , it ’ s hard to quantify whether or not you ’ ve accomplished that goal . Children are so wonderfully perceptive and know instantly if your mind starts to wander , so it ’ s important to show them that they are deserving of your undivided attention .
Communication with your partner is absolutely key to keeping your relationship on a positive track and if something ’ s not making you happy , you should chat about it – sharing a life ( and your personal space ) with another person is an incredible balancing act in itself that involves not only individual strength , but interactive support , so if you ’ re bearing all the weight , you won ’ t find harmony . Equally important , when someone is making you happy , tell them – it doesn ’ t matter if your other half always does the same chores ; if you take a minute to recognise that they ’ ve done them , a little appreciation will make a huge difference to how they feel .
You
When did ‘ me time ’ become something that we ’ re supposed to feel guilty about ? Sometimes there ’ s an essential need for a little selfishness , even if that involves a quick workout , a ten-minute meditation , or a short walk on your own , so make sure you focus on yourself as well as others – if you ’ re run down and stretched too thinly , but everyone else is well looked after , the scales are tipping too far in the wrong direction .
The internet – particularly social media – can be addictive and can swallow up precious minutes if you let it , plus there have been numerous reported cases of people getting hugely depressed because they ’ re obsessing about the apparently perfect lives of others in comparison to their relatively ‘ normal ’ existence . Put the laptop away and spend any free time you have with real people in real situations – it ’ s far
less distracting and far more fun . BROADDITCH FARM SHOP
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