Striking the perfect balance … is it really possible?

Steph Brunt

Balance seems to be one of those things so many of us are striving for, but really, is it realistic to think we'll ever strike a balance in life? You know the balance I mean.

That "perfect" work/life balance. Where we leave our work at work, we're totally present with our children and family at home, and we don't feel pulled in 10 different directions.

I find it interesting when people say, "You've got the balance right! You get to work but still be there for the kids, amazing!" And to a degree, I guess it does look and sound like the "perfect" balance. But sometimes it's a case of … do you know what's going on behind closed doors? Not really.

No matter what situation you're in, striking that balance is not easy to do. Male or female. Working part-time or fulltime. Have children or don't have children. The struggle is real. And why is that?

These days the societal pressure to do everything, be involved with everything, say "yes" to everything, is strong. The number of hours in the day hasn't increased since the beginning of time, yet the expectation to cram more into that time is increasing year on year.

So how do you go about finding a balance in life? My main suggestion … know what your priorities are and make your decisions with these in mind. What are your non-negotiables?

For me, one of my top priorities is being there for my kids. And that means prioritising my days with my youngest, they're a non-negotiable. When it comes to making decisions around work, I will always keep these in mind. Yes, I could work more hours for sure! But would that mean I'm compromising on my time with my son? Yes, it would.

What you can do

Take 10 minutes to sit down and work out what your top five priorities in life are. They could be things like … time with family, career progression, contributing to my community, being there for my friends and family, or being fit and healthy.

Once you have your top five priorities written down, write three reasons for each of them being a priority. Why are they on your list? What makes them a priority? This will solidify in your mind the importance of them in your life.

From there, when you are faced with a decision, ask yourself, "does this align with my top five priorities?" If the answer is no, I'd challenge you to question how you make the decision. It might be clear to you what you need to do. But there might also be a conflict in your head. Either way, always come back to these priorities.

These priorities can help keep you grounded. They can help you make a tough decision. They can help keep you on track.

Striking the perfect balance is a pretty tough ask. But by knowing our priorities, we can work towards a balance that works for us. And at the end of the day, that's what matters most.

Steph Brunt is a certified health and life coach in Whanganui. Steph works with adults who struggle with thoughts of not being good enough, who feel "stuck", overwhelmed, stressed and like their life is out of control. She helps them believe in their abilities so they can thrive and perform in every way. Find Steph on Facebook, Instagram or go to her website, www.stephaniebrunthealthcoaching.com.