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Finding some
semblance of real balance has become the Holy Grail for many of us. We
live our lives on overdrive and schedule ourselves so expertly that not a
moment is "wasted." From the moment the alarm goes off each
morning until we hit the pillow at night, we are highly trained sprinters
— bodies and minds primed for short bursts of energy. We race through our
days, crossing completed activities off our calendars, only to wake up
tomorrow to another day's mix of appointments, commitments, challenges,
dates, meetings and responsibilities. They should call us 'human doings'
instead of 'human beings'!
Why do we allow our
lives to run us? What are we sprinting towards? How does the sprint serve
to enrich us?
Many of us have
mistaken a "busy" life for a "full" one and we are
the poorer for it. We are surprised and disappointed when our busy lives
fail to deeply satisfy us. We have piled our plates high at life's buffet
but when we examine what's really on the plate, it's easy to see why we
don't feel nourished.
 Clarifying what is truly important in your life is
the first step toward balancing your life. What must you have on your
plate for your life to have meaning, weight, purpose, delight? Look
inside and be honest with yourself. What makes you want to get out of bed
and greet the day each morning? What important people, goals and
commitments are taking second billing to irrelevant busy-ness? How can
you protect what's important from the tidal wave of what is not? When
we're not crystal clear about the big stuff, we live reactively,
responding to every wind that blows us, filling up our schedules with
everything and anything — the little stuff. Clarity will enable you to
prioritize.
Taking into account
the non-negotiable constraints of your individual life, here's the
challenge: How can you shift the shape of your days to better reflect
what has meaning for you? How can you live more of the hours of your life
by design and not default?
If you crave more
down time, then you need to simplify and carve out some space for quiet,
contemplation, writing, meditation, exploration, regular exercise, weekly
coaching — whatever it is that will allow you to unwind and find
equilibrium. What this means specifically is calendaring "down
time" into your schedule. Block the time and treat it with the same
deference you would treat an important business meeting. You wouldn't
cancel a meeting if it were in your schedule, so treat your own time with
the same reverence.
 If you love the fast lane and the speed and dynamism
of life lived full tilt, your challenge is to burn bright without burning
out. Take a mental inventory of all the events and responsibilities that
pack your days and confirm which of them energizes you and which of them
depletes you. Even racing cars need to let their engines idle
occasionally.
Why not take a look
at your life this month and see what you need to change to feel
more satisfied. Balance is an elusive grail. You are either moving
towards it or away from it. Make the choice to move dynamically toward a
life that makes sense to you and really feels good.
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