My Version of a Perfectly Balanced Day

This search for balance didn't just come out of nowhere. I was sinking into a samey world of rinse and repeat. Each day the same as the last - predictable and a little depressing. I enjoy my job and it really wasn't about that at all. Teaching is a great profession for the keeping the mind sharp. All students present interesting and different challenges, but the fact that there was nothing productive happening before or after work was really starting to get me down. I'm a constant work in progress and I'm still trying to put together my "perfect day", but things have really improved with a few little steps forward and some personal development.

Let me start by listing my obvious bad habits:

1. Going to bed far too late

2. Waking up with just enough time to get ready to leave for work (in a hurry)

3. Never taking food or water with me = moody and deydrated, always in a rush to stop somewhere and get something.

4. Counting the minutes until the end of my working day

5. Coming home and immediately plopping myself down on the couch in front of the TV (probably with a snack)

6. Eating a huge dinner (again, in front of the TV)

7. Going to sleep full.

Aside from teaching, I was achieving literally NOTHING. I was so lazy but I didn't realise it because I was working long, full days. I couldn't figure out why I felt so down, stagnent, aimless and as if I had lost all ambition.

All these negative feelings were not helped by the fact that everywhere I looked, everyone around me seemed to moving forward in some way or another, whether it be by furthering their education, starting small sideline business, getting married having children... and there I was, just plodding along every day, but going nowhere. I was inspired and encouraged by everyone around me, but at the same time I felt so stuck. I knew I wanted to start feeling better about myself but I honestly had no idea where to start.

It turns out that the old saying is true. "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." This was certainly true for me.

Becoming even slightly more productive has taken months of small changes that I've implemented periodically. The changes have to be small, because they have to be made every single day. I started with exercise, slowly added in healthy eating and preparing food to take with me to work, doing personal development, which involves reading and listening to podcats. It's through this personal developent that I've managed to figure out what they keys are to a balanced, productive day.

This is what seems to work for me (how selfish!):

Go to bed early.

In order to wake up refreshed and to give your body enough time to the work it needs to do while you sleep, you have to get a good nights rest. Your body requires 8 hours of sleep to recover from the previous day and prepare you for the day ahead. Aside from that, who actually likes waking up exhausted?!

Organise and de-clutter your environment.

Prepare your lunch the night before. I even go as far as preparing my workout clothes for the next morning. Clean up your kitchen after dinner so that when you walk in to make your breakfast, you do't cringe at the sight. Make your bed. All these litter outer actions help to make our minds feel calm.

Wake up early.

This is a biggie. The morning - before anyone else is awake, before your day has officially started, when nobody is going to e-mail or call you and be demanding of your time, is the most precious time of the day. I use this time of day to get moving - I always do some form of exercise. It get's my circulation going and created focus from the very start of my day, but you can use this time for anything - medidate, go for a walk, read the news... whatever.

Move Slowly.

Moving slowly has really changed the game for me. Being in a rush makes me feel so anxious - before I learned to do this, I was in a chronic state of anxiety. I was always in a hurry to get to the next place, I didn't listen to people properly when they were talking to me and I didn't give my full attention to the people who deserve it. Walk slowly, drive slowly and talk slowly. It creates a sense of calm and steadiness throughout the day.

Make a To-do list.

Create a to-do list of the the most important things that you MUST get done that day and get them done. I used to have a million thing to do, but I never actually did anything. There was no order to my life. Now I have a set time to create my to-do list and I decide at what time I'll get those things done.

Be grateful.

We have got to start taking control of our negativity. It's so easy for us to complain about being so "busy" and so "tired". OK, fine. You're working hard and you have a lot to do, but is that really all you have going on? I'm pretty sure the answer to that question is no. Think of 10 things you have in your life that you totally take for granted. Your home? Your family? Your body? You ability to work? Take just one of these things away and I guarantee you would be a lot less happy.

Be present.

I mentioned earlier on that I used to count down the minutes until the end of my work day. Mistake! What is the point of doing something if you're not even really there? This was an issue for me and I've learned how to be in the moment when I'm busy at work. It's essential in life to mindful and not allow your mind to always wonder to some other time or place - if we do that too much, we just keep missing where we are right now.

Alone time.

This doesn't have to happen every day, but it does have to happen. I spend a lot of time on my own traveling between schools, or in the evenings when Josh is working. I use this time for personal development or yoga. Maybe I'll take Toby (our sausage dog) for a walk. Just something for me. I know this is more difficult for people with children and longer working hours, but it's something you have to MAKE time for.

Quality time with loved ones.

I know you're tired, I know you're busy - you don't have to socialise every night, but we all have to make an effort to spend time with our friends and family. I say this because I've often been happily living my life, only suddenly to lift my head out of the sand and realise that I haven't seen any of my friends or family for ages - not OK. It's something I'm still working on.

That's all I have so far - I'd love to know if anybody has other advice, or things they do that have worked for them! These things won't work for everone, we're all wire differently so what feels like balance to me, may not feel like balance to you - as long as we're striving for it, we're definitely moving in the right direction.