I don’t know about you, but trying to maintain healthy boundaries and balance in my life is an on-going work.  As a working wife and mom who is also active in ministry, there are a lot of things that are constantly clamoring for my attention. 

 There was a season in my life when I was completely out of balance. I was overwhelmed, stressed, and REALLY grumpy! After a painful “wake up call” I began to focus on ways to create healthier boundaries and more balance in my life.  Here are some of the keys strategies that I have used to create a more balanced, healthier and joy-filled life.

 

• Get plenty of rest. It sounds simple but how many of us are mindful of this on a daily basis? A lack of sufficient sleep can lead to stress, weight gain, impatience, carelessness, and overall misery.

 

• Pay attention to your diet. Eating healthy, well-rounded meals will do wonders for you! Cut back on sugars, salt, unhealthy fats and starches like white rice & white flour. Meal planning will also help you to save time, money and your waistline.

 

• Exercise. It is NOT a four-letter word. A sedentary lifestyle is an unbalanced lifestyle. Our bodies need to be active to function properly.

 

• Take time to unwind. Incorporating quiet times to reflect, rejuvenate, recharge and just REST are important. You cannot pour into other if your tank is empty. 

 

• Wake up a few minutes earlier. If this is the only quiet time you get (which it may be if you have young children), it is worth the investment. Allowing yourself enough time in the morning to meditate, have a peaceful cup of tea, read a devotional is a much better way to start the day then frantically pulling yourself together and screaming out the kids because you’re running late.

 

• Enlist help. As women, we need to get over the wonder woman mentality. Instead we need to think Avengers – a whole team of people with different “super” powers all working together to get the big jobs done. Take some stress off of yourself by allowing others to help you.

 

• Get organized. By mom used to say you needed “a place for everything and everything in its place.”  Work to get your home and office organized, not just clean.  Creating systems, schedules, and strategies for working more efficiently will pay off huge dividends. Personally, I am the queen of sticky notes, Sharpies and a personal label maker!

 

• Write down & prioritize your “to do” list. Trying to keep all of your “to dos” in your head will only make you more stressed. One strategy that has really worked for me is keeping a notepad and pen on the nightstand by my bed. If I wake up with something on my mind in the middle of the night, I can write it down and go right back to sleep.

 

• Read your bible & pray more. One of the best ways to create a healthier and more balanced life is to know who you are in Christ, to know how God sees you, and what God says is the best way to prioritize our life.

 

• Trust God for the season that you are in. God has a perfect plan for our life and we need to stay right in step with Him. He tells us that He will walk along side of us, holding our right hand. So we can trust Him to give us peace, balance and joy for each season.

 

So what strategies can you incorporate for 2014?  Is there anything else that you would add to this list? Please share in the comments.