6 Easy Tips To Feel More Balanced in Busy Times
In order to make sound decisions, be self-aware and “together enough” to take self-responsibility and not get swept up into emotional rollercoasters, trigger volcanoes or hormonal downward spirals, you need to have sound daily habits and rituals in place that keep you balanced and functioning optimally. This allows you to listen inwards, receive and be open to your own (higher) truth, which you then can communicate to the world.
All of which is making you oh so much nicer to be around and more easily understood!
We know the importance of looking after ourselves, but sometimes it’s too easy to ignore those needs until they HAVE to be acknowledged. Sometimes we “need” to get stressed and overwhelmed; and if that isn’t enough to snap us out of busy mode into self-care mode, then we even “need” to get sick, so we remember that we are mortal beings after all.
I know about this fine balance only too well. I’ve run businesses for many years whilst having little ones, a beautiful relationship, a highly inspired, visionary mind that longs to create, coupled with a strong desire and need to listen to my body.
I’ve had to learn how to keep this fine balance a million times over, and often get asked by my clients how to best do this. Hence, I’d like to now share a few tips about how to stay healthy, well and balanced, in order to optimally support yourself through busy times.
“We know the importance of looking after ourselves, but sometimes it’s too easy to ignore those needs until they HAVE to be acknowledged.”
Tip 1 - Proper sleep
Sleep is the number one way to maintain wellbeing, a great immune system, strong nerves and happiness. How much exactly you need to feel good and keep up over the long term depends on you and your body. Some people love to sleep and process their whole life like this. They might sleep 9–10 hours a night.
Others say, “I wish” and regularly only get 6 or fewer hours. Generally, a healthy amount for the body to rest and revive overnight is 8 hours. That’s a third of our lifetime! No wonder it’s so important!
It also depends on when you get this rest for the body to recharge, as the hours before midnight are generally said to be the ones of deepest rest. Hence if you’re working till the crack of dawn, have restless kids to look after and generally sleep too few hours, you know that you need to balance out this lack of sleep. You could plan some early nights when you make sure you turn the lights off super early and set enough hours aside for it and just let your body recover. You could also balance those long days out with naps during the day.
No matter what you choose to do, make sure your body receives the rest it needs. It will thank you for it by producing lots of happy hormones called endorphins and bless you with a strong immune system and nerves like steel - not those short snappy tempers that you get after a bad or short night’s sleep.
Tip 2 - Keep up a nutritious and healthy diet
An alive, well balanced and, if possible, organic diet is a must to keep our bodies working well and keep them healthy. Whilst it’s great to have lots of fresh fruit and veggies, it’s important to remember that it’s protein that sustains our energy over prolonged periods of time. Remember to start the day with a proper breakfast, including some sort of protein, so it can provide you with lots of energy for the first half of the day. Protein can be of vegan, vegetarian or animal sources, ranging from fermented brown rice protein, whey products to fish and meats. Pick whatever suits your body type, constitution and philosophy. On top of that, fermented foods assist with a healthy gut flora. Our gut flora has a direct link to our brain. More and more scientific studies are showing that those with lots of healthy beneficial bacteria in their digestive system are way less prone to depression, mental conditions and disease in general—in short, a balanced state of mind, body and being will be the reward.
Tip 3 - Drink LOTS of water
H2O is a must for the body to function. It’s so easy to forget that the body is made up of 55–60% water and that water is vital for it to keep functioning.
Sometimes we get sweet cravings, sore ears, headaches, attention problems, tiredness, etc. all just because we are actually thirsty!
So make sure you constantly remind yourself to drink more, keeping a full glass or a water bottle on the desk, in your bag, or wherever you see it. It’s about clean and clear water here, NOT other drinks, as you want to make it easy for your body. Don’t straight away again overload your kidneys with the next load of work—as it’s already got enough to filter on a daily basis, even with plain water being your only beverage. Instead, make it easy for it by providing it with clear pure, filtered water (fluoride free) straight up.
Tip 4 - Keep moving
Our bodies are made to move and jiggle! There’s a reason kids naturally never sit still. We are meant to move to keep flexible.
Crank up the music and have a dance party at home, with your little ones, if you’ve got kids, go to local conscious dance or 5 Rhythm nights (my personal pick), jog to work or join the local gym. Pick whatever suits YOU.
Do whatever it takes to make you move at least 10–20 minutes a day to release good amounts of endorphins (our happy hormones). Shake out those tired sitting bones, stretch your meridians, use those beautiful muscles that make you feel alive and good!
Stretching our meridians helps us to release all associated emotions and hormones and therefore helps us let go of all sorts of stuff that no longer serves us. Stomping out all excess tension can be like a brain dump, if used in the right way—leaving you feeling refreshed and tons lighter!
Tip 5 - Deep breathing
Do you know that so many people hold their breath? Do you breathe deeply, so that your belly moves up and down? Or are you a shallow chest breather like most others?
By breathing right into your belly, you give your lungs the chance to fully empty and refill with fresh new air, allowing oxygen to be circulated around your body much more easily. Your diaphragm gets the chance to release and relax, which in turn has a beneficial effect on your Solar Plexus nerve centre and stomach just underneath it. Both of these are directly associated with your mood and when you are feeling anxious, stressed and tense, moving your diaphragm can instantly help release the anxiety and tension.
Releasing the tension in your Solar Plexus can easily be done by applying pressure to its associated reflex in your hands, ears and feet. This has an “unlocking” effect on your diaphragm and a relaxing effect on your stomach, giving you the chance to relax, digest foods and situations properly and handle life in general a whole lot better.
Furthermore, breathing right into your tummy whilst simultaneously breathing into your chest and Solar Plexus means you’re fully embodied. This in turn means you’re present for life, and you manifest your dreams with more ease and less inhibition.
Tip 6 - Check in with yourself regularly
Make sure you get a proper amount of time off each week in which you do meditation or some other form of deep self-reflection and centring.
I personally aim to meditate every or every second morning on waking, do self-clearing several times daily and make sure I’m fully activated and present in my body before I face the world. This hasn’t always been possible over the past 11 years while my two boys were little, but it has become my non-negotiable again, something I need in order to be fully present for my boys and for the level of work I do with my clients. Some days this is just a quick check-in with all my chakra animals, other times it’s a long meditation including “download” time. No matter what, I do my best to listen to whatever my animals and spirit has to show and tell me. That includes being aware of the signs around me and in nature, as there is a meaning to everything if we take the time to look and listen.
I also throughout the day continuously check in with myself and Spirit. This check-in involves self-clearing, grounding myself, checking the way I stand and distribute my weight, adjusting my energy and much more.
These self-care techniques help keep me feeling totally centred, calm, at peace, inspired, trusting and in the flow—in harmony with myself and the world, no matter what’s going on—and without taking more than a few seconds or minutes at a time!
How are you going with your daily habits and rituals?
I know that sometimes it’s not easy to find this time for yourself especially when you’re a parent of little ones, run a busy business or care for others who demand your constant attention. Self-care easily gets put last, and can then turn into a “chore”, yet another thing you have to do, despite you knowing that the activities will, or should feel good. Getting yourself to do them may be a battle, exhausting and bring so much resistance with them that it might almost be a relief not getting the time for them at all or getting distracted whilst doing them!
If you’re experiencing this kind of resistance I encourage you to book in a complimentary Heart to Heart chat with me where we can look at what is keeping you stuck.