Finding the right balance for YOU is important. You have to listen in to your body. It is telling you things but you might not even know it.

The balancing act that I am referring to is family, work, sleep, nutrition, ‘fun time’, and exercise. You could probably add in more categories if it fit what is going on in your life. At times it is hard to juggle all these things at once. You can only handle so much in a day/week/month, etc. When your stress levels get too high, you start to break down.

One area of your life may seem to be stable but the other parts are giving out. Your body can only handle so much stress. If family life is stressed…on top of work stress…on top of bad nutrition…on top of little sleep…on top of intense exercise…on top of not doing things that make you happy (fun time)…it can be a recipe for disaster.

Are you sick often?  This could be a reason why. Your stress barrel is at capacity.

What can you do to fix this?

Pin point which areas need work. Sit down and really think about each of those areas. I mentioned six different categories above. What are the things that you can change today to start making a difference in your overall stress level so you can feel better?

Exercise can be a one of those things that is easily changed. If you are in a very stressful state, take it easier on the training sessions. Instead of 60 minutes, train for 30-45 minutes. Go for a 30 minute brisk walk instead of what you had planned. Walking is a great way to help the body recover. Being out in nature lowers your stress levels. You will also get some necessary Vitamin D.

Sleep can be changed as well. Go to bed earlier so you can get more sleep. Practice some nice deep belly breathing to calm you and help you drift off. The vitamin D you get from your 30 minute walk will help too.

Nutrition wise, cut out the junk. I know some people stress eat (I’m one of them), but do your best to recognize what you are feeling and go grab a glass of water instead of raiding the pantry. When you feel that urge to eat, stop and take some deep breaths to try and let the moment pass. Cutting out sugar and processed food consumption will help out immensley. Stick to food items with very few ingredients, like sweet potatoes, chicken, turkey, veggies, etc.

Work may be one of those things that’s hard to change, but if you can lower the stress received from the other categories, things will start to shift in the right direction for you. Work wise, maybe shut down work related things once you walk through the doors of your home or on weekends.

Family life could be similar to work in that it is hard to change. Do your best to control the things you can control, and manage the things you cannot. Shutting down your work and spending more time with family can help relieve stress, too.

Add in some fun things! Think of some things that you enjoy doing, but have not done in awhile or want to get back to doing. Start doing those things and you’ll see those stress levels go down.

It will be a learning process, but it will be a good one. Bring your life back into a more balanced state.

Recap:

Too much stress will break you down and keep you gasping for air.

Of the six categories I mentioned above, identify the ones that you can control/change.

Get to work on those and start living a healthier life.