By Angel Blair
Let’s be honest – most of the time, it’s difficult to balance all the tasks everyday life requires. Finding time to complete a to-do list, work, and handle other daily activities can be daunting, and sometimes too much on the mind and body. We all encounter this pressure, and life just continues to dole out its expectations and duties. So how do you find that balance of taking care of yourself and completing what’s to be done?
You don’t want to wait until your body takes the reigns and decides for you that it’s had enough—because honestly that doesn’t look pretty much of the time. But it happens, right? Our bodies and minds run out of fuel and forcibly stop us in our tracks. So, before that happens, it’s vital to find what works for you to achieve balance to ensure good health and keep yourself going from day to day.
In our society, it’s almost become routine that we place such incredible, unrealistic demands on ourselves to be productive and carry out multiple tasks in a day. Even when we’re down, the world expects us to be up no matter what. This is unrealistic—and it’s a burden on our physical, mental, and emotional health. We must take a break before it gets to that point. Whatever that looks like is up to you. Taking a few quiet moments in an activity that you enjoy, stepping away from the current task at hand, or just closing your eyes for a few moments can help you find this balance. And you must tell yourself that this is ok. You are allowed to take time for yourself, even when it feels like the universe is shouting “NO” at you.
Your productivity levels and outcomes may look different day-to-day, and that’s ok too. How much you accomplish and what you can complete in a day’s time may change. This is human. We must give ourselves permission to accept this. True that this doesn’t always align with what a workplace or others ask and expect of you, but how productive can you be if you’ve gotten to your limit? Balancing what’s being asked of you and what your body needs can be tricky, but it’s necessary to attempt finishing the task and coming out mind and body intact.
When we’re not feeling our best, sometimes it’s a lot just to have accomplished one thing in a day. This is a feat, especially for those who have difficulty with chronic illness, symptoms, flares, and other health issues. Learning how much you can do without overdoing it is vital, and something you can continuously work on. Be kind to yourself and your body and show your health patient respect by listening to its needs. Or it’ll be the first to let you know about it.
About Angel:
My name is Angel Blair, I am a mom to beautiful twin girls and hold degrees in counseling from schools outside of the Philadelphia area. I’ve worked with the MS community in the past, and am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in helping others. I enjoy spending time with my family, writing, reading, and traveling.