Creating Balance Decreases Stress

How many of you feel overextended in your life?  Balancing doing what we want to do, what we are obligated/need to do, and what we can let go of is difficult.  As a result of our busy lives, feeling overextended is a regular topic of conversation in counseling.  People are spread thin with all that life has to offer.  Most of us live a full life and are hesitant to let go of any of it.  Therefore, the fullness of life often comes up in session because it often contributes to stress and anxiety.

Being engaged in life is awesome.  It is when we feel overwhelm and stress due to the busyness of our lives that it is time to readjust.  If you are feeling a sense of overwhelm, I encourage you to take a step back.  First of all, spend time looking at how you spend your days.  What do you spend your time doing?  Take a week and be mindful of where your time goes.  If you are up for it, you can keep a log.  How much time is spent working, cleaning, cooking, exercising, on social media, connecting with those you love, etc.? Is the amount of time you spend in each area of your life consistent with your values?  Is there an activity that you are spending more time than you should?

After looking at the way you spend your time, you can choose to make adjustments.  Being mindful of how we spend our days is so important.  We can’t always choose not to clean or cook.  There are tasks we have to complete; however, there are some things we can choose to alter.  Try to focus on the areas of your life you can change instead of feeling helpless to all you can’t change.  It is important to note, even small shifts can make a big difference in our feelings of overwhelm and stress.

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If you need help creating balance in your life, give us a call at 720-583-9332.  In addition, if you haven’t already, download our free report.  Once downloaded, you can also get helpful information on mental health weekly in your inbox.

Written by Dr. Steffanie Stecker