A Balancing Act

How many times have you wished for 38 hours in one day?

The convenience of modern life brings with it pressures and deadlines that follow you everywhere. Smartphones and tablets mean your boss, colleague, supervisor, business partners, students, are only a click away with letters that need replies, files that need updating, proposals that need reviewing and presentations that need creating. Oh, and just because it’s a weekend or you’re 20,000 miles away from home doesn’t mean that not-so-important meeting can’t happen – after all, a virtual you is only a download away. Throw into the mix spouses, spouses in waiting, children, extended family, housekeeping, adult education and Accra traffic and it’s no wonder you’re tired and cranky at 8am on Monday morning. Hmmm, I don’t know if it’s just me but even after a two or three week “leave”, I’m ready for another holiday after my first day back at work. Getting sucked into and being overwhelmed by daily routines make it easy to lose focus on YOU – that beautiful and most precious creation of God.

We often completely cease to prioritize our own wellbeing and needs. We trudge on day after day, helpless by our inability to stop, step back, reflect, reassess, re-evaluate and refresh our own lives. We become prisoners of our own obsolete goals in an ever-changing world. Instead of running the day, the day runs us. Time becomes an elusive concept mentioned with longing (“Oh, if only I had the time…”), reverence (“ I can’t believe you have the time to…”), arrogance (“ I don’t have the time to…”) and delusion (“Tomorrow, I will definitely make time to…”).

With stress levels skyrocketing, here are seven time-outs (pun intended) to help stay grounded in the whirlwind of life.

1. Stop worrying about the things YOU have no power to change or things that are actually trivial in the grand scheme of life. Recognize your frailty and the supremeness of God and leave your problems in his hands. Never be afraid to change your mind or change your plans or reevaluate your goals. Pray and Trust 100%.

2. Be constantly thankful by remembering the numerous ways you have been blessed and remain connected with your inner spirituality. Take a deep breath often, consciously… especially when the driver in front of you on the expressway is doing azonto with his tro-tro. At those times, remember aforementioned spirituality.

3. Smile !!! You’ll look better, feel better and uplift the spirits of the people around you, even those you don’t know.

4. Eat well! Your body is so precious that it deserves only the best. Make healthy choices. If you want to have the occasional treat, by all means do, but make sure it’s worth the calories (If you’re going to eat cake, it had better be a piece of lip smacking, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth goodness). The key is moderation. Oh, and if you can’t pronounce the words on the food packaging, think twice about eating what’s inside.

5. Exercise! For many of us, the only time our heart rate goes up is when we look up the latest dollar:cedi exchange rate. Take the stairs. Dance in front of the mirror. Join a gym. Jog. Walk. Play soccer. Whatever makes you happy…Just commit to becoming more active. Your body will thank you and your stress levels will plummet. Did I also mention that you’ll look younger?? Much cheaper than anti-wrinkle cream.

6. Connect with the people you love, whether it’s a home visit, phone call or outing. Hang out only with people who think and speak positively and leave you feeling uplifted. Cut off any toxic relationships.

7. Be guilty of random acts of kindness to strangers or people you are unlikely to meet again. Help someone who has nothing to offer you or is in no position to repay the kindness.

Let me know how you fare. As for me, I’ll be doing what the quote below says…

“The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.”

Stay blessed!!!