The Benefits of Balance in a Culture that Prioritizes Productivity
| Living in a culture of busyness. Yes, checking things off your To Do list is very satisfying. It feels good to be productive. And we’re all juggling a lot. Driving kids to practices. Working in a hybrid world that often encroaches on personal time. Running errands. Cooking meals. Keeping up with emails, texts, calls. Caring for older parents. Cleaning. Volunteering. Trying to make time to see friends or exercise. The list is long. Even during weekends and vacations, we may find ourselves “maximizing the time” with activities and events. Have you ever returned from vacation more tired than when you left? Summers can fill up quickly with summer school, camps, programs, and sports pre-seasons. Consider a different approach. I wonder if we prioritize busyness and activity over balance—finding periods of true rest and replenishment—because we don’t understand the benefits of balance and we don’t know how to achieve it. What is balance, anyway? Balance does not mean sleeping all day, bingeing the last four seasons of a Netflix show, or getting lost in video games for hours. With balance, we feel a sense of well-being across various parts of our lives instead of feeling burned out. We build in time for a range of activities – from the necessary but mundane to the inspiring and energizing. Balance helps us return to what is important to us, can rejuvenate us for our work, school, and other commitments, and helps us reassess our goals – bringing new energy, creativity, and purpose to our lives. Understand the upsides. Balance improves health, mental health, focus, and purpose – and it enhances our success, goals, and longevity to reach them! Create your own version of balance. What feels like rejuvenation for you and your family? Some people are rejuvenated by an unscheduled day with a good book; others feel their best by taking a long hike. Think about balance as readjusting. It is a personal journey. Balance can look like delaying Saturday morning activities to have more time to sip a hot beverage or birdwatch on a leisurely walk before heading into scheduled activities. It can also manifest as a family reconsidering extracurricular activities and commitments temporarily in favor of having family dinners. Truly the options are endless, and they’re driven by you and your family’s needs and styles. It can be a process of trial and error until you find what feels right. Model balance for your kids and teens. We know our kids and teens are often busy, but notice your own schedule as well. As parents, we can model positive self-modulation and enduring ways of living life to children and adolescents. Try and revise. Not sure where to start? Look at your week and build in time for activities that seem restful, fun, and inspiring. Give them a try – and makes changes as needed! Have fun with the process! |
| Hilary Deckard Healy, M.A.Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 101252) |
