Wouldn’t it be great if I had one simple answer to this? That would make life a whole lot easier, but I guess that’s the point, right? If it was easy it wouldn’t be any fun.

I’m writing this post after having taken a semi-accidental semi-purposeful week long break from blogging. Should have warned ya, but it wasn’t super planned.

The thing is, life got in the way a little. And by life I mean work and school, which at the moment pull rank. From this mini-hiatus I did learn some valuable lessons about balance which I’d like to share:

Know Your Priorities

I’m sure you have a ton on your plate. Personally, I’ve become an expert of biting off more than I can chew, but somehow I always manage to swallow it. The main way I do this is by knowing what’s the most important and when and how to let things slide. Often this means sitting down and writing out a list of my commitments and placing them into order of importance. Maybe this sounds trivial, but it really helps me visualize what’s important.

Make Workouts and Healthy Eating a Non-Negotiable

Friends have asked me how I always find the time to workout. My answer: I don’t find time I make it. Eating healthy and working out make me very happy. In fact, if I have a totally crappy day, but eat really well and have a great workout I always feel much better. That means something. That’s why it’s a priority and a non-negotiable.

Organize, Organize, Organize

There’s no right way to stay organized. Whatever works for you, so that you won’t forget or get caught off guard when the pace picks up. Every Sunday I try to sit down with my planner and make sure I know more or less everything that’s expected of me throughout the week and what I want to accomplish. I make 2 main lists: one with Must-Do’s and one with things I Would Love to Get Done. When I forget to write things down, I usually forget to do them.

My toolkit: Old school paper planner, the Reminders App, List Making Apps like: Clear, Wunderlist and Apple’s Notepad.

Let Go of Fluff & Practice Saying No

Over time I’m sure you’ve picked up various commitments that you don’t love, or have stopped being useful, or have stopped challenging you in a good way. As hard as it can be, don’t be afraid to let them go. Think of yourself like Jordan who quit while he was on top. Don’t wait until you combust to let go of things that are dragging you down.

Harness Your Productivity

Are you a night owl or an early bird? Don’t ignore your natural abilities to work better at a certain time of day. It’s easier for me to head to bed as soon as I get too sleepy and wake up early to finish any work I wasn’t able to do the night before, but for some it’s the exact opposite. There’s no wrong way, except to ignore what your body’s trying to tell you. When you give yourself enough wiggle room on a project, you have the luxury of working when you’re brain and body are aligned.

Bonus Tip: Give Yourself a Break!

For highly driven, achievement oriented folks it’s really hard to give yourself a break. You’re onto the next project before you’ve even finished the first. But making a bullet on your list that says “Congratulate yourself for being freakin’ awesome” is necessary to stay sane and balanced.

I recently took a 3 day break from running, and when I hit the treadmill I felt AWESOME. I ran faster than I had in over a month (clearly a sign I needed a break). Now I’m mentally and physically ready to crush some tough workouts before the 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks!

Question Time:

• Night Owl or Early Bird?
• Do you have any tips for staying balanced?
• What tools do you use to stay organized?

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