Making a Plan to Balance Your Life

Finding the right balance in life is a problem many people face. There simply isn't enough time in a day to do everything you want/need to do. I believe this is hardest for college students who do not normally have a rigid schedule to follow. One can really waste a lot of time when time management is left up to the individual instead of by company policy or a set work schedule. And for a lot of people with professional jobs, the desire to be successful at work (and therefore put in more than 40 hours per week) can outweigh the desire to relax and have a social life or quality family time. We all have different lifestyles but I will try to attempt to pinpoint a few key things that everyone can do to maintain a healthy balance between work, home, and play.

Make a schedule and stick to it. Making a schedule isn't so hard. Sticking to it can be difficult, especially if you're a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of person anyway. With all the ways to communicate with others, canceling or saying you'll be 30 minutes or an hour or more late is so easy. I miss the good old days without phone and email so easily accessible - people were more likely to show up on time because they could tell you that they would be late. Actually, I wasn't around when it was quite like that but I can imagine how it would be. Even today, people are hesitant to plan ahead because it's so easy (but also frustrating for the other person) to contact at the last minute and set something up. If you don't plan ahead to do something or see someone, it's likely that you'll forget.

Set your priorities and make sure they make sense. No one's priority should be spending 70 hours at work. And you'd better have a good reason for spending more than 40 hours a week working - like being in medical school or something nearly as demanding. You may not know it but for mental health and stability, everyone needs family time, play time, sleep time, and work time. Don't neglect any of those needs but don't over-emphasize any of them either.

Last year, I had the opportunity to go to Poland to play bridge for a week and a half, and then to New York City for a business trip for a week (expenses were paid in full for both trips), and the two trips would have overlapped by 2 days. So, I had to set my priorities and plan several weeks in advance between playing bridge, working, and spending time with my family and friends in Georgia. I opted to skip the last 2.5 days of the bridge tournament to get back to NYC and be ready to work Monday morning, initially planning to spend the following weekend in New York and only get home in time to work at my normal place the following Monday. Midway through, I decided I wanted to go to Atlanta and see my best friend, so immediately after work Friday, I flew back to Atlanta to spend time with her instead of sticking around and visiting New York. In retrospect, I placed too much emphasis on coming back home - I should have taken the time to visit NYC more while I was there, even if it wasn't with my best friend. I can see her almost any time. Neither my best friend or my parents aided me much in deciding how to prioritize my time, and I kind of wish they had. They know me better than anyone and may even know what's good for me more than I do.

Lately, I haven't been spending as much time with my roommate as I should. It's not because I work too much but I always seem to be out playing tennis or bridge or taking a trip. It's not physically exhausting, but the past few days I've stayed at home in the evenings and realized how much I missed just a relaxing quiet evening at home. Even if you live alone, this home time is important, if for nothing else than to reflect upon life and gather your thoughts.

So, make a plan, and make sure it includes adequate time for work, play, family, and sleep. Have a significant other or good friend check your plan to make sure you're not going astray. And then stick to the plan - do whatever it takes, set alarms, tell a friend or spouse to hold you more accountable for doing what you say you will.