ExecMagazine

In today’s world, one of the many key words is balance. There are some that say you need less stress in your life and then there are the gung ho types that say stress is good for you.  The fact is that “Good Stress” is good for you.  Bad stress is bad for you.
Finding the right balance for you is what it’s all about. Just as in farming, life has different seasons.  Some years are bountiful while some years are barren.  What is the piece that stays the same….  The Farmer.  Feast or famine, he or she is always ready to start all over again next year.

Below you will find a few tips to make like a little easier.
Chill and slow down. Life is too short, so don’t let things pass you by. Have you ever read a good book so fast that you really didn’t remember a lot of it?  Take steps to stop and enjoy the things and people around you. Schedule more time between meetings; don’t make plans for every evening or weekend, and find some ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the most stress.

Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid Procrastination. For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from simply being disorganized — and procrastinating. Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines — and then stick to them. You’ll find that not only are you less stressed, but your work will be better.

Share the Load. Even though we may sometimes feel we’re the only ones capable of doing something, it’s usually not the case. Get your partner or other family members to help you with all your personal/family responsibilities. Taking care of the household, children, or parents should not be the responsibility of just one person.

Let Things Go. (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.) It’s simpler said than done, but learn to let things go once in a while. So what if the dishes don’t washed everyday or that the house doesn’t get vacuumed every week. Learn to recognize the things that don’t really have much impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go — and then not beat yourself up for doing so.

Explore Your Options. Get Help. If you are feeling overwhelmed with your family responsibilities, get help if you can afford it. Find a sitter for your children, explore options for aging parents, and seek counseling for yourself. In many cases, you have options, but you need to take the time to find them.

Take Charge. Set Priorities. Sometimes it’s easier for us to allow ourselves to feel overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a prioritized list of things that need to get done. You need to buck the trend. Develop a list. Set priorities. And then enjoy the satisfaction of crossing things off your list.

Simplify. It seems human nature to take on too many tasks and responsibilities, to try to do too much, and to own too much. Find a way to simplify your life. Change your lifestyle. Learn to say no. Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house — and your life.

Pray.  This probably should have been first on the list.  Try to stay in touch, or get in touch with your purpose in life and how you were meant to serve the earth.  For me, 20 minutes in the morning for meditation and litlle reminders through the day help to stay in touch with your creator.

Be thankful.  Regardless of what your challenges are, they can always be worse.  Take time to say thanks to God and to those people that are special to you.