How to Feel Balanced: Achieving Harmony and Stability in Your Life

How often do you feel balanced? And let me clarify, in this post balanced doesn’t mean stagnant, same ol’ same ol’, or stuck. Feeling balanced means experiencing a sense of harmony and stability across different areas of your life at the same time. That includes work, relationships, personal well-being, or other responsibilities. It’s the feeling that your mental, emotional, and physical needs are being met without being overwhelmed in one area or neglecting another.

With that definition, how often do you feel balanced? Stop and think about it.

As a high achiever and perfectionist my answer used to be Never. I was always rushing from one thing to the next, thinking about that next thing or the thing after when I was doing something else. I was controlling, demanding, and often frustrated with everyone else for being two steps behind. It was definitely not the best side of me. I was trying to give my family the best of everything but they weren’t getting the best of me. Ouch!

This probably comes as no surprise but a survey by the American Psychological Association found that 44% of adults report that stress has caused them to lose sleep. Chronic stress, often driven by an imbalanced life, can lead to burnout, negatively impacting physical health, mental well-being, and work performance. It’s a cycle that keeps on giving (or taking). So what can you do about it?

What does it take to feel balanced?

Let’s talk through five elements to help you feel balanced and in control.

Your Time and Energy are Well-Distributed

It makes sense that feeling more balanced is about being able to manage your time and energy in a way that allows you to give attention to what matters most without feeling depleted or stretched too thin. The first step in doing this is to know where your time and energy are going. When you don’t, you’re in a reactive state. This leaves you in a constant state of chaos. You feel unbalanced and out of control because you are running to whatever needs your attention right now but you don’t know what’s going to need your attention next.

Start with looking at your last week or you can do this at the end of each day. Be specific about where your time and energy went. How much time did you spend on work or business meetings or projects? Who called or texted you about a non-work issue during the workday? How, when, or did you respond? What external commitments did you have that day? When did you engage in household chores? What about family activities or discussions? Time for yourself? Take inventory and get clear on where your time and energy are going. Bonus points if you capture your energy and/or emotional level during the activity.

You Prioritize Your Emotional Well-being

When you prioritize your emotional well-being, you feel calm, in control, and less reactive to stressors because you have space for self-care and emotional recovery. Now that you know where your time and energy are going, you can optimize it. Ensure there is adequate time for yourself. You are not an energizer bunny. You need time to rest and restore.

Don’t be afraid to take a mental health day. This includes technology boundaries where you don’t allow anyone in but just focus on you. Take time to rest and release cortisol and get your body out of a stressful state, grieve changes (a move, change in career, loss of a loved one), talk with friends, and anything that honors your own needs. You can’t show up the way you want if you don’t give yourself permission to.

Take Care of Your Physical Health

Setting aside time to take care of your body through rest, movement, and nourishment, offers you more energy, more positive energy, and a greater sense of well-being. Having a strong and rested body that has the fuel it needs to perform at its best can make a significant difference in your sense of balance. 

When you take care of your body, your mind also benefits. Nourishment gives your brain the energy it needs to perform. Movement can allow your brain to take a break allowing you to think more clearly, cultivate more positive thoughts, and engage in more creativity because you are not forcing it. The physical energy and rested brain in turn supports your ability to manage other areas of life effectively.

Set Clear Priorities

When you set clear priorities you are able to set and stick to boundaries, say no when necessary, and prioritize activities and goals that align with your values. Priorities should align with the vision you want for yourself, not someone else’s vision for your life. This starts with creating an integrated vision for work, life, family, etc. I love helping women put themselves back into the vision for their life, so schedule a free discovery call if you want to find out if I can help you.

Be Adaptable

Feeling balanced doesn’t mean you never experience stress or challenges, but that you have the tools to adjust and recover when life shifts unexpectedly. It starts with knowing where your time and energy are going – see above. If you do nothing else from this post, do that. It may be overwhelming at first, but very enlightening.

When you know where you’re spending your precious energy, you can adjust to better suit your needs and know the impact of adapting when something comes up. As you know, knowledge is power. Instead of taking on yet another thing when the request or opportunity arises, use the information you have to make trade-offs, identify creative ways to accommodate it without increasing the chaos, or just say No. You can and you don’t have to explain why.

Feel Balanced Today

Ultimately, balance is all about making intentional choices with your time, energy, and attention. It’s recognizing where these precious resources are going and adjusting to ensure no single area dominates at the expense of others. When you know how to direct your focus, you create a sense of control and harmony that fuels momentum in a way that feels aligned with who you want to be. This balance empowers you to respond with clarity, stay present in the moment, and keep moving toward the version of yourself you’ll be proud of. After all, the journey is just as important as the destination.