by Barbara Stanley

Created on: April 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Many people begin their day with a few quiet moments of prayer or meditation. By making this a daily habit, you begin your day with purpose, unrushed, and focused on your goals. Parents and spouses usually put themselves last as they start the day, making sure every one in the family begins their day prepared. Eventually, by putting your needs behind those of others, you find yourself without the energy and motivation to move forward and act upon your own dreams and personal goals. Taking just a few minutes, even as few as five, to focus on your own daily needs, plans, and goals, will help you maintain balance in your life.

Make it a daily habit to begin by having a good breakfast. You do not need a lot of time to eat a piece of fruit, cereal bar, boiled egg, or grilled cheese sandwich. Even if you are like many people who are just not able to eat until they have been up for some time, take something along to eat on the way to work or during your morning break. By eating something to break the fast, you help your body begin the process of metabolizing all the food you eat during the day. This habit keeps your body healthy, helps keep excess weight off, and helps you resist temptation to over-eat.

No matter how busy you are at work, always take a lunch break. Even if your break is short, it is important to get away from your desk or work station for several minutes, preferable thirty minutes or more. This break allows you time to de-stress, fuel your body, assess how your day is going and think about what, if any, changes need to be made. By taking a lunch break every day, you will begin to see an improvement in your work production and keep burn-out at bay.

Give yourself time to transition from work at the office, factory, station, etc., to home. This might be the drive on the way home as you listen to your favorite music. By giving yourself transition time every day, your work life does not bleed into home life, making your day feel as though it is a sixteen hour work day. Schedule time daily to debrief and switch from work to home.

Daily habits that will help maintain balance in your life are: meditation or prayer, breakfast, lunch, and transition time from work to home. Even if you work from home, these daily habits will help keep your life in balance. Good habits must be established and a determination made to keep them a part of your life.

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