How to Have a Balanced Lifestyle

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Co-authored by Amy Wong

Last Updated: August 12, 2024 Fact Checked

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Physical Health

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Mental Health

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Social Life

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Work-Life Balance

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Living a balanced life can help you be more fulfilled and happy. Finding balance is an art, though, and there’s no one correct balance that will work for everyone. To find the balance that is right for you, focus on developing your physical, mental, and social health. Strive to give each area some attention so that none fall behind. It will take some time and practice, but finding the right balance for you can help you make the most out of life.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Physical Health

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1
Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Proper nutrition can impact everything from your how your body functions to how your brain functions. Aim to eat a balanced diet every meal by filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits, getting plenty of lean protein, and avoiding processed sugars.^{[1]
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- Try to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This can include anything from salads and steamed veggie sides to things like smoothies and the kale in a kale pesto sauce.^{[2]
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  National Health Service (UK)
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- Go for whole grain and whole wheat bread, pasta, and other starch products whenever possible. These foods contain more fiber, as well as more vitamins and minerals.
- Eating a balanced diet does not necessarily mean that you are looking to lose weight. Even if you are at a healthy weight, you may still benefit from refining your daily diet. Start by adding just one serving of fresh produce a day to get started. You'll be surprised at how little changes like that can impact your diet.
- Always talk to your doctor before radically changing your diet. They can help you figure out the healthiest nutritional plan for your personal needs.
2
Get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. Try different exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, or playing sports, and find one that you enjoy. Remember, to get the most from your cardio workout your pace should be moderately vigorous. This means that you can hold a conversation at the pace you’re going, but just barely.^{[3]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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- Exercise doesn't have to be hard to be effective. Start out by taking a brisk walk, dancing around your house, or doing anything you enjoy that gets your heart pumping. There are even apps made for people who are complete beginners.
- To get even more from your exercise routine, try to strength train all major muscle groups at least 2 times a week. You can manage this by lifting weights, or by doing bodyweight exercises like squats and push ups.
- Exercise helps keep your body strong and able, which is why it’s an important part of a balanced life. You want your body to be able to handle the things you want to do.
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3
Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Develop a sleep routine that you stick to every night before bed. Start by picking a consistent bedtime. About an hour before that time, disconnect from all gadgets, take some time to relax your mind and body, put on some comfortable pajamas, and get into bed. This kind of routine will help calm your mind and let it know that you're getting ready to rest for the night.^{[4]
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- The exact recommended amount of sleep you need can vary by age. For school-age children, it is recommended they get around 9-11 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers need 8-10 hours, while adults over 65 need at least 7-8 hours of nightly sleep.
- Avoid bright screens an hour before bed. This includes phones, tablets, computer screens, and televisions. The blue light from the screen can make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
4
Relax your body with meditation, yoga, or self-massage. Mental stress can take a physical toll on your body, so it’s important to find a little time every day to relax. Activities like yoga, meditation, taking a warm bath, or giving yourself a massage may help you relax your body from the stress of the day.^{[5]
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- Even if you don’t feel like you have a lot of time to spend on relaxation, try to take just 5 minutes each day to help your body unwind.
- For a simple relaxing practice, try a progressive muscle relaxation. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and slowly tense the muscles in your feet for a count of 3 breaths. Then, let the muscles relax completely. Continue this pattern up your body, focusing one-by-one on your legs, glutes, core, chest, arms, hands, shoulders, jaw, and face.
- Use apps like Headspace or Insight Timer to guide you through meditation. These are great resources for beginners.
- Meditation helps grow the muscle that allows you to better react and respond to the stuff of life.^{[6]
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  Amy Wong
  Leadership & Transformational Coach
  
  Expert Interview. 30 April 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Mental Health

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1
Plan out your daily tasks to keep you motivated. Planning out what you have to do over the course of the day can help keep you on-task and motivated. At the beginning of each day or the night before, take a few minutes to write out your plan for the day. Include work tasks and duties, errands, hobbies, and chores, as well as personal time, family time, and time for relaxation.^{[7]
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- Don’t worry if you can’t accomplish everything you plan. Having a schedule helps keep you on task, but there are things like traffic jams and work emergencies for which you can’t easily account. If you don’t get to something the day it is scheduled, reschedule it for later.
- You can even consider assigning priorities to different tasks. Picking your kids up, for example, would be a high priority, while washing the car might be a low priority. That way, if you have to reschedule items, you can see what absolutely needs to be done and what can wait.
2
Set achievable goals that you can work toward every day. Setting goals for both the short and long-term can help you plan what you are doing and where you are going. Try writing down one or two large life goals. Then, break that goal down into several smaller goals. After that, break those goals down into actionable steps.^{[8]
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- For example, if one of your goals is to be healthy, two of your smaller goals may be to run a 5K and get a 6-pack. You can then break each of those down into individual workout plans to achieve those goals.
- Try to keep your goals reasonable. It’s okay to dream big, but saying you want to be the richest person on earth is a lofty goal that’s out of reach for the vast majority of people. Instead, try setting a goal like saving enough that you can buy a house or retire comfortably.
- Use a journal to help you keep track of your goals. Using a journal lets you write them down, reflect on them, and adjust them periodically.
- Setting and working towards goals can help give you confidence. Goals may even be beneficial for your mental health.^{[9]
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Do something that brings you joy every day. Find some time each day to do at least one thing that makes you happy. This can include practicing a hobby, going out with friends, spending time with your family, or anything else that helps you disconnect from the stress of the day. If you don’t have something you regularly enjoy, try picking up a new hobby like crafting, dancing, playing sports, or collecting something.^{[10]
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HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.

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- If you can, alternate a few different fun activities. That way, if you can’t go out with friends you can still practice your hobby or watch your favorite show.
- Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself when you're learning new hobbies or just going through life and making mistakes. You're a whole, complete person, and you should feel secure in your inherent self-worth as a flawed but wonderful human being.^{[11]
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  Amy Wong
  Leadership & Transformational Coach
  
  Expert Interview. 30 April 2020.}
4
Learn a new subject. Mental growth and stimulation is an important part of keeping your mind healthy. Keep your mind engaged by challenging yourself to learn a new subject or expand your knowledge in an area that interest you. Consider things like learning a new language, taking time every day to read, learning to play a new instrument, or learning how to program.^{[12]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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- Challenging your mind doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. Spending even 5 minutes a day focusing on learning a new thing can help keep you sharp.
5
See to your spiritual well-being. If you are a religious person, make time in your schedule to practice your religion. This could include daily prayer or attending weekly religious services. If you are not religious, you may still consider activities like meditation or taking a quiet walk in nature to help keep you grounded and focused on appreciating the moment, rather than worrying about the future.^{[13]
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- You do not need to be a religious person to live a balanced life. If religion is important to you, though, part of your personal balance should include making time for your faith.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Social Life

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1
Develop a network of friends. Friends are a critical part of a social network, which is why it’s important to maintain a friend group. Make an effort to reach out and connect with your current friends. Stay in touch, and try to see them when you can. If you don’t feel supported by your current friend network or if you’re in a new area, work on making new friends.^{[14]
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- There is no set number of friends and acquaintances that you should have. If you’re more introverted, you may choose to keep a small group of close-knit friends. If you’re more extroverted, you may have a couple close friends and many casual friends. Both are okay.
- Use local meetup sites and message boards to find people in your area with similar interests.
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Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC
Marriage & Family Therapist
Moshe Ratson is the Executive Director of spiral2grow Marriage & Family Therapy, a coaching and therapy clinic in New York City. Moshe is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He received his MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona College. Moshe is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF).

Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC
Marriage & Family Therapist

Make sure you aren't feeling burned out from your social life, though. Look at how you're allocating your time, and see how your commitments are affecting your energy. It's okay to send boundaries if you need to!
2
Maintain a healthy relationship with your family. A healthy family dynamic should allow you to spend time with your kids, take time with just your partner, and stay connected to your parents and relatives. If you have children, spend some bonding time with them every day. If you have a partner, schedule a weekly date night with them. Have a standing phone call with your parents once a week. Connecting with your family will help keep your relationships strong.^{[15]
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- If your relationship with your biological family isn’t strong, you may choose to focus more on your close personal friends. People who are family by choice instead of blood are just as important.
3
Practice effective communication. Communicating clearly and effectively helps enhance almost any interpersonal relationship. Improve your communication by practicing clear, concise speaking as well as active listening. Practice these skills with everyone in your daily life from your friends and family to your coworkers to the check-out clerk at the grocery store.^{[16]
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- When your actively listening, the speaker has your full attention. Focus on both the words they are saying, as well as their body language and emotion. Offer confirmation that you understand their message with statements like, “I understand that you want us to spend more time together.”
- If you find you are becoming stressed or overly-emotional in a situation, ask to excuse yourself or put the subject on pause until you are able to clear your head.
4
Get involved in your community. Civic engagement can help you connect with other members of your community, give back, and foster gratitude. Look for areas where you can volunteer or get involved, such as coaching a local sports team, working at a food pantry, or working with your local community theater.^{[17]
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- If you have a particular skill or talent, see if you can use that in your community work. If you knit, for example, consider knitting mittens or scarves for a local shelter.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Work-Life Balance

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1
Develop a personal financial plan. Healthy finances are just as important to a balanced life as physical and mental health. Start simple by creating a budget that enables you to cover your current cost of living. Once your budget is in place, think about tackling other financial goals such as saving for retirement, buying a home, or paying off your debt.
- Your budget should account for all your cost of living expenses including your rent or mortgage, household bills, groceries, car payments or transit passes, credit card and student loan payments, and any other recurring charges you may have.
- Even small financial changes can add up. Investing just $5 a week in your debts, for example, can help reduce them by an extra $260 by the end of the year.
- If you are struggling to get your finances in order, you can consider using a free app like Mint to help you track your spending and develop a budget. You may also look into a class on budgeting or financial planning at your local community center.
2
Reduce how much work you do at home whenever possible. Having a physical boundary between your work life and your home life can help reinforce a healthy work-life balance. Try to keep your job, including your work computer, documents, and anything else from your office, away from your personal living space.^{[18]
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Mental Health Foundation
UK charity working towards good mental health for all.

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- If you telecommute or work from home, set up distinct work and home spaces. You may designate a bedroom as your office, for example. If that's the case, leave your work computer in your office instead of open on the dining room table.
- Try to unplug from technology when you are home from work. Avoid taking work-related calls. Spend time doing activities off the computer, like crafting, reading, or cooking.
3
Set boundaries with both your work and personal social circles. Even if you have a flexible schedule, it's important to communicate when you are and aren't available to handle work-related issues. Let your boss and coworkers know if you cannot or will not respond to a 3 a.m. text asking for a report by 6 a.m.^{[19]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices

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- Your personal social circles should have a similar boundary during your workday. Let them know that between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (or whenever you work), your first duty is your job. Catch up with them during a break or during your lunch if you want to chat during the workday.
- By the same measure, you can set aside certain times that are specifically for non-work activities. If you run every day, for example, you could make 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. your designated running time. During that time, avoid checking work emails and just enjoy the jog.
4
Talk to your office about renegotiating your work duties if necessary. If you find your job makes it difficult to have the work-life balance that you want, talk to your supervisor or HR person about new terms. Items you could bring up include things like working from home 1-2 days a week, or adjusting your hours to something that better fits your schedule.^{[20]
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- You don't need to provide a lot of detail, but be prepared to provide some context for your request. Most jobs won't give you a new schedule for no reason. They may be more receptive to letting you work a new schedule because you need to pick your child up from daycare, though.
- If you find that your job is overwhelming or so inflexible that it prevents you from taking care of yourself or your family, it may be time to find a new job. Look for a place that offers the sort of flexibility you need to ensure that you can manage your daily life.
- If your feelings towards work are less than ideal, thinking about why that is can lead to potential avenues for improvement. For instance, if you want to feel more connected to your coworkers you can go grab coffee with them, or if you want to feel more creative you can ask for more independence in carrying out a project.^{[21]
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  Expert Source
  
  Amy Wong
  Leadership & Transformational Coach
  
  Expert Interview. 30 April 2020.}
- Delegate tasks to others whenever possible. Trust coworkers and colleagues to help out with large projects. At home, share chores with family members to reduce the burden.