When did it become so difficult to juggle so many things and have a balanced life? Somehow it seemed so much easier when the world was less accessible with technology like it is today. The longing and pursuit of life balance is like that carrot that keeps getting dangled in front of me.

I remember the days of waiting at a red traffic light and drumming my fingers on the wheel in time to whatever song was playing. Why do I now use these transport standstills as an excuse to check my phone’s emails and messages?

In order to continue doing what I love the most in the world, I find that having parameters at the start and finish of each day certainly helps. I guess that’s just another way of affirming how important boundaries are.

Getting up by a certain time, starting work at a specific point and then most importantly having a set time to end the day means I’m less likely to feel overwhelmed and more likely to achieve my goals. Is it foolproof? Sadly, no.  Do I get tested? Yes, almost everyday.  

As a yoga teacher and healer, I teach many of my classes and see many of my clients after hours. It is for this very reason that I even entertained the concept of managing my time effectively. Am I rigid with my daily routine? No. Every day is different and it is for this reason that I need to have a structure in place in order to get the most out of my day, but more importantly my life.

I’ve learned that it’s just as important to be flexible with my day, as it is to have a structure.

It started with me being honest about my needs. My daily morning meditation is not negotiable. These days, neither is my afternoon one. My practice sets the scene for the rest of the day by helping to clear out the clutter in my mind from the day before and to set an intention for the day that is positive, upbeat and calm.

So how do we manage our needs when photos of us are uploaded on Facebook before we’ve even left the party? How do we switch off our phones now that we use them to be social? How do we stop working when so much of our networking happens after hours?

I attended a friend’s housewarming a few weekends ago. In the spirit of being inclusive, she had invited her close friends as well as her new neighbours to get together over a bbq and a few drinks.  I watched with curious fascination as one neighbour took an interest in my friend who owned a yoga studio close by and proceeded to quiz her incessantly about her classes.

My friend responded to his first few questions quite graciously and suggested that he might also like to have a look at the timetable. Like a dog with a bone he followed her around asking relentless questions oblivious to the fact that she was the hostess attending to her many guests on a Sunday – her only day off incidentally.

How do we balance our work and personal life? Often the boundaries we set for ourselves aren’t necessarily the boundaries that are echoed by others. A sacred day off for us is an opportunity to learn about an important topic and life-changing event by someone else as illustrated by the example above.

How do you respond to work related questions when you’re out? Does the act of saying, “That’s a work related question that I can answer during the week, here’s my email address that you’re welcome to contact me on” work for you? If not, what does? I’d love to know!

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