Live Balanced

In a world that often glorifies busyness and constant productivity, learning to say no can be a powerful act of self-care. Setting boundaries is essential for maintaining a balanced life, yet many of us struggle with it. Whether it’s at work, school, or in our personal lives, saying no can help protect our time, energy, and well-being. See how saying no can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Understanding the Importance of Boundaries

Boundaries are the limits we set to define what is acceptable and unacceptable in our lives. They help us protect our physical, emotional, and mental health by ensuring that we don’t overextend ourselves. Without boundaries, we risk burnout, stress, and resentment. By learning to say no, we can create space for the things that truly matter and align with our values.

The Challenges of Saying No

Saying no can be difficult for many reasons. We fear disappointing others, damaging relationships, or fear of missing out (FOMO) (I personally suffer from this one… However, constantly saying yes can lead to overcommitment and exhaustion. It’s important to recognize that saying no is not about being selfish; it’s about prioritizing your well-being and respecting your limits.

The Benefits of Setting Boundaries

Setting boundaries and saying no can lead to numerous benefits. It allows you to focus on your priorities and invest your time and energy in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. Boundaries also improve your relationships by fostering mutual respect and understanding. When you communicate your limits clearly, others are more likely to respect them.

Incorporating Boundaries into Your Life

To make boundary-setting a regular practice, start by identifying your limits and what is most important to you. Reflect on past experiences where you felt overwhelmed, and consider how setting boundaries could have helped. Practice saying no in low-stakes situations to build your confidence. Over time, you’ll find it easier to assert your needs and protect your well-being.

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By mastering the art of saying no, you can create a more balanced and fulfilling life. Remember, setting boundaries is an act of self-respect and self-care. I have a difficult time doing this myself. When I commit to too many plans, I tend to push off things I actually need to do. I don’t want to make saying “no” a habit, but I definitely need to implement the word into my vocabulary!

Read my blog Digital Detox: Finding Balance in a Hyperconnected World to learn of other boundaries to create a happier life!

It’s easy to forget the simple joys that can significantly impact our well-being. We often overlook laughter. It can enhance our mental, emotional, and even physical health. Incorporating more humor into your life can help you live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

The Science Behind Laughter

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. These promote an overall sense of well-being. Additionally, laughter reduces the level of stress hormones, which can help alleviate anxiety and improve your mood. 

Building Stronger Connections

Humor is universal. It’s a language that we all speak to bring people together. Laughing with friends, family, or colleagues strengthens relationships and creates a sense of camaraderie. It breaks down barriers and fosters a sense of connection, making social interactions more enjoyable.

Boosting Creativity and Productivity

Incorporating humor into your daily routine can also boost your creativity and productivity. When you’re in a positive mood, your brain is more open to new ideas and solutions. A laugh can provide a mental break, allowing you to return to your tasks with a new perspective 

Add More Laughter to Your Life

Finding ways to laugh more often doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by seeking out humor in everyday situations. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh and don’t take life too seriously! Even in challenging times, finding a reason to smile can make a big difference.

Embracing a Lighthearted Attitude

Ultimately, embracing a lighthearted attitude can help you navigate life and everything that comes with it. By not taking yourself too seriously and finding humor in everyday moments, you can cultivate a more positive outlook on life. Remember, laughter is a powerful tool that can enhance your well-being and help you live a more balanced life.

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It is such a simple, yet effective way to enhance your everyday life. Laughing is something that I love to do. It makes me, and those around me, more positive. Sometimes, you have to laugh at yourself. Don’t take things too seriously! To see the things that make me laugh, see my recent TikTok post!

In today’s hyperconnected world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant notifications, emails, and social media updates. While technology has undoubtedly made our lives more convenient, it has also led to more stress and burnout–at least for me. That’s why it could be beneficial to do a digital detox. This could help you find balance and reconnect with the present moment.

What is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is simply taking a break from digital devices and screens to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. It is setting boundaries with technology to create space for more meaningful interactions. Whether it’s for a few hours, a day, or even a weekend, a digital detox can help recharge and gain a new perspective. 

The Benefits of Unplugging

Unplugging from technology offers many benefits. It can improve your focus and productivity, enhance your relationships, and boost your overall happiness. When I’m not constantly checking my phone or computer, I am more present in my daily activities.

What to do During Your Detox

Use your digital detox as an opportunity to explore new hobbies and activities. Read a book, go for a walk, or spend quality time with loved ones. Engaging in these activities can help you rediscover the happiness in offline experience.

Maintaining Balance Post-Detox

After doing a digital detox, it’s important to maintain a healthy relationship with technology. Consider implementing regular tech-free periods into your routine, such as a weekly digital detox day or tech-free evenings. By creating a balanced approach to technology use, you can enjoy the benefits of being connected without feeling overwhelmed.

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Sometimes, I feel like social media consumes me and my time. I find it draining and extremely non-beneficial. In many cases, it leads to harsh comparisons between the lives of others, and ourselves. It is important to create a healthy balance in technology and social media. This is something that I hope to become better at myself. I talk more about what a balanced life looks like to me in my post, Live Balanced: What is it?.

By incorporating a digital detox into your life, you can find a healthier balance between the digital world and the real world. It’s all about taking small steps to create more mindful and intentional use of technology. So, take a break, unplug, and rediscover the beauty of living in the moment.

Many of my blogs consist of a recurring theme–finding the fun parts of life again and making them a priority.As we grow older, it’s easy to get swept away by the tide of obligations, deadlines, and the relentless pace of work or school. Looking back, most of us reminisce on the joyful childhood moments when fun took center of each day. Life was a constant adventure and contained the unknowingness of what would happen. Today, we live in that same world, we just have a different mindset about it! I want to create a world for myself where I’m not dreading what might happen tomorrow. So, here is what I am working on as a full time student:

Embrace Playfulness

Embracing playfulness is a great start. As children, we used to find joy in the simplest things. Incorporating playfulness into your daily routine can significantly boost your mood and creativity. Imagine setting aside a few minutes each day for a fun activity you love. These moments of playfulness can make a big difference in your overall well-being.

Cultivate Curiosity

Cultivating curiosity is another way to keep the spirit of our childhoods alive. Kids are naturally curious and always eager to learn new things. Adopting a similar mindset by exploring new hobbies or interests can make life more exciting and fulfilling. Whether it’s learning a new language, picking up a musical instrument, or trying out a new recipe, keeping your curiosity alive can bring a sense of adventure to your daily routine.

Connect with Nature

I remember the excitement that playing outside used to bring me. Spending time in nature can be incredibly refreshing. Taking a walk in the park, going for a hike, or simply sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air can ground you. Nature has a way of reminding us of the simple pleasures in life.

Foster Friendships

Friendships were always a vital part of my childhood fun, and they remain important in adulthood. Make time to connect with friends. Go on a coffee date, make a phone call, or have a fun night out. It can bring immense joy and help you feel more balanced. Sharing laughter and experiences with friends can make the challenges of adult life feel a little lighter.

Prioritize Fun

Lastly, make fun a priority. Scheduling time for activities that bring you joy and make you feel alive is essential for a balanced life. Whether it’s a hobby, a sport, or just watching a funny movie, having fun is crucial for maintaining a sense of balance and happiness.

These are what I have been trying to prioritize in my life to make myself happier. I hope you try these tips out if you haven’t already, and see if this works for you as well.

There are many things in life that I consider necessary to be happy. I am sure that most people have requirements in life that keep them afloat. With a full time job or a demanding school schedule, some things can seem too out of reach. For me, prioritizing family and travel is something that I want to become non-negotiable. Why is finding time to live life outside the parameters of a campus or cubicle so difficult? 

Creating space for your necessities is a key factor. You won’t have time to do anything if you don’t make the time. Carve out a piece of your day or weekend to do the things that you need to stay content. With travel and family being two of my desirable necessities, I have found ways to incorporate these into my schedule. Below are a few things I want to start implementing into my life to make these non-negotiables work.

My non-negotiables:

• Take small trips: Over the course of the next semester, taking small trips on the weekend is something that I want to begin doing regularly. Going to a local snow ski place in the winter or visiting the farmers market in the spring are experiences I can share with others. I wrote about turning everything into an adventure in a previous post. Even if I am not able to make it out of Iowa every weekend, there is always something to go see or do. 
• Visit family more often: Because I am living three hours away from home during school, visiting family can feel like a task at times. When I do, however, I always feel refreshed and consider the trip a vacation. Visiting family and friends that don’t live near is something that many of us may benefit from-even if it feels like a task at first. 

When all is said and done, it truly is the small things that matter the most. Spend your time with those you care about, and do the things that you have always wanted to do. Make the most of the life you have been given. Don’t get blinded by the tasks we are told to care about!

Over the last four years, I have noticed an increase in people advocating for a healthier lifestyle. During the lockdown in 2020, it felt like those that were so invested in their long term career goals finally got a second to breathe. People were seeing just how important it is to live in the present. For the first time in a long time, this community was able to focus on creating healthy habits.

As I have previously mentioned, many of us get wrapped up in our daily routines. Work, school, and other tasks we need to complete on a day to day consume our time. Something that was widely discovered in 2020 was that making healthy habits for ourselves leads to creating a healthy mind. This can even cause furthering our career and educational goals.

What constitutes as a healthy habit?

Everyone has their own opinions on what healthy means and looks like. However, I think there are a few things that most people have a common outlook on. These are some tricks to create a healthy mind…

1. Cook at home: Not only is making your meals at home better for your health, but it also benefits your bank account! Even if you aren’t the greatest cook, making meals with your roommates, significant other, or yourself can become a fun activity.
2. Exercise: Simply getting those 10,000 steps in each day can help clear your mind. Your body and mind will both benefit by getting your heart rate up. It’s never a bad idea!
3. Drink water: What seems like a simple task can be the most easily overlooked! All you need to do is consume more water than you did today, and you’re on the right track.
4. Get enough sleep: Getting the necessary amount of sleep can be critical to your daily schedule and will give you the energy you need to be productive.
5. Find a hobby: I know this one can be difficult to do for some people (me…), but finding new hobbies can make life more interesting and more fun. You can even do this with a friend!

These habits are something that I have been working on. Creating a healthy mind will lead to future career and educational success! It is trial and error from here… I hope you take some of these tips with you and try them for yourself! To see me create this space for myself in real-time, check out my TikTok posts!

In today’s age, many of us have become lucky enough to have our jobs turn remote. This gives so much freedom to enjoy life. You can even show up in pajamas! However, with such flexibility, it can be easy to blur the line of work time and YOU time. This post will explain ways to separate work from home when work is AT home.

How to separate the two:

1. Create a dedicated work space: Make a specific room in your house or corner of your living room your “office”. This can help you mentally separate your job from your personal life.
2. Make a daily routine: Working from home does come with flexibility, but this can also create procrastination. To overcome this, creating a daily routine will help you to achieve what you need to. Even if this just means setting out the specific hours you should work.
3. Dress in work attire: Yes, I previously stated that remote work comes with the perk of staying in your pajamas all day… BUT, if your personal productivity increases due to the way you’re dressed, put on your work attire! Increasing your productivity means finishing early.
4. Create a To-Do list: Having work conveniently with you at all times, you may feel responsible for doing more than needed. So, make a daily list of what needs done for work. It can help you feel like you’ve done what is necessary and make it easier to stop.
5. Disconnect after work: As I have mentioned in a previous post, it’s important to close the laptop when your work day is done. It can be easy to find yourself replying to people through email after hours when the notifications go to your phone. So, turn work email notifications off, and disconnect your brain from work!

When all is said and done, working from home is a privilege. Finding a way to separate work and home will be different for anyone that does it. There are many benefits that come with this type of flexibility! Be sure to keep a lookout for this in future posts and on the Live Balanced TikTok.

We live in a society that puts our careers on a pedestal. In order to get the things we want in life, we have to work our way up to the top. We give everything we have to our 9-5 jobs, all so that we can enjoy ourselves on the weekends. Sounds ideal… right? 

Personally, I think that this sounds like a terrible way to live the rest of my life. How do we change this for ourselves? Many of us will eventually (if not already) have to learn to make that balance in life, but not everyone can ditch their 9-5s. With that being said, here are some ways you can try and implement a balance in your life.

Tips to achieve a work-life balance:

• Set boundaries: Many times, work goes home with us. Try and find a way to stop opening up the company laptop and checking emails. It can wait another day!
• Find time for friends: It can be difficult to make an effort for friends, but you don’t need an entire day! Go to dinner, grab a drink, and enjoy the weekdays as much as you do weekends.
• Plan out your days: Sometimes, all that’s needed is to write down a thing to do for YOU. Do you want to make yourself a nice dinner? Write it in the planner. Have you been wanting to watch that one movie you’ve been meaning to? Write it in the planner. Having things on paper to check off can make you feel obligated to follow through with the small things you like to push to the side. 
• Romanticize everything: Everything has a way of being glamorized if you try, and it makes simple tasks more fun! Grabbing a cup of coffee on a chilly day, or even getting ready to go get groceries. Find the habit of making everything an adventure!
• Help others: Volunteering at various places in your free time can get you out of your own mind and help put a lot of things in perspective. 

To find more on what living balanced means, check out my previous post. Otherwise, define what a work-life balance can look like for YOU and stick with it. This will look different for every individual, so have fun with it!

To see some of these tips come to life, check out the Live Balanced TikTok.

Even if you don’t realize it, everyone is at different stages in life. Whether you are in school or have a full time job, this phase of your life means something different to each and every person. Living a balanced lifestyle looks unique to everyone.

What is living balanced?

As covered, living balanced means something different to everyone. The whole point of it is to live a lifestyle that excels you in both, your career (or school) and your everyday life. Many people get wrapped up in either their school or career, but life outside of those are just as important. I came across the definitions of work-life balance and work-life integration and how the two differ. An integration of the two is finding ways to blur the line of work and life. For example, one might get more work done in the morning so that they don’t need to take time off for an appointment, or going to have dinner with your coworkers. Work-life balance means completely separating the two.

What a balanced lifestyle looks like to me

I am currently in my final year of college and I work throughout the week/weekends. Sometimes, the overload of responsibility can blind me from living the classic college lifestyle. With this being said, there are ways I can find balance throughout my week and weekends. Going to the UNI sporting events during the week, going out for dinner and a drink with my roommates, or even making a target run with friends; all of these seemingly small outings can make life feel that much more exciting.

Being able to find what works for you and your current situation isn’t always easy. However, being able to find a system-or even completely getting rid of it, can make you a happier individual. Finding this balance won’t only help you succeed in the workplace, but in life as a whole.

Get to know more about this blog in my first post, and check out my TikTok to see this in action!

Hello, everyone!

If you are reading this, you are probably trying to find ways to live a balanced lifestyle. Between finding time outside of being a full-time college student or learning to juggle life after college, there are many of us in search of something similar; how to have fun while being responsible for the rest of our lives. In this blog, along with my other socials, I will be searching and testing the best ways to making a work-life balance achievable.

Being a full-time college student who also works, it is difficult to find the time to visit my family three hours away. With this, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the simple schedule of just school and work. I want to change this for myself. By creating this blog, I hope to find various ways of using the scraps of time I DO have to make this balance come to life. Because I am in my last year as a student at the University of Northern Iowa, I aim to apply the habits I make from this blog to life after school.

Assuming that I am in the same situation as most of you, I am excited that we get to learn to live balanced together. I can’t wait to get started!