Balancing Life – BYC Brooke Moncur
Balancing Life
Hey! My name is Brooke and I am a member of the Brimbank Youth Council. We think Mental Health and having a healthy, positive lifestyle is so important, especially after the eventful years we have had. To improve our overall well-being, it is important to have balance when it comes to our school or work life, and our home life. There should be productivity throughout your day but also time for self-care and relaxation. Here are some experiences and tips on how to lead a balanced school/work life.
Having personal time is super important when trying to balance your activities. Try and make time during your day, in the morning, at night before bed, or even on your lunch breaks to dedicate time for self-care. Being able to switch off from your work environment is so important for your health as it gives you a break from the stress and anxiety of work, and allows you to recharge for a peaceful and productive day.
During your personal time, you could try:
- meditation to clear your mind
- reading
- drawing/colouring
- beauty care such as a face mask.
Personally, I like to have my personal time in the morning and just before I go to bed. Having a time in the morning allows you to ease into your day, reducing stress and panic as you don’t have to be as rushed. At night, you are allowing yourself to wind down from your day. By doing this you can be relaxed and enjoy a peaceful sleep.
Setting goals and planning ahead of time will also allow you to have a more productive and less stressed lifestyle.
Set realistic goals for what you want to achieve during your work or school time, and try to get them done. If you don’t have enough time during the hours you’re working or attending school, don’t stress yourself out to get them done outside of those hours. If you can set goals that are achievable, then you will be less stressed and be able to plan easier, separating your work life from your home life.
Planning can have the same effect as setting goals. By planning out your day, week or month you can spread out your due dates, meetings and activities evenly so your work day isn’t crammed and your work isn’t overflowing into your personal life. Some ways you could implement these is by having a diary, bullet journal, calendar and to do lists. If you’re more digital, you can plan your weeks and months out on google calendar or download the app Todoist. Todoist allows you to plan out what you want to do in your day, and weeks in advance. You can also add due dates as well as add priority flags to your tasks to help you see what needs to be done right away.
Make time to exercise and eat healthy meals throughout your day.
Eating healthy foods will give you more energy and make you feel better and less stressed. You can look up healthy recipes online, buy a new cookbook or even ask some friends or family for some recipes. Cooking from scratch can be calming and delicious!
Cooking can also take you into another world of flavours, disconnecting you from what you didn’t finish at work or school, or the stressful day of tomorrow.
Exercise can do the same, try exercising in the morning to get your blood pumping giving you the energy to start your day, or go for an evening walk to let your mind and thoughts wander while embracing nature. Exercise is a huge stress reliever, so next time work or school is stressing you out and you feel a lot of pressure on yourself, try going to the gym, following a workout video or going for a walk or run. Try doing your workout outside, getting some sun and the fresh air.
Hopefully some of these tips are helpful, and will help improve and balance your productivity. If you want to know any tips for self-care or meditation, check out our other posts on the Brimbank Youth Services Instagram page or on their website.
If you are struggling with balancing your life and are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, get in touch with Brimbank Youth Services for some support
https://brimbankyouth.com/programs/b-heard-youth-support-program/
