Life Balance

A healthy balance between work and rest helps to reduce feelings of stress. The sense of achievement that we get from working, completing tasks and looking after our loved ones is important for our self esteem. However, it is equally important to look after ourselves. If we spend too much time trying to achieve things we can end up feeling tired, irritable and stressed out. In the long term this can have a negative impact on our physical and emotional health. This can mean that we come to be unable to achieve the things we have set out to do and can also make any underlying health problems, such as depression or eczema, worse.

 

Out of Balance Signs and Symptoms

Frequent Colds
Feel run down
Problems Sleeping
Stomach problems
Irritable
Low
Feeling stressed out
Feeling overwhelmed
Problems concentrating
Racing thoughts
Excessive worrying
Avoidance
Procrastination
Unhelpful coping strategies (e.g. drink or drugs, smoking)

 

It is important to make time to relax, have fun, and look after ourselves. This includes eating well, getting enough sleep, taking some exercise, spending time with loved ones and doing things just for fun. It is also important to develop a good network of family, friends and colleagues to turn to for support.