Avoid Burning Out By Finding the Right Work / Life Balance

I'm sure you have heard the saying, ‘You can't pour from an empty cup.’ This is why you need to take care of yourself. Keeping yourself motivated is an inside job. You might do an excellent job at creating the right environment and getting the requisite resources to succeed, but if you're not taking care of yourself, you'll not stay motivated for long. It's hard to keep pushing yourself to do more when your body is falling apart under the pressure. 

Achieving success at the expense of your health is not a wise idea. It's equally unwise to neglect your family and friends in the process. While it's true that sacrifices need to be made, your health and relationships shouldn't be one of them. In short, it will be much easier to motivate a healthy mind and body. 

Pay careful attention to these 5 areas that are often neglected in the pursuit of success: 

Nutrition 

How, when, and what you eat has a huge bearing on how well your bodies perform under pressure. It's easy to neglect your diet when you're focusing all your time, energy, and resources on becoming "successful". Purchasing cheap junk food might be convenient now, but you are not looking ahead to the disaster coming your way. As a whole, a large percentage of the illnesses we face are nutritional disorders that could have been prevented if we paid more attention to our diets. 

Clean, healthy, nutritious food helps your body grow, gives you energy, and helps your body repair itself. For your body to function optimally and not burn out, you'll need to consume the recommended amount of each nutrient. But there is no need to become jittery about your diet and make rash decisions. Here are a few basic suggestions to make eating well a lot easier. 

• Avoid foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar 
• Eat organic fresh fruits and vegetables and meat, and avoid processed foods 
• Read food labels before you consume the item 
• Include food from each food group in each of your meals 
• Drink more water and fewer carbonated beverages 
• Don’t skip meals 
• Replace your snacks with healthy options like fresh fruits and nuts 
• Vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements are vital, but never replace meals with them solely 

Rest 

The average human being needs approximately 7 – 9 hours of rest each day. Getting sufficient sleep is one of the most essential aspects of finding the right work/life balance. Unfortunately, with the demands of earning a living, caring for your family, and pushing yourself to meet your goals, sacrificing sleep might seem like the only logical solution to getting everything done. Some people even reason that sleepless nights are synonymous with success. I'm not so sure about that one. Maybe for a season, but certainly not for the long haul.

Once again, sacrifices need to be made to reach your goals, but sleep shouldn't be one of them. Not getting enough sleep means your body won't get enough time to repair, replenish, and recharge itself. You're like a dead and depleted battery when you don't get enough sleep. Your mind will not function optimally if you are sleep deprived. A lack of sleep has even been linked to depression. How can you motivate a mind that's drained? Get enough rest, and your mind will be ready to conceive your success. 

Exercise 

Few people in this world enjoy exercise. Thankfully, the number is steadily increasing as more and more people are beginning to realize the benefits of doing so. Constantly feeling fatigued and achy is a sign that you may need more exercise. One of the main reasons people dread exercise is that they fear it might be too hard and too time-consuming. They assume they have to start with the difficult things, and it will just gradually get worse. 

That's not how it works, nor what's recommended. If you are new to working out, you will need to start small at first and gradually work your way up, so to speak. You may even hurt yourself by pushing too much, too soon. It's also best to vary your workout. Monotony only makes this task harder than it has to be. Find what works for you and engage your mind by mixing up your routine. You'll be surprised how much good exercising just a few minutes each day will do. 

Here are a few benefits of getting sufficient exercise: 

• Regular exercise helps strengthen your bones 
• People who exercise sleep better 
• The condition of your skin will improve as you sweat and excrete waste from your pores 
• You will be better able to manage your weight 
• Exercise reduces the risk of suffering from ailments like diabetes and heart disease 
• You often feel better after you exercise because working out releases the hormones that improve your mood 
• Regular exercise reduces stress
  
  

Family 

Your family is your strength. The stronger the relationships in your family unit, the happier you will be. When you lovingly make time for your family despite your endeavors to be great, they will, in turn, lovingly support your hopes and dreams. You cannot surround yourself with the right people if you keep pushing away the only group of people who are determined to watch you succeed. Making time for the ones you love should always be a priority. This is especially so if children are involved. A child will not understand that you are busy now because you are trying to build a better future for them. 

They only think about the here and now. And the fact that you are not here for them 'right now' can have serious implications on the kind of person they will become. Money cannot - and will not - buy you happiness, and all the accolades in the world will not make your children love you anymore. Motivation can soon turn into selfishness if you don't invest the time to care for the ones who are entitled to your time. Plus, when you have the loving support of your family, you'll have the kind of support you need to push yourself to achieve your goals. 

Recreation

People who can't or don't find time for recreation are obliged sooner or later to find time for illness.

Believe it or not, recreation plays a very important role in your success. While it's true that goofing off when you should be working on achieving your goals is a bad idea, recreation can be quite beneficial. Taking the time to have a laugh, smell a rose, or "let your hair down" may be just what you need to stay motivated.

A life without recreation isn't very enjoyable. A miserable, depressed mind cannot focus on achieving anything. If you push yourself too hard and don't take time to enjoy life, you'll burn out quite quickly - and quite easily. Take some time to enjoy the fruits of your labor with the ones you love. You'll be pleasantly surprised to see how these simple ways to practice better self-care can make a huge difference in your life. 

How happy will you be when you achieve your goals but have lost your health and loved ones in the process? Many of the greatest minds have made that mistake and have publicly declared how much they regret that choice. Being motivated to achieve your goals should not come at such a high personal cost to you. How could you ever enjoy the fruits of your labour under those conditions? Remember, personal success is not just about achieving your goals; it also involves being happy with the result.