Do you feel that your life is moving at a faster and faster rate? Do you feel out of balance and at the mercy of stress?

While stress is not an option, how you deal with and bounce back from it is.

A commitment to balance, which includes self-renewal, is crucial in order to be outrageously successful in all areas of your life. Prioritizing self-renewal allows for you to become physically and mentally refreshed while having the energy to stay focused on your vision and goals.

 “If the snooze button on your alarm is getting as worn out as you are, wake up.
You may be burning out.” ~Patti Bond

Preventing Burnout Through Self-Renewal:

1) Slow it Down!

Our culture gives very little help with slowing down our life. In fact, it seems as if everyday we are encouraged to do things quicker or are offered ways to speed things along. Fast food, faster internet, shorter deadlines, shopping from home in order to get things as soon as possible are not much help with slowing down our lives.

Ask Yourself: Am I feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Do I need to slow down and take some purposeful time alone or in personal refreshment and renewal?

“Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Keys to slowing down and discovering time alone:

– Look for small moments of quiet time to slow down (before your family awakens, short walks where you enjoy the air, smells and sunshine around you)
– Find ‘quiet places’ for silence and solitude (turn off the music, TV, and email and spend time in silence, alone with your thoughts and your self)
– Minimize your words (Speak less and ‘listen’ more when alone, meditate/listen to the inner voice of God, listen to and become aware of that part of yourself that you have been ignoring through all of the ‘noise’ and your busyness)

2) Take Time Off

– Whether a vacation, a half-day break from it all, or 15 minutes to breath and re-focus (see my post on Focused Breathing) , make sure that it is really time off (no cell phone, email, planning your next business strategy). Purposely take the time to refresh and relax!
– Decide ahead of time what you really need. It might be a quiet, relaxing time without the kids or possibly an exciting activity that rejuvenates your brain and gets you ready for your next project or activity.

3) Stop Postponing Joy

We can become so preoccupied and focused on our work related activities that we lose our perspective on the ‘big picture’. The more stressed and ‘serious’ we become, the less we are creative, spontaneous and joyful in our work and life.

Are you allowing yourself to laugh and have fun in your work and life or are you being so ‘adult’ that passion has been replaced by an ongoing lack of creativity.

Childlike renewal involves allowing yourself to slow down when necessary, letting go of the seriousness of it all while experiencing the joy of living!

“In times of joy, all of us wish we possessed a tail we could wag.” ~ W.H. Auden

Slow down and give the childlike part of yourself permission to play, to be outrageously creative in your art, performing and business. Tackle your next project with an innocent, trusting, spontaneous, creative and risk-taking way!

Is it possible to eliminate all stress from our lives? As I mentioned above, that is not an option. Yet, a commitment to how we respond to stress is under our control. Create a balanced life by slowing down, taking time off and experiencing more joy in your life.

Question: Which of the 3 Steps would make the most difference in your life right now?  Click on the comments box – I’d love to hear your thoughts!