Rest is Productive

Finding balance through prioritising, understanding your values and putting less pressure on ourselves.

Firstly, I’d just like to acknowledge the blog drought - I guess this actually segways into the topic of this post, among a giant list of priorities, the blog unfortunately fell to the bottom, which I will dive into more detail about later. 

Of course, studying at University in Wellington as well as running a business can get tough,  so ensuring my priorities are in order is a massive must for me. To be completely honest, finding balance can be really difficult. Although I love uni, I would always rather be doing Stella Claire work or spending time with friends and family. In one sense this is a good thing, but when I am living in Wellington and focusing on study, I feel the need to prioritise my degree.

I’m sure we all know the feeling that there are simply not enough hours in each day. This often results in late nights and a lot of stress! So for this post I’m going to talk about how I try to implement balance into my life living in Wellington as a business owner and full time student (Note: I am not an expert nor do I claim to be haha! This is just what I tend to do that helps me).

Priorities

Planning ahead and staying organised is a massive bonus when implementing balance. I try to prioritise by writing things down and using to-do lists (I would highly recommend the reminders app). I am a slight control freak though, so I have 14 lists… it clears my head and puts my mental to-do list on a page so it doesn’t clutter/build up in my brain. Definitely a game changer! 

Values

It is also important while prioritising to remember what your values are, and what needs to be done first. Sometimes you have to prioritise the things you least want to do, and the things you are most looking forward to have to come last. I am terrible at doing things I don’t want to do… but unfortunately this is all part of being an adult! (Confession: a lot of the time I find myself flagging the important things and watching TV instead... but let’s face it, I always manage to get it done in the end and it always turns out okay). 

Rest is productive

The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to stop and take a break sometimes. Something I need to work on within myself is that I don’t need to get everything done every single day. Some days are more productive than others, some days I will hop out of bed at 11 and some days I’ll be out at 6 - and this is completely fine. 

Be prepared for change

I almost can’t even discuss this point because I am the worst with change. But I can offer some suggestions based on my weaknesses. Sometimes finding balance can be hard when something out of your control happens - could be something as small as being stuck in traffic or on the other end of the stick… going back into L4 lockdown. All of a sudden, all of the plans, appointments and priorities are up in the air and out of sync. But something worth remembering is that these things can happen and we need to be prepared for things to be out of our control. As I said at the start of this para, I should probably start practicing what I preach… but everything is a work in progress, which is again, okay! 

And finally,

You are the most important

I read a post the other day that said “you will never accomplish anything if you are unhealthy or unhappy.” Whether it be mentally or physically, your health and wellbeing is incredibly important when finding balance. As mentioned previously, it is okay to take breaks. Go out and do something that will make you feel better! If I’m ever struggling with burnout or anxiety, my main call to action is going outside for a long walk. I may stress about not having time to do so, but ultimately there's no shot of getting anything done with a cluttered head. 

Look after you - you are your main priority. 

To sum up:

• Balance is hard but achievable
• Plan ahead/Prioritise
• Know your values
• Rest is productive and good for you
• Prepare for the unknown (or know it's inevitable)
• You are the most important
• Do the things that will make you happy and in turn, more balanced and productive

Edit: I drafted this post before going into lockdown and am finishing it from my home in Auckland whilst in L4 as I find parts fitting when at home. I would like to mention that as described above, lockdown is a situation that is out of our control and can be very stressful for a lot of us. If you or anyone in your bubble needs help, you can reach out. 

0800 543 354 - Lifeline (for free text 4357)

0800 733 834 - Womens Refuge

0508 744 633 - Shine (domestic abuse helpline)

0800 787 797 - Alcohol and drug helpline

0800 376 633 - Youthline

0508 828 865 - Suicide Prevention Helpline

0800 111 757 - Depression helpline

0508 326 459 - Oranga Tamariki (to report concern for children’s safety)

You are not alone through these times! Kia Kaha whānau, we got this.