Open your mind to work-life balance

There is a lot of discussion about work-life balance or work- life integration. Personally, I prefer to think of work-life balance because I feel like my life is much bigger than the work that I do day to day.

Regardless of your philosophy, I believe that taking time for yourself is imperative.

One of the rituals I have is to start my day off intentionally. I don’t prefer to be rushed in the morning, or to be bombarded with news, social media or other outside distractions. My ideal morning begins at 5 a.m. (I know, it’s not for the faint of heart, but it works for me) in my home gym. My goal is to balance my movement with four days of yoga in my hot-yoga dome and three days of cardio and weightlifting. Moving in the morning energizes me for the day — and gets it off my to-do list, therefore off my mind.

Whether I work out or not, my routine is still filled with plenty of me time. I indulge in hot showers in the morning that include a scented shower steamer. Candlelight is my preferred light source and I play 528-hertz (cycles per second) healing frequency while showering, getting dressed and drying my hair. As I put on my makeup and do my hair, I listen to whatever audiobook I am currently enjoying. I listen to a lot of positive psychology-type books, which help me gain perspective.

By the time I step out of my room to greet my kids, dogs and the activities of the day, I have given myself the time I need to be present and in the right mindset to tackle whatever comes my way.

I encourage you to find a routine, ritual or activities that feel good for you and feed your soul. It could be 10 minutes of mindful meditation, enjoying quiet time alone in the evening and getting out for a walk in your community. Prioritizing yourself is the key to finding inner peace and balance. As the saying goes: We must put our own oxygen mask on first.