In this fast-paced world, everyone is constantly on the go, whether they’re going to events, trying new careers, or exploring the world. While these are all essential for growth, they’re not the only ways to achieve success in life.
You have to remember that life is a balancing act. While you have busy days, you must also have rest days. In a similar vein, if you spend time on your mobile devices, you should also spend time away from them. It’s neither practical nor sufficient for you to keep going on the next big thing without taking the time in between to pause, breathe, and savor the moment. Sooner or later, you’ll come to realize that while being constantly on the move allows you to achieve incredible accomplishments, it also forces you to miss out on other important aspects of your life, like time with family, friends, and — most importantly — yourself. Below are five of the best ways to change the way you live for the better.
Set Realistic Goals
Setting clear goals is the first step to achieving success. But remember, your goals must be realistic. While it’s all well and good to shoot for the stars and reach for your dreams, you also have to take your abilities into consideration. Where are you in your life right now? What can you achieve in the near future?
For instance, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with no prior experience, setting a goal to earn one million dollars in your first six months is not realistic. Setting unrealistic expectations will pave the way for disappointment if you fail, so it’s important to start with small goals and gradually expand them as you advance in your life and your career.
Take note: your goals don’t need to be limited to profit and financial stability. You can also set goals for your mental health, relationships, and physical health. Just make sure that your goals are aligned with your values in life. This way, it will be easier for you to commit to them.
Try to Plan Ahead
Now that you know what you want to achieve, the next step is to determine how you’re going to get there. This is where planning ahead comes into play. If you don’t know where to go, how can you achieve your goals?
Creating a battle plan that details everything you need to do step-by-step can help you manage your time and efforts accordingly. Depending on the deadline you set for yourself, be sure to have daily, weekly, and monthly plans that will bring you one step closer to your goals.
Try not to squeeze every task into one day. Instead, space them out evenly to avoid being overscheduled, overworked, and overwhelmed. If you’re burnt out early on, it will be harder for you to make any progress, and therefore will be more challenging to attain your objectives.
Schedule time for yourself into your plan. You don’t have to do something productive every day. Whenever possible, try to set days aside for rest and recuperation; time to re-energize and mentally and physically prepare yourself for the days ahead is vital. Taking this time will allow you to create the balance you need in your life to avoid stress, depression, and anxiety.
Set Clear Boundaries
You can’t achieve balance in life if you don’t respect your own boundaries. It will be difficult to follow them at the beginning of your journey, but hopefully, as you move forward, you’ll find it easier to prioritize your boundaries.
Different aspects of your life will need different boundaries. For example, in terms of work, you need to set a timeframe within the day where you will dedicate yourself to your responsibilities. Once you reach the end of that timeframe, you need to make it a point to stop. Don’t entertain calls, answer emails, or finish a project after work hours. This is the only way for you to establish a routine and create a stress-free lifestyle.
The same is true for relationships. If you notice that some of the people that surround you are toxic, make an effort to cut them out of your life. There’s no room for negativity and toxicity in your life if you want to succeed.
Have the Courage to Say “No”
In today’s culture, everyone is conditioned to think that the only way to make it up the ladder of success is to constantly say yes. However, that’s not true. More often than not, saying yes to everything will only encourage people to take advantage of you. What’s more, it can also misdirect you from your original goals. That’s why learning to say no is vitally important.
You must have the strength and courage to say no to things that may distract you from what matters. If that’s time for yourself, you have to say no to overworking. If that’s living a healthier life, you have to say no to junk food. Before you know it, your “no”s will lead you to your goals much faster than your “yes”es ever could.
Unplug
While in some ways, technology has made life easier and more convenient, in others, it has made it that much harder. With fast connectivity and immediate information transfers, it’s almost impossible to escape the constant ringing and buzzing of your devices. Whether that’s social media notifications, new emails, or work calls, technology can distract you from life outside of your screen with just a push of a button. That’s why it’s important now more than ever to unplug.
Set aside at least an hour a day to be away from your phones or laptops, and dedicate that time to doing the things you love, from reading, writing, and drawing to playing sports, going to the park, or spending time with family.
The Bottom Line
All aspects of your life should revolve around creating balance. It’s the only way for you to be happy, healthy, and successful. Likewise, it’s also the only way for you to unleash your true potential. By following these words of wisdom, you’ll already be taking the first step to achieving your goals. Before you know it, you’ll be living the life you’ve always wanted to have.