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Help! I want to get off…. Is that you? Do you want to get off of the treadmill of life?

All of these hats that we wear in life can make us a little crazy at times! According to researcher, David Meyer at the University of Michigan, multitasking can lead to burnout, anxiety and depression. Not good! Not only that but Dr. Don Colbert, author and Christian physician, states that 70% of all doctor’s visits are stress related. Okay, time out!

Maybe it is a time for a little self-examination. How are you doing in the self-care, life balance department? Let me ask you a few questions.

1. On a scale of one to ten, where is your stress level right now?
2. What will happen to you if you stay at this level of stress, six months from now, a year from now?
3. What are your close friends, family saying about you and your schedule?
4. When was the last time you really had fun?
5. Where do you find it hard to say “no”? What might be keeping you from saying “no”?

When we care for everybody else at our own expense, we not only hurt ourselves but we deny others the opportunity to grow, mature and do some things they need to do for themselves. More importantly, if we are always giving and giving, then eventually our own personal well is going to run dry.

So let me offer five strategies to consider to get moving in the right direction of self-care and greater life balance…

1. Make Self-Care a Priority! Everyone’s demand of time is different; however, one issue remains the same. If we are going to gain more balance in our life we have to get intentional and make a plan. It has to become a PRIORITY or it just will not happen.. Put “you” on your calendar, even if it is only for 15 minutes a day. Make an appointment with yourself. An appointment with you is just as important as your son’s soccer game. It really is!

2. Tap into joy! I notice many women that I coach have a tough time telling me what is fun for them. To me, that is a fairly good indication that they are overworked and overstressed. What lights you up? What makes you smile? What do you love and enjoy doing? What did you do as a child? It is time to play, have fun and discover the child in you. Give yourself permission to have fun!

3. Learn to say “No”! You might discover it is not such a bad word. What are some things you could do to create some space and healthy boundaries for yourself? Just say “No” to the phone. “No” to that event you do not want to go to in the first place. You get the idea. It really is okay to sometimes just say “No.”

4. Ask for help! Why is this so difficult for us? Responsibility spread around can be a good thing even for kids!

5. Live in the moment. I believe there is great value in living in the moment and enjoying each moment. It is the art of being present in life. Learning how to shut out the do lists or tomorrow’s project from our thoughts and just savor the moment. This is not only a helpful exercise in dealing with stress but such a great way to live.

Making time for “you” does not have to be expensive or even time consuming. It does need to be thoughtful and intentional. When we make the time to give ourselves a little tender loving care, I believe we not only enjoy the ride of life a little more, but we have more to offer to ones we are called to influence, our families, our business, communities and world.