Creating balance in life can be difficult but now more than ever is a fantastic time to try to find your perfect work/life balance, all the things you enjoy with the things that must be done and find creative ways to enjoy all the things that are important in life without feeling the need to over schedule.

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8 ways to create balance:

1. Turn off devices/distractions - This is a big one in our house and has been for quite a long time! There are so many distractions these days that can disconnect us from the people we are spending time with, and it is so important to know when to turn those things off or set them aside. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen entire families out to dinner, all sitting at the table staring at their phones and it just makes me sad for them. It is so easy to set priorities in your household for when those distractions should be put away. Your kids might not be happy about it at the time (especially if this is new for them) but they will thank you later!

2. No when to say no (learn not to over schedule) - We have three kids and know how easy it can be to schedule in too many things (been there done that) but trust me, there comes a time when you need to learn how to say no to certain things or before you know it you will have zero time for yourselves and having time with just your own family to do whatever you want to do is vital! Since we chose to cut back on things and stop saying yes to everything and everyone, we have done and experienced so many awesome adventures together or on the opposite end, spent some wonderful quiet times at home together! This doesn't mean that we still don't schedule things with friends and family or let the kids play the sports that they enjoy, we just balance it all out and truth be told really enjoy those things when we do them because it is more on our own terms instead of someone else's.

3. Avoid negativity - We all have people in our lives who can be difficult to deal with, that is just par for the course sometimes. If you can’t completely avoid them, at least minimize contact and tune them out as much as you can. Make sure to surround yourself with positive, supportive people whenever possible, this really does make a big difference in keeping balance in your life.

4. Quality time and relationships - Prioritize the good relationships in your life. Spend quality time with good friends and family, remember quantity doesn't equal quality - its not about the amount of time spent but it is about making sure you carve out time for those relationships that matter most to you and enjoy that time spent together.

5. Set aside time for yourself - Like the last point, you have to make sure to prioritize time for yourself, this is super important! It doesn't matter what you do with your time, just make sure you are doing something that is just for you - reading a book, taking a walk, getting in a workout or simply just relaxing - you need to have some time to recharge and relax!

6. Embrace a healthy lifestyle - This one is so important! You only have one body, so you need to make it a point to take care of it! Make sure you are active on some level daily. Get your workouts in at least three times a week (they don't have to be long, 20-30 min will do), get outside and be active (walks, runs, bike rides etc) at least on the days you don't workout (again doesn't need to take long), just make it part of your routine. Drink plenty of water and eat balanced healthy whole foods.

7. Travel - Make sure to get out and travel as much as you can. This doesn't mean extravagant vacations (although nice when you can!), this can be anything from local day trips, to quick weekend getaways, to long road trips (a personal favorite of ours), to camping and hiking trips. The point is to just get out there and go explore wherever you can! There is so much to see and do out there and it does wonders for creating balance and recharging and the memories that you make are irreplaceable!

8. Hobbies that you enjoy - Lastly, it really is important to have hobbies or things that you love to do that are an outlet to help balance out work, school and all the other necessary day to day things that need to be done. This can be something you do by yourself, with your family, with friends or a little of each! I love water activities (Kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing etc.), mountain biking, hiking or playing the guitar, all of these things I can do by myself or with friends but most of the time I enjoy them with my family, whether it's all together or just myself and one of our kids, which makes it even more enjoyable! No matter what, when I do any of these things, they take me out of the day to day and bring so much enjoyment and really help me recharge!

So, hopefully you have a good balance in your life already, but if you need to work on things, then give some of these tips a try. Trust me you'll be glad that you did!