Busy times are not an exception anymore.
For many people, they are the norm.
Full calendars, constant input, expectations from all sides, and very little space to pause. When life feels like this, balance often sounds like a luxury – something we might get back to later, when things calm down.
But here’s the truth:
Balance is not something you add after busy times.
Balance is what allows you to move through busy times without burning out.
The Common Misunderstanding About Balance
Many people believe balance means:
- slowing everything down
- doing less
- stepping away from responsibility
In reality, balance is not about stopping life.
It’s about how your system handles what’s happening.
Two people can live equally busy lives.
One feels constantly overwhelmed.
The other feels grounded, clear, and resilient.
The difference is not time.
The difference is regulation.
The Three Stages We Move Through
From my experience, most people move through three stages – often without realising it.
- Surviving
This is where many people are right now.
You’re coping.
Functioning.
Getting through the day.
Signs of this stage:
- constant tiredness
- irritability or numbness
- feeling disconnected from your body
- living mostly in your head
The nervous system is in protection mode.
What’s needed here is safety, rest, and stabilisation.
- The Missing Middle: Stabilising & Grounding
This is the stage that’s often skipped – and yet it’s the most important one.
Before growth, performance, or change can happen, the system needs stability.
Stabilising means:
- creating reliable rhythms
- regulating the nervous system
- reconnecting with bodily signals
- choosing consistency over intensity
This stage is not passive.
It’s active foundation-building.
This is where balance actually happens.
- Thriving
Only once stability is in place does thriving become sustainable.
Energy returns.
Focus sharpens.
Joy and creativity feel accessible again.
Thriving is not forced.
It emerges naturally when the body feels safe enough.
What Finding Balance Really Means in Busy Times
Finding balance in busy times does not mean changing your entire life.
It means making small, deliberate adjustments that support your system instead of draining it.
Here are concrete ways to do that.
5 Practical Ways to Create Balance (Even When Life Is Full)
- Anchor Your Day With One Non-Negotiable
Choose one daily practice that supports your body and nervous system.
Examples:
- stepping outside for fresh air between tasks
- a short walk without your phone
- meditation as a short morning practice
- 5 minutes of conscious breathing
- 10 minutes of gentle movement or exercise during the day
- Yin Yoga or quiet body work in the evening
It doesn’t have to be long.
It has to be consistent.
- Reduce Input Before You Add Output
Busy times are often overloaded with information.
Before adding another podcast, article, or task, ask:
- What can I remove today?
- Where can I create space instead of filling it?
Balance often comes from less input, not more effort.
- Let the Body Lead (Not the Mind)
The mind is excellent at pushing through.
The body is excellent at signalling limits.
Start checking in with questions like:
- Am I tense or settled right now?
- Is my breath shallow or relaxed?
- Do I feel present or scattered?
These signals guide better decisions than mental pressure ever will.
- Choose Regulation Over Motivation
Motivation is unreliable in busy times.
Regulation is not.
Instead of asking, “How do I push myself?”, ask:
- What helps me feel steady?
- What calms my system?
- What brings me back into my body?
Balance is created through regulation, not willpower.
- Stop Waiting for the “Calm Phase”
There will always be another deadline, responsibility, or transition.
Balance doesn’t arrive when life slows down.
It arrives when you create internal stability regardless of external pace.
That is a skill – and it can be learned.
A Final Thought
Finding balance in busy times is not about perfection.
It’s about listening, adjusting, and respecting your system.
Not everything needs to be solved.
But your body needs to be heard.
And when it is, balance stops being a concept –
and starts becoming something you can actually feel.
If you’d like support in building sustainable balance – through body-based practices, mindful movement, or retreats designed for real life – you’re warmly invited to explore my work further.
