Finding balance in our lives is an elusive dream for many of us. Trying to balance home, work, health, spirituality and free time seems almost impossible.

Well, I am pleased to tell you that I’ve found the answer to creating balance in your life:

Forget about balance, you’ll never have it. Instead, create harmony in your life!

This differentiation is more than just semantics. It is a critical approach to looking at life that can free you up to see the world in a different way.

“Balance” assumes that we must spend a certain portion of each week devoted in equal measure to every item important in our life. The problem with this is that almost no one can really achieve that.

So what do we do about this? I suggest creating harmony. This is a way to look at the issue that has personally worked for me. Long ago I figured out that daily balance is almost impossible. But I found I could create harmony using a few core principles.

First, three simple words make a big difference: “Be here now.”

Wherever you are, be there. If you are at work, don’t think about the time you did not spend with the family the night before or what you should be doing with your significant other right now. When you are at home, don’t think about the work you have to do at the office. Wherever you are, be there… fully and completely.

Second, find ways to integrate various elements of your life.

For many years, I have spent weeks at a time up at my lake home in the mountains. Each year, I spend a week or two working from the lake house remotely. Now I bring up my staff and management team for short retreat/workdays. It is a great way to combine my work life into a leisure environment. Then, the last week or so, I take off completely and spend time with my family. By integrating my two worlds, I create a sense of harmony.

Last, remember this: when you are 70 years old, you are not going to wish you spent more time at the office.

You don’t need to be a workaholic to be successful.

Focus on creating harmony in your life. Be creative. Don’t try to do the things I do or that someone else does. Find ideas that work for you and the life you live. Make the time to do the things that are important to you and be innovative. Harmony is created where harmony is sought!

SF Source Inspire Me Today  December 7 2012