What is a happy and balanced lifestyle?

We often have grandiose ideas of what would make us happy: Getting that luxury car or dream job, travelling to a distant land, reaching your ideal weight, meeting the perfect partner, winning the Lotto or an award. However, the truth is that there is not one single thing that you own or activity you participate in that will make you happy. The key to happiness is a balance of several elements in your life.

How do you know if your lifestyle is healthy and well-balanced? Start by asking yourself three questions:

1. Am I participating in a variety of activities every day?

A well-balanced day will contain activities from the following areas:

• Looking after yourself (for example, bathing or showering, selecting what to wear, shaving and putting on make-up if you choose, and eating well).
• Looking after your environment (for example, cleaning your bedroom, looking after your pets, managing your finances, and shopping).
• Getting enough sleep and rest.
• Going to work, or school, or studying.
• Playing, or in adults pursuing leisure activities for fun.
• Socialising with people you love.

If you are spending too much time on one activity, you will neglect one or several of the other. None of the above are more important than the other. Putting all these elements together ensure a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

In many cases, gadgets, electronics, and screens help us with the above activities and have made some of the tasks much easier. You can do online banking instead of going to the bank, you can see a loved one on a screen instead of waiting months to meet them from far away, and you can look up important information for an assignment. However, the key to a balanced life is making sure that one of these activities is not taking up the time of another. For example, WhatsApping someone for hours or looking at Facebook while you should be studying or working.

2. Am I participating in activities with which I’m comfortable and satisfied?

Consider the activities on which you spend most of your time and evaluate whether they leave you feeling good about yourself and comfortable with life. Sometimes looking at a screen for several hours will leave you feeling sick (called cyber sickness), and giving you a sore neck and a headache. This means you are uncomfortable when the time spent is becoming unhealthy. When looking at sites and communicating with others online leave you feeling depressed and disliking yourself, perhaps spending time with someone you love will be more satisfactory.

3. Are the activities I partake in appropriate, and would the people I love and respect approve of it?

If you are secluding yourself to hide the activities you partake in, consider why you feel the need to do this. Activities that keep you healthy and happy should be the things you want to share with others, and your loved ones would want to support you and encourage you to pursue it. Sometimes when activities are harmful, or even illegal, having the need to hide it from others is a big warning sign that your time is not being spent being healthy. If you are unsure whether you are doing the right thing, discuss your concerns with someone whom you trust and respect.

Comparing TechnoLife Wise and Unwise choices

Making TechnoLife Wise choices affect body, mind, and spirit. Here’s how: