The newest release (v38) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my latest finds, which inform, educate, and relate to organizing and better balance. These unique, inspiring, life balance discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are a generous, communicative, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Life Balance Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Happier Balance

Does life feel hectic this time of year? As we wrap up one year and head into the next, how can you move forward with a happier, more fulfilling life balance? In Happier Hour – How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most, social psychologist, professor, and researcher Cassie Holmes, Ph.D., shares her ideas on our most precious resource, time. Holmes says, “Our hours and days add up to years and decades, and ultimately our entire lives. How we spend our time defines who we are, the memories we cherish, and how we will be remembered by those we leave behind.”

Backed by research, wisdom, practical advice, and exercises, Holmes brings you through a doable process. You become aware of where your time is going, which activities are most meaningful, and how to use “time crafting” to “piece together your hours to design an ideal week, like piecing together the tiles of a mosaic.” With a focus on joy and meaning, Holmes says, “The mosaic you create is the magnificent life you get to live.” What makes your days happier?

2. Interesting Product – Office Balance

With a constant flow of emails, texts, calls, projects, and meetings, office life (be it at home or off-site) can feel anything but balanced. A simple solution to restore calm in this hectic setting is to bring nature indoors. Tons of research supports the positive benefits to our well-being when we’re in or near nature. The Container Store offers a simple solution with the Design Ideas Mini Succulent Planter Magnets. This set of three tiny magnetic plant holders is perfect for displaying small succulents or dried grasses.

While I don’t own the magnets, I have a small air plant in my office in a ceramic pot on a wooden stand that my daughter made. I love having greenery in view. It also brings me joy to care for plants. What helps bring balance to your office space?

“The mosaic you create is the magnificent life you get to live.”

— Cassie Holmes, Ph.D.

3. Interesting Article – Noise Balance

In Time’s article, How Listening to Silence Changes Our Brains, authors Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz remind us that the “world is literally louder right now than it’s been at any time in known history.” Research shows how excessive noise causes stress, hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, and learning lags.

“While the costs of noise are increasingly clear, the power of silence for the mind and body is actually something bigger and deeper than the transcendence of stress or interruption.” Silence can accelerate the growth of brain cells. “The act of listening to quiet can…enrich our capacity to think and perceive.” Whether you meditate, practice yoga, or listen in a quiet environment, your mind and body will benefit from the silence. “In an age of so much noise, silence deserves our attention.” What is a recent experience you had with silence?

4. Interesting Resource – Mood Balance

My friend and colleague, Julie Bestry, is an incredible organizer, researcher, and blogger. In a recent post, she shared a visual breathing app for calming the system. I was intrigued and discovered this other one from eXHALeR designed to help with yoga, meditation, anxiety, or panic attacks. You can adjust certain variables, including the timing for inhaling, holding your breath, and exhaling.

If you want to create an immediate shift in your mood and be more balanced, experiment with the eXHALeR. Breathe in. Hold. Exhale. Hold. Repeat. How do you feel?

5. Interesting Thought – Boundary Balance

Especially during this season, we get asked to do, attend, and gather more. That isn’t necessarily negative, but all the extra doing and saying “yes” to things can create added stress. Setting some boundaries can significantly affect how you navigate the holiday season.

Perhaps you chose to celebrate with a smaller group, take a self-care break between events, or get takeout instead of cooking. There are many ways to enjoy your time and feel more balanced by setting a few well-placed boundaries. What boundaries will you create?

Do you have an interesting life balance discovery? Which of these resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

There is a precarious nature to balance. One minute you’re standing solidly on the ground, and the next, you’re on that slippery slope about to go down the ravine. Our footing can be compromised in a moment. As I stopped to take this photo at the edge of the wooded path looking down on the Croton River, I slipped on the wet rocks and leaves. Feeling like I was in slow motion, I lost my balance, falling onto my back and looking up at the canopy of leafless trees. My heart pounded as I gently stood up unharmed but realized it could have been so much worse.

Isn’t our life balance a bit like that too? We’re going along just fine, feet firmly planted on the ground, and then there is a slight shift. Sometimes it’s imperceptible. Maybe we’re no longer getting enough sleep, overeating sugar, not maintaining our organizing systems, or cramming too much into our schedule. Before you know it, our balance is off. We’re cranky, less energetic, overwhelmed, and surrounded by chaos. There we are on our backs wondering what the heck happened.

I was curious about the ways my colleagues navigate balance in their lives. So, I reached out to this generous group –  Janet Barclay, Jonda Beattie, Julie Bestry, Ellen Delap, Ronni Eisenberg, Christine Li, Diane Quintana, Sabrina Quairoli, Janet Schiesl, Yota Schneider, Geralin Thomas, and Seana Turner. I asked them to respond to and elaborate on this prompt-

If I had less (­­­­________), I’d feel more balanced.

Their responses describe internal and external shift strategies which are personal, insightful, and inspiring. My deepest gratitude goes out to them for sharing their hearts and wisdom with us.

Balance By Creating Internal Shifts

“If I had less of and didn’t succumb to old and familiar life triggers that, in an instant, throw me off, I would have more balance in my life. It’s those nagging triggers, like not being heard, that was learned so many years ago. It’s a sense of sensitivity whereby thoughts and emotions are redirected. They seem right there, always dangling in full view, so it’s not difficult to roll them in and react to them. Triggers can play a painful part in who we are. However, when I see one coming, and recognize it for what it is, and refuse to knuckle under, I feel so incredibly balanced and find strength in what is truly a wonderful place to be.”

Ronni Eisenberg – Professional Organizer, Teacher, Author, Blogger

“If I had less uncertainty, I’d feel more balanced. When I don’t know what is going to happen, I tend to feel out of control and often respond in ways that are not always healthy. Of course, I cannot eliminate uncertainty entirely. However, I can ‘control the controllables,’ such as planning my meals, establishing and following both a calendar and a to-do list, prepping all I need for the next day before I go to bed, etc. I’m also quick to seek help when I don’t know how to proceed.”

Seana Turner – Professional Organizer, Productivity Coach, Blogger

“If I had less time in my own head, I¹d feel more balanced. As a sentimental person, I spent a lot of time reminiscing about the past; as a solutions-oriented professional organizer, I am inclined to jump into thinking about end-results and what I want to have achieved when I look back on my life. I'm great at being mindful when I'm with clients but on my own? Not so much. While I am very lucky to have a more-than-equitable work-life balance, I suspect I'd have better overall life balance if I spent more time doing rather than reminiscing or planning what I should, should, should do in the future.”

Julie Bestry, CPO® - Certified Professional Organizer, Author

“If I had less need for control, I’d feel more balanced. I’m a firstborn, mostly type-A person. The desire to have everything work out right (read ‘the way I think it should’) keeps me spinning way too much of the time. Allowing plans and projects to go off my plan and just relax more and be in the moment would lead to more peace and balance in my life. I’m working on it.”

Jonda Beattie, M.Ed. – Organizer, Author, Presenter, Blogger

“If I had less small business industry emails, I’d feel more balanced. Those emails share what other people are doing and how they are succeeding. If this weren’t in my life, I would be less likely to compare myself to others.”

Sabrina M. Quairoli – Professional Organizer, Bookkeeper, Marketer

“Less business as usual; more willingness to pay attention to how I feel in the moment. Making myself a priority has always been difficult. That is why spending quiet time alone, meditating, reading, being outside in nature, even for a short walk, helps me recalibrate and feel grounded. After that, it’s up to me to trust what I know, look at what causes me to feel out of balance, and make adjustments. Along the way, I may falter, but every day is a new beginning and another opportunity to do better by myself.”

Yota Schneider – Life Coach, Retreat Facilitator, Blogger

“There is a precarious nature to balance.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

Balance By Making External Shifts

“If I had fewer plates in the air, I'd feel more balanced. I am in the middle of a 3-day conference at the moment, and one of the takeaways that I have gotten is that one of my most important needs is ACCOMPLISHMENT.  I had never put a word to it before, so I felt that this was a useful thing for me to keep in mind. That is also why my response is ‘plates in the air,’ as this new realization has shown me that in the pursuit of accomplishment, I often am involved in more activities and pursuits than is actually good for me.  And I do love SIMPLICITY too, so I will be working on trimming my task list down a bit in 2022.”

Christine Li, Ph.D. – Procrastination Coach, Clinical Psychologist, Podcast Host of the Make Time for Success podcast

“If I had fewer virtual meetings, I’d feel more balanced. The pandemic has changed how we work. It’s so easy to jump on a virtual call. But you’ll waste time if your input is not necessary for that meeting. Keep your valued time guarded by checking the call agenda. See if the topics being discussed are relevant to you and ask to be dropped from the meeting (join late or leave early) if not. This will give you more time to get important work done. If you are the meeting leader, keep to the agenda to save everyone some time and find more balance.” 

Janet Schiesl, CPO® – Professional Organizer

“If I had less cake, I’d have a more balanced diet. Cake just happens to be one of my very favorite foods! I find it irresistible. I love the way cakes smell, feel, look, and taste. ‘Frosting, icing, or glazed’ you ask… I’ll answer: ‘Yes please!’ Sheet cakes. Bundt cakes. Cake pops. Tiered cakes. Layered cakes. Cupcakes. Cakes for birthdays, holidays, after school snacks, brunches, dinner parties, or afternoon tea. Flavor, size, shape matter not to me! Let ME eat cake!”

Geralin Thomas – Career Coach for Professional Organizers

“If I had less email to deal with, I’d feel more balanced. I've eliminated quite a bit by shutting down an account I no longer use and putting a stop to a lot of unwanted messages. But no matter how many lists I unsubscribe from, every time I buy something, I get added to another one.”

Janet Barclay, Certified Care Plans Specialist – Website Caregiver & Designer

“If I had less of a need to be a helper, I’d feel more balanced. Often as an Enneagram 2, I am motivated and find joy in being a helper who is generous in giving time to support our Kingwood, Texas community. Being a helper is a good thing in that I am connected to others and support those in need. It does keep me busier than I might like. I have strong ties to philanthropies and deep roots in my community. In 2022 I am limiting my commitment to local philanthropies to step back and be more in balance.”

Ellen R. Delap, CPO® - Certified Professional Organizer

“If I had less on my list of things to do, I’d feel more balanced. I have been working hard each day to accomplish everything for each of my businesses. I realize this is too much as I have been ignoring other aspects of my life. I always advise my clients to be realistic and to allow white space (unscheduled time) every day. I will be following my own advice in 2022. The past few days, I have been playing with my schedule to figure out how I can accomplish the things that are important to my business and allow me to have time for the things I have ignored. It all boils down to setting firm boundaries and remembering that ‘No’ is an answer.”

Diane N. Quintana, Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CPO® – Professional Organizer, ADHD Specialist, Hoarding Specialist, Author

Finding balance, even when you’re feeling overwhelmed, is possible. With the creative ideas that my colleagues shared, you now have some new strategies to experiment with. Whether you choose to work on an internal or external shift, balance is possible for you. For me, when I’m off-balance, I ask the question, “What do you need right now, Linda?” That might be getting to sleep early, calling a friend, or getting some fresh air. These give me the reset I need to think more clearly and identify a tiny tweak or change I can make. 

Which ideas resonate with you? If you had less (_______) in your life, would you feel more balanced? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!