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August Wellness Challenge: Balance

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A new month, a new Wellness Challenge, friends! This month, we’re working on balance. But first, let’s recap July’s challenge. As always, let us know how it’s going here in the comments or on Twitter and LinkedIn.

July: Learning
Last month, we challenged you to create a new learning habit. The CEEK team embraced this challenge as always, coming away with new insights:

  • In addition to picking up a new book, The Hacking of the American Mind, Steve subscribed to Blinkist and listened to condensed versions of more than a dozen books. He captured interesting notes and ideas garnered from those books in a journal.
  • Maggie focused on language development. She dedicated at least 20 minutes a day to practicing vocabulary and grammar. She even ended the month by leading her French conversation class!

August Challenge: Establish and commit to at least three new routines that reinforce neglected priorities and/or fill your tank

The 2017 World Happiness Report[1] determined that balance is one of the strongest predictors of happiness. Mental Health America is among the many organizations showing a clear correlation between balance and health in general.[2] A sustained lack of balance is associated with high stress levels, which weaken our immune systems, impact our relationships, and often result in illness and/or depression. As conveyed in Steve Wiley’s book, Navigate Chaos[3]:

  1. If you lack balance you will fall;
  2. Sprinters never last; and
  3. Overuse leads to injury.

A simple Google search also reveals many other studies and analyses demonstrating the positive impact of healthy life balance practices within organizations. The most common benefits include enhanced productivity, improved morale, reduced absenteeism, and lower turnover. Organizations that promote and support healthy balance policies report higher engagement and trust, which correlate directly to enhanced business results.

It is important to note that balance is a tension to manage, not a problem to be solved. There will always be life priorities, including work, pulling you in multiple directions. However, if strategies that enhance balance can improve your general wellness, productivity, and effectiveness at work, why would we not pursue opportunities to manage the tension well?

This month we challenge you to assess the level of balance in your life. Define balance in terms of YOUR priorities. Establish and commit to at least three new routines that reinforce neglected priorities and/or fill your tank. To assist, we are offering free access to CEEK’s Life Balance Assessment providing a personalized assessment and recommendations to enhance balance in your life. Take the assessment and, as always, CEEK a Better Way!

  1. https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2017/
  2. https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/work-life-balance
  3. https://www.ceekllc.com/purchase-the-ceek-book