Balance isn’t a myth, it’s a mindset. Discover why balance isn’t about equal time, but harmony, priorities, and conscious choices. Learn how to define your version of balance in a busy world without burning out and mindset shifts that can help you bring balance into your life.

Dear Spirited Earthling

Scroll through social media for ten minutes, and you’ll be bombarded with two extremes: You’re not doing enough and You’re doing too much. Meanwhile, articles proclaim that work-life balance is a myth – it is just another unrealistic ideal sold to overworked, overwhelmed people. As a blog that promotes wholesome personal growth, this concept needed to be investigated. Is balance in a busy life just an exposed myth? Or have we just misunderstood what it means? What if the reason balance feels impossible isn’t your schedule, but your beliefs? The ideas that balance is a myth or that it requires perfect equality are mindset traps. It’s time to reframe them.

chalk writing on a black board: work in a circle and life in an overlapping circle, with the overlap coloured in and an arrow pointing to the word balance; health; family; time

What Does Balance in Life Actually Mean?

The idea of balance in a busy life implies an equal distribution of time and energy across all areas of life. This idea of balance is a myth because it seems like a clear recipe for frustration. Balance in life will never mean dividing your time equally between work, family, hobbies, and self-care. The way society has accepted work hours vs personal hours means an equal distribution will never happen.

What balance in busy life actually means is creating harmony between the different areas of life, your personal wellness wheel. Additionally, finding balance means aligning your time and energy with what matters most to you, even if that allocation shifts daily. Think of it like this:

A 10-minute call might satisfy your social needs, while a 30-minute workout is needed for your physical health.
5 minutes spent in prayer every morning supports your spiritual wellness, but reviewing your budget might take an hour.

Balance is deeply personal. An introvert’s idea of balance is likely to be very different to that of an extrovert, because they both have different needs and priorities. The same is true for where you are in life, or whichever part of life you value most:

A parent might see balance as managing work, childcare, and carving out moments for self-care.
Someone focused on career success might define balance as excelling at work while maintaining a social life and staying healthy.
A student might see balance as managing study time, a social life, part-time work, and sleep.

The truth is, there isn’t a balance formula to follow. It isn’t a fixed state but a dynamic act of adjustment. Some days, work demands more. Other days, your health or relationships do. The key is ensuring no single area permanently eclipses the rest.

balance and burnout stamped with square check boxes and a pen

Why the “Balance Is a Myth” Narrative Is Seductive (And Flawed)

In most media (articles, podcast episodes, books, social media, etc.), there is a glorification of busyness and achievement. It is easy to be drawn to stories of relentless grind, whether its CEOs bragging about 80-hour work weeks, athletes sacrificing everything for gold, or artists who “suffer for their craft.” Practically all these narratives imply that success requires abandoning balance altogether. And let’s be honest, there seems to be a perverse pride in burning the candle at both ends. Busyness feels like or is equated to ambition. Sacrifice feels like or is equated to dedication. But what’s the cost?

The child who can’t say their parent showed up to their recitals or games.
The parent who doesn’t know their child’s interests because they never spend time with them (obviously not referring to the single parent who needs to work 3 jobs to support the family).
The burnout that follows years of neglected health.
The hollow victory of achievement when there’s no one left to celebrate it with.

High achievers do often go through phases of intense focus. But those phases should be exceptions, not lifestyles. Balance is sometimes portrayed as living in mediocrity because it is believed that instead of excelling in one area, you will become average in many. The quote about a jack of all trades is a master of none may spring to mind. But the full quote reads:

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

Versatility isn’t mediocrity; it’s resilience. Not showing up for your family isn’t admirable; it’s sad. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour; it’s a sign you don’t care about yourself enough to look after yourself. Yes, the balance is a myth narrative can be seductive, but it is reductive to not also assess how this thinking is deeply flawed.

3 Beliefs That Sabotage Balance (And How to Shift Them)

With this in mind, these 3 common beliefs may be sabotaging your efforts to find balance, and what you can say instead:

I must excel, or I’ve failed.

Reframe: Mastery requires seasons of focus - not lifelong sacrifice.

Busyness = Worthiness.

Reframe: My value isn’t measured solely by output. Rest is part of success.

Balance means having it all at once.

Reframe: Balance is fluid and looks different day to day.

How to Define Your Version of Balance

If you’re unsure what balance looks like for you, here are ways to help you begin to define it:

Reflect on Your Values: What matters most to you? Is it family, career, health, creativity, or something else? Write down your top priorities. For more journal prompts on values and beliefs, read here.
Assess Your Current Life: Are you spending time on things that align with your values? Are there areas where you feel overextended or neglected?
Imagine Your Ideal Day: What would a balanced day look like for you? How much time would you spend on work, relationships, self-care, and hobbies?
Experiment and Adjust: Try making small changes to your routine and see how they feel. Balance is often discovered through trial and error.
Be Honest About Trade-Offs: Balance doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly. It’s about making intentional choices and accepting that some things might take a backseat at times.

Some mental shifts that you can work with include:

1.From Perfect Equality → Strategic Seasons

Going for your goals and creating your dream life will never be denounced here. What will be encouraged though, is having the intention to return to balance after a strategic season. For example, a startup founder might prioritise work for 6 months, then consciously shift to more family/social time. Sometimes, reaching your goals requires full dedication – normal, natural, completely okay. Just be sure to have the intention, and later action to find balance again.

2. From Guilt → Intentional Trade-Offs

Choosing to miss schmoozing after-work-drinks for your kid’s recital isn’t imbalance - it’s alignment. It shows that you have values and priorities and will stand for them.

3. From Comparison → Personal Metrics

Someone’s idea of balance may inspire your own, but it shouldn’t become yours. Your friend’s ‘balanced week’ might end up draining you. Tune into your energy cues. For some, the 5 am Club is the perfect morning routine; for others, a slow or creative morning routine is better suited to them. Both can bring success to the person – remember, there is no one formula (no matter what the media says).

4. From Failure → Experimentation

As with all things relating to wholesome personal growth shared on this blog, you need to be willing to get to know yourself and be okay with experimenting. Look at finding balance like an experiment - test, observe, adjust.

How to Defend Your Version of Balance

With this better understanding of what balance means to you, here are ways to help you protect and defend it:

Clarify Your Non-Negotiables

What must stay in your life to keep you sane? Family dinners? Sunday runs? Creative projects? Write them down because these are your anchors.

Embrace Micro-Balance in Self-Care

Look at ways you can create small moments of balance as you practice self-care. Taking short breaks during work to stretch, meditate, or breathe deeply can give your mind a break. While doing chores, you could listen to a podcast or music that inspires you, bringing in a bit of creativity. Catch up with a friend while out for a walk. Dance with your partner in the kitchen while waiting for the pasta to boil.

Set Boundaries (Yes, Even at Work)

Protect your anchors fiercely. When work asks more of you, maintain your boundary: “I can work late on Tuesdays, but Wednesdays are for family dinner - no exceptions.” Learn to say no to things that drain your energy or overextend you.

Let Go of Perfect Equality

Some days, work will dominate. Others, family will. Finding balance in a busy life will not be about daily perfection, but long-term sustainability. There may be situations where you can combine different anchors in one. If family time is important, maybe you can engage in physical activity with family, like a weekend hike or a fun workout together. Or, if you’re into creative hobbies, try doing them with a friend or loved one. Like micro-balance in self-care, this overlap helps you attend to multiple areas of life at once when more time cannot be given to each at that time.

Ask: “What’s the Cost?”

Before glorifying imbalance, ask: What am I sacrificing? Is this trade-off worth it? Is the noddy badge worth lost memories?

If the answer is “my health” or “my relationships,” pause.

6. Be Present

When you are with loved ones or engaging in activities, try to be fully present - make the moments you do have count. A focused hour with loved ones can be more meaningful than a distracted day.

7. Reflect and Adjust

Regularly assess how you’re spending your time and energy. Remember that what you need balance in this week might look different next week, so being flexible and adjusting your actions according to your needs is part of maintaining balance.

scale with the words work, friends, career, office, education, hobby, family, health surrounding it

The Bottom Line about Finding Balance in a Busy Life

Balance is the art of listening to your needs, your anchors, and being proud of how you spent your time and who you got to share it with when looking back. Balance begins in your mind. When you ditch the all-or-nothing script, you’ll find harmony isn’t about doing less - it’s about thinking differently. The most balanced people aren’t those with empty calendars; they’re the ones who’ve mastered the art of conscious choice.

What feels balanced to one person might feel completely unbalanced to another.
Balance is something you create through conscious choices.
Balance looks different on different days.
Balance doesn’t have to mean equal time or effort in every area of life.
Balance supports success, it doesn’t limit it.
Balance is not a myth.

Finding balance in a busy life is easier when you know and understand your priorities, set boundaries, and make intentional decisions about where to invest your energy. How do you define balance? Where do you struggle most? Which mindset block do you struggle with most? Guilt? Comparison? Share in the comments so we can learn from each other.

Spirited Earthling is more than just a blog – it's a gathering place for kindred spirits drawn by an interest in self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and a desire for a deeper connection to themselves and the world. It is written and created for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in everyday life. This blog aims to help you curate your wholesome personal growth with free weekly ideas and affordable resources for sale.

As you navigate your personal growth journey using the words and ideas shared here, consider sharing this blog with someone looking for inspiration or motivation on their own journey. We are all spirited earthlings, and can lift each other together with mindful, connected living. I deeply appreciate every read, share, and purchase.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

Affirmation: I am creating a balanced and harmonious life.

To-do: Define what balance means to you based on the questions provided.

Journal Prompts: What is my current mindset around the idea of balance?

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Balance in a Busy Life: Exposed Myth, Complete Necessity, or Something In Between?