Healthy Life Balance 101: 19 Questions for Self-Assessment

Women need a healthy balance in order to live in wholeness.  Yet, for many, balance seems an impossible dream.  There are, after all, places to go, people to see, and things to do.

I know, I struggle with balance.  Sometimes it’s my physical life that takes the hit.  Other times, I allow busyness to crowd out my spiritual life.  Truth be told, i;m sure every life area has suffered from my choices of unbalance.

Recently, I was reminded of this while baking chocolate chip cookies with my granddaughter.  Excited about our project, we began gathering all the ingredients.  Not two minutes into it, the phone rang.  After the call, we picked up where we left off only to be interrupted again by the dryer’s end-signal.  Clothes properly folded, we went back to the kitchen.  My little helper measured, added, and stirred.  Progress was finally being made, and cookies were being envisioned.  Suddenly there was a cry from upstairs.  Baby brother was awake – early.  After settling him, our cookies were finally put on the sheet and placed in the oven.  Taste buds were in over-drive.  There is just nothing like a warm, fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie!

When the oven timer went off, we were more than ready – glasses of cold milk in hand.  We pulled the cookies from the oven… only to discover that we had left the chocolate chips out!!

These were not balanced chocolate chip cookies.  Something important to their very definition was missing.  They were not WHOLE.

Just as it was with our deficient chocolate chip cookies, so it is in life when any of our main areas is missing or severely lacking.

Balance –

noun – a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.

verb – to bring to or hold in equilibrium; poise.  to arrange, adjust, or proportion the parts of symmetrically.

to be equal or proportionate to.

Life Areas in Need of Proper Balance

Spiritual –

This is the foundational area of our life.

“The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become.  That’s what you will take into eternity.  You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.”  Dallas Willard

Our spiritual life is nourished as we spend time DAILY building a deep and personal relationship with God.

1. Do I have a regularly scheduled time for meeting with God?
2. In what ways am I connecting best with Him? (Bible reading, prayer, solitude, meditation, acts of service, etc.)
3. Am I making time to be still with the Lord?

Physical –

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.     —1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In the press of taking care of everyone and everything else, our own physical well-being can often be overlooked.  To maintain a healthy balance, we must tend to nutrition, exercise, and hygiene.

1. Am I being intentional about eating healthy foods and taking the proper vitamins?
2. In order to boost and maintain my stamina and energy levels, am I exercising at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes each session?
3. How am I doing at keeping regularly scheduled doctor and dental appointments?

Social –

God created us for relationship.

Jesus, Himself, developed varying social circles during His time on earth.  He hung out with sinners and outcasts.  He spent time with his twelve disciples.  And for deeper intimacy, there were two more circles – the three and the disciple whom Jesus loved.  We would do well to model the development of our social network after Him.

1. Do any of my social circles provide consistent opportunity for interaction with unbelievers?
2. Have I developed a strong support system of girlfriends?
3. Who is my soul sister?
4. For those who are married: Are my husband and I experiencing date night on a regular basis?

Emotional/Mental –

A healthy balance of life requires that I make time for my emotional/mental well-being.  Depending on my need that might mean detoxing, refocusing, or refueling.

1. Is a sabbatical from social media, sugar, spending, complaining, etc. in order?
2. Have I lost my focus? Perhaps it’s time to journal, do some self-reflecting, or begin a new Bible reading plan.
3. How long has it been since I enjoyed a favorite hobby?

Financial –

Financial wellness involves taking steps to live within your means. More Bonuses are there that you will get once if you plan it right. It also involves planning for your future financial health.

1. Do I have a budget in place or do I need to create one?
2. Do I have an emergency fund set aside?
3. Am I giving back?

Occupational –

Occupational wellness is the ability to get personal fulfillment from our job while still maintaining a healthy balance of live.

1. Am I working from my strengths?
2. Overall, am I passionate about my job choice?
3. Do I leave my work at work?

How are you doing with living from a place of healthy balance?  What did your responses to the questions indicate?  Is your life missing its chocolate chips?

If it’s time for a healthy balance check up, The Healthy Balance Sheet might be helpful.  Download your copy of this self-assessment tool and take steps today toward living in wholeness.

Healthy Balance is not an impossible dream.