Balance isn’t about splitting your time or energy into neat, equal parts. Life doesn’t work like that. It’s less like walking a tightrope and more like tending a garden. Things grow, shift, and change with the seasons. Some areas need more attention at certain times, and that’s okay.
In a culture that celebrates busyness, it’s easy to forget this. We’re told to keep going, keep doing, keep achieving. But balance isn’t found in constant motion. It’s found in pacing ourselves. Steady, thoughtful progress usually takes us further than burning out in the race for perfection. What really matters is finding a rhythm that feels sustainable and human.
Balance as an Inner Non-Negotiable
Balance isn’t just a nice-to-have. Recent research shows that emotional balance, supported by simple practices like mindfulness or spending time outdoors, does more than calm us down in the moment. It strengthens our brains, helping us stay flexible, creative and resilient. Inner balance isn’t a luxury anymore. It’s the ground we need to stand on.
The Myth of Perfection
What often throws us off balance is the pursuit of perfection. Often perfection can look like ambition, but frequently it just steals our joy. Nothing in nature blooms all at once, and nothing grows without a few rough edges. Storms bend branches, petals fall, and yet the forest thrives. Choosing “good enough” isn’t about lowering the bar, it’s about progress over pressure, carving a gentler, steadier path forward.
Yutori: Spaciousness in Practice
One way to create that space is through Yutori, a Japanese concept that encourages leaving extra room in your day, your mind or your routine. Imagine leaving the house early enough that when you get where you’re going, you have a few minutes to sit, breathe, and simply take it in. Even small pockets of calm, like enjoying an extra minute with your skincare routine, instead of rushing, can make a big difference. Yutori reminds us that balance often comes from slowing down and giving ourselves a little breathing room.
Ways to Cultivate Balance
● Work-life flow, not division. Think of balance less as strict boundaries, and more as a rhythm, sometimes work leans in, sometimes life does.
● Pause for breaks. Just as fields need fallow seasons, our minds and bodies restore best when given downtime.
● Ask yourself questions. On your daily walk, consider: What are my favourite hours of the day, and how can I protect them?
● Progress over perfect. Celebrate the step forward, however small.
● Practice Yutori. Create margins in your schedule. Spaciousness invites calm.
My Recommendations This Month
Read: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
Watch: Good Enough Is Good Enough by The School of Life
Listen: Weightless by Marconi Union
Do: Leave 15 extra minutes before your next meeting and notice how the spaciousness feels
