A few years ago, I worked like a machine for six months. Every day I stayed up late in front of my laptop, ate fast food, didn’t exercise, cut off contact with my friends, and even rushed through my prayers. The result was a tired body, a mind stuck in repetitive thoughts, and a heart that took no pleasure in anything. One night, when I had stayed awake again until two in the morning, I suddenly felt like I was falling apart. I said to myself: “This is not the life I wanted. So how did it become this way? How can I go back to those days when my heart felt good, my body was healthy, and my work progressed?” I didn’t know the answer. I only knew that I had to change something. This article is the story of that search and finding a lost key called “balance.”
Life Means Several Bowls, Not Just One
After that small collapse, I gradually understood that life is like a table with several legs. If I strengthen only one leg, the table will fall. From books and others’ experiences, I learned that there are five important areas: body, mind, relationships, work, and meaning [1]. In those months, I had only focused on work. My body was sending alarm signals, my relationships had dried up, and my heart ached from emptiness. Balance means giving each of these bowls its share of water, not filling one to the brim while leaving the others dry.
Warm This Spot, Then Warm That One
The first change I made was to stop pouring all my time and energy into a single thing. For example, I made a half-hour walk a fixed part of my daily routine, and during that time I would reflect or talk to God (body, mind, and meaning all at once). On weekends, I made appointments with old friends. At work, I stopped trying to multitask as much. The result? After a few weeks, my work improved, and that feeling of being at the bottom of a well did not return. In psychology, this is called “balanced prioritisation” [2].
The Challenges in My Way
To be honest, it was not easy. Pressure came from all sides. Mobile phones and social media were the worst enemies; every few minutes they tempted me to go check what was happening [3]. Perfectionism was another curse; it kept saying, “If you want your work to yield results, you must dedicate all your time to it.” Slowly, I learned to set boundaries: specific hours for work, specific hours for rest and connection. I accepted that “good enough” is better than “perfect but burnt out.”
A Few Simple Principles That Worked for Me
I tried three or four strategies on myself and they worked. First, writing down weekly priorities: I would split a paper in half, on one side the needs of body and mind, on the other side work and responsibilities, trying each day to do at least one from each side [4]. Second, the art of saying “no”: I stopped saying “yes” to every request. Third, a short gratitude practice: every night before sleep, I would write down three small good things from that day. This changed my outlook on life. In spiritual sources, the same things are emphasised: moderation, contentment, and gratitude [5].
Conclusion; Balance Means Sustainability
Today, I am no longer that one‑legged horse. Sometimes my work gets heavy, but I remember that an hour of walking or a phone call with a friend can restore balance. To me, balance means accepting that human beings have multiple dimensions and each dimension needs nourishment. If we neglect one dimension, the rest will sooner or later collapse. We do not need to be perfect. We just need to tell ourselves from time to time: enough, now it is the turn of that other part of my life.
References
1. Hosseini, S. (2018/1397 HS). Health Psychology. Tehran: Samt. [1]
2. Naderi, F. (2021/1400 HS). Time Management and Life Balance. Isfahan: Nashr-e Kamal. [2]
3. Mohammadi, A. (2021/1400 HS). Virtual Space and Mental Health. Tehran: Nashr-e Ravan. [5]
4. Janbozorgi, M. (2019/1398 HS). Psychology of Spirituality. Qom: Research Institute of Hawzah and University. [6]
5. Motahhari, M. (2015/1394 HS). Man and Faith. Tehran: Sadra. [7 & 8]
