JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
I think we can all agree that life becomes more complicated as we grow older; increased roles and responsibilities, marriage, kids, PCS, promotion, pending retirement - you get the idea ... life is complicated. We all have to do a balancing act to meet the demands we put on ourselves and those that life throws at us. How we perform this balancing act is a personal endeavor and one that impacts our families, fellow airmen, and our present and future well-being.
If we only had a limited set of interests and responsibilities, say work and career, life would be relatively easy to have order and perspective; however, we all know that's not the case. As military members, we have constant demands on our time, from lengthy deployments and work requirements, to meeting the needs and expectations of our families, friends and communities. In order to have perfect balance, all our needs, interests and responsibilities need to coexist comfortably and harmoniously.
The intent of my article is to familiarize you with a concept of life balance and hopefully strike a chord if you find that life has a way of getting away from you. Finding a perfect life balance is elusive and an ever evolving process that seldom sits static. Our balance changes daily but only in small degrees (unless a significant event alters it like an unexpected Permanent Change of Station move or a new family member).
There are four basic life facets that you'll need to consider for assessment: physical (relates to your needs and comforts - food, health, etc.), spiritual (religion, life values, the need to make a difference, etc.), work (career, personal growth, recognition, respect, etc.) and social (all human interactions - family, home, friends, etc.). Inventory your personal needs, roles and responsibilities as they relate to these four facets and determine if they are being met and if not, determine a course of action to meet the need. Though it may seem obvious to each of us what our inventory is, it's important to identify it to have order and perspective. Assessing your current life balance and putting it to paper can be extremely beneficial.
During a recent deployment, I had the opportunity to reflect on my own role as an officer, commander, wife and mother and realized there were areas in my life that could use some fine-tuning. One of the outcomes of my assessment was to do PT first thing in the morning in order to make time for my family at the end of the day. This gave me the additional benefit of preparing for the workday, clearing my mind and giving me additional energy to start the day. I've committed myself to this routine and have done it ever since.
As a squadron commander, I've seen too many Airmen with life imbalances due to deployments, work, family or personal needs and wants. Often these imbalances have consequences; real and potential. You've heard the saying "too much of a good thing is bad." Of course, there's little you can do if you have to work long hours in support of the mission; however, you can mitigate some of the impact by scheduling family time or personal time and sticking to it.
If you happen to find you have extra time on your hands, make use of it by taking college classes, doing volunteer work or meeting a personal need. It sounds simplistic but, that's really the essence of life balance - recognizing the extremes in our lives and trying to normalize or mitigate their effects. Though we may not have control over all aspects of our lives, we can make an effort to change what we can in order to have happier and more productive lives. When your life is in balance, you can help your wingman get their life in balance too.