Finding balance

I told Kim the other day: I just need 30 hours in a day.

When Rebecca asked me the week before, “How do you find time to both run and yoga and work?” I answered with something like Well, now you’ve found the crux of the matter.

The topic of balance has come up a lot lately in my circle of friends, and not just while trying not to topple over in standing bow or tree pose. (See what I did there?)

We all want to have it all.

• Of course, there’s the whole work thing. 8 hours a day? Sure, but 10 would probably be better.
• Exercise? Well, I  gotta get cardio, strength, stretching. And more cardio.
• A social life would be nice. I don’t really go out during the week much these days (tired from — well, see above), but I’d like to be able to do it more. Want more time to enjoy local coffee shops. Have a glass of wine with friends. Go out to eat (oh wait, add more cardio to the list). Go shopping (ok, let’s be real: I can always find time for that.)
• Traveling? The world is so big, and time is so short.
• And then: this is the biggie for me, the thing I most forget to schedule: down time. I need time to chill, snuggle with my dog, do nothing. Have nothing planned.  And sleep.

Every time something comes up, my initial response is: YES, let’s do that. And then I put it on my calendar. And then something else comes up: yes. And then, yes, yes yes yes yes.

Somewhere along the way, a quiet voice: “Am I scheduling too much?” Nah.

Then, right before pretty much every weekend, my head explodes as I complain, “Why do I always overbook myself?”

I don’t have any real answers, though I have taken a few steps recently that may help.

• This is a big one: the majority of my friends are also my workout buddies. I count my lucky stars that my yoga studio is also my social life. I don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. It’s pretty awesome that I can go run the light rail with Quinn while catching up on her day, then stretch it out with more friends in hot yoga or circuit training, then go home feeling like my world is right. Or I can do run club, getting out in the neighborhood, then enjoying a glass of half-priced wine with my fellow sweaty friends.
• Just last week, I started booking my dog in my calendar. Yes, for real. She deserves quality time, too, and she hasn’t quite figured out how to use my calendar app yet.
• And, one I haven’t quite gotten down yet: Learning to say no. Which is really, really difficult for me. Something I’m working on.

How do you find balance? Share your secrets, please!