Burke, Fairfax and Fairfax Station, VA
At the office of Dr. Pamela Marzban, we’re all about balance. We think this is one of the most important principles to adhere to in your life. If you live a balanced life, you will live a happy, productive life. It will also help you to make the world a better place for those around you.
When it comes to balance, we’re here to help. Check out these tips for finding balance in these five different areas in your life.
Life / Work
The modern workplace is more fluid than ever before. While it used to be that most people could leave work behind at the office, constant communication makes this increasingly hard. Which means people feel pressure to work many more hours than they might have in the past. Add to this that many people, especially Millennials, now have a side-hustle and people can feel crushed by work. So how do you find the proper balance?
First, note that this is a very personal issue. The old notion that everyone needed 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for work, and 8 hours for “what you will” is gone. Some people need more sleep, and some people need less. And some people need more free time, too. The key isn’t balancing equal hours among the three parts of your life, it’s balancing your energy among the things you want to do and the things you need to do. Remember, housework counts as work, too, and you have to factor that in. Make sure you’re getting enough downtime. If work gets overwhelming and you have to put in more time, make sure you schedule additional time off to compensate.
Self / Others
We are all taught as children the value of helping others. Many of us are also naturally generous people and we like to give to those around us. But there’s a problem. All this giving can be exhausting and leave us with nothing for ourselves. This wears you down, and after awhile you don’t have anything to give anyone else.
The secret is to find your personal balance between giving and caring for yourself. First, figure out your personal care needs. Take care of yourself to the extent that you can. Next, don’t hesitate to take help when it’s offered. Third, learn to say “no,” when you just don’t have the energy, time, will, or money to help out. Nobody is expected to give every time. Finally, don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. There’s nothing wrong with asking others to return the favors that you’ve given.
Body / Spirit
Another critical type of balance is making sure that you’re maintaining health in your body and spirit. We all know how important it is to be physically active and eat a healthy diet, but it’s just as important to flex your spiritual muscles, too.
Find out what feeds your spirit and make sure you’re taking in a healthy balance. Modern media can be spiritually unfulfilling even if it is highly entertaining, so make sure you’re scheduling activities that are both spiritually enriching and challenging. This doesn’t have to be church or religion. It can be time spent outdoors or a quiet hour with a good book. Creative activities, whether arts, crafts, or home improvement, can all be great spiritually fulfilling choices.
Saving / Spending
No matter how much you have, it seems like there’s never enough. Trying to balance the amount of money you save and the amount that you spend can be challenging when your budget feels tight.
One recommendation is that you follow a 50-30-20 rule: using 20% of your budget for saving and/or paying off old debt, while 50% goes to needs, and you can put 30% to wants. However, the proper balance depends on many factors, such as your self-care needs and the cost of living in your area. Make a realistic budget: if you don’t allocate enough for wants, you will find it harder to stick to your budget, and you will probably end up saving less than if you made a more realistic goal. And don’t forget to increase your savings goal as your income increases.
Your Bite
We know that most people don’t think about the importance of having a balanced bite. But it’s critical to maintaining good health and a high quality of life. Your jaw is a critical source of stability for your body, and if it’s imbalanced, the effects can radiate outward, affecting your posture, balance, strength, and more. Imbalanced bite conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ/TMD) are also associated with a constricted airway, which can make it hard to maintain an active life and hard to enjoy healthy, restorative sleep.
An imbalanced bite can also damage your teeth. It can lead to jaw pain and dysfunction, including a locked jaw. Many people experience chronic headaches, including migraines, linked to their imbalanced bite.
Restoring balance to your bite can help you maintain your oral and overall health. It can reduce your pain, help you sleep better, and improve your quality of life.
Looking for Balance in Burke, VA?
Are you unhappy with the imbalance in your bite? Now might be the perfect time to do something about it. We offer many noninvasive, drug-free approaches to treating bite conditions like TMJ, including myofunctional therapy.
Please call 703-323-8200 today for an appointment with bite dentist Dr. Pamela Marzban at her office in Burke, VA.
