Early Monday morning, I stopped at Kroger on my way home from taking the girls to school.

Starting on Saturday, I’d had a scratchy throat. On Monday, I felt pretty congested and pretty worn down.

What I wanted to do: crawl back into bed. What I did instead: take Zicam at 3 hour intervals while working at my desk, Puffs Plus (with lotion) nearby.

I never succumbed to being fully sick; the Zicam kept my cold at bay. I am not yet 100%, but I feel generally fine now.

In the process of stopping to buy Zicam and powering through a busy week, I realized how often out of balance my life is.

I spend a lot of energy taking care of my professional life, but spend less effort taking care of my personal life.

I nurture my intellectual life, but I’ve been neglecting my physical life (confession: it’s been nearly two week since I stepped on the treadmill.)

At times, my attention to my spiritual life is half-hearted at best, going through the motions of church on Sunday, bedtime prayers and Bible stories with my daughters.

I am full-speed ahead. I check things off my list, then add more. I push myself really hard.

My idea of refreshment is a mid-morning soda, accompanied by wheat crackers and a string cheese. At my desk.

I keep my social life going by calling a friend while I wash the dishes.

I am realizing that I need to take better care of myself.

I need to nourish my professional life AND my personal life.

I need to pay attention to the spiritual, physical, and emotional sides of my life.

I want to make more time for friendships face-t0-face.

How about you? Are you taking care of yourself in these 7 important ways?

How are you nourishing your professional life?

What are you doing to pay attention to your personal life?

What do you do to develop your:

  • emotional life
  • spiritual life
  • physical life
  • intellectual life
  • social life

I’d love to hear how you take care of yourself. What parts of your life areĀ  you most likely to neglect? What are you doing to help you keep these important parts of your life in balance?