7 Things You Can't Ignore When You're Balancing Work, Life, & Adulting

When things start to get overwhelming or stressful in life, your sleep schedule is the first thing to go. You throw it out the window and claim that, "Sleep is for the weak." Please, oh please, don't live by that motto. Girl, you need to get some rest — and probably now more than ever before.

Truth is, you're juggling a whole lot and need that mental and physical energy to make the right decisions. Sure, a cup of coffee will get you through work. But, do you really want to spend your entire day struggling and counting down the minutes until you can crawl back into bed? I think the answer to that question is pretty clear.

Don't ever give up your "me" time in the pursuit of work, life, and lots of adulting. The moments when you can spend some time solely with yourself are valuable and important to your personal growth. And it's key that you set some boundaries so that you don't lose this habit down the road.

Learn to say "no" to certain plans you're not into, and don't pack your planner up with a bunch of activities all the time. Spend an entire Saturday laying in bed or getting in touch with your passions again. Doesn't even the thought of picking up a paintbrush or reading a book for pleasure sound good? (Sign me up for taking a bubble bath and listening to a podcast, please!)

One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Maya Angelou, and goes like this: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Every time I read it, it reminds me of what my priorities should be. It reminds me that when I'm stressed out with life, I shouldn't be frustrated with the people I love. It reminds me to live with a little more optimism and positivity, and wear my heart on my sleeve.

Long story short: Your relationships are an important part of your life. Make time and energy for them, too — despite all of the work and adulting going on. You won't ever regret making someone you care about smile, laugh, or cry tears of joy.

Just like your relationships, your friendships shouldn't take a backseat to work, life, and adulting. Sure, sometimes you're just exhausted at the end of a long week. You want nothing more than to go home, curl up in bed, and watch movies without checking in with the world.

Your friends are texting in the group chat about how they want to hang out, and you quickly put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" mode. Girl, I feel you on this one. But, don't make your lazy nights a regular thing. Don't bail on the coffee date you planned with your best friend every single weekend. Go out and have some fun, and find balance that way. When all is said and done, just be there for the people in your life, and they will be there for you, too.

There's a world outside of your own, and you can't ignore it now or ever. Although it is sometimes healthy to disconnect from what's going on, or focus on certain causes instead of staying tuned into anything and everything, it's important to stay in the know.

In addition, don't ignore the beauty of the planet, and how traveling can change your perspective on life, love, and who you are. This world is wide, and sometimes exploring and seeing what else is out there is the best way to get in touch with your priorities. You may discover you want out of life as you move forward in it, or just hit "refresh" on wherever you're at, right now.

Stop and smell the roses (or the cup of coffee you brew every morning). Life is passing you by every single second, and when you're more focused on work and adulting, you forget to live. You ignore the present moment and all its beauty, and choose to be stressed out over something that will, more than likely, work itself out. Why is that?

I know it's easier said than done, but drop all of those negative vibes and choose happiness instead. Make every moment feel like a golden hour, and soak in the present. You're right where you're supposed to be, and the future will come when it comes.

For the purpose of this article, let's define happiness as living your best life. This doesn't necessarily mean succeeding at every aspect of your life. To be honest, I think in a lot of ways that's fairly impossible.

But, it does mean that you're pursuing your passions, keeping the right people in your life close, and genuinely happy on the reg. I mean, like truly smiling from ear to ear because you're content with where you are, what you're doing, and who you are as a person.

Now, this #bestlife isn't easy to come by, but it should always be on your radar — the one thing that despite all the work, nonsense, and adulting going on, gets you up in the morning and excited to face the day. The second you ignore your life and what makes you happy, you lose yourself. It's as simple as that. So, hear me out on this one, OK?