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How do we balance it all?

  • Published
  • By Col. James Hodges
  • 87th Air Base Wing
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  As we prepare for the 87th Air Base Wing Wingman Day on Aug. 22, 2013, where we focus on the Social Domain of Comprehensive Airman Fitness, I wanted to provide some thoughts about resilience. Additionally, the same day as the 87th ABW Wingman Day, we also have the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Installation Picnic. What better way to truly address the social domain than to have a Family Fun Fest.

I was speaking to a group of company grade officers recently and one of them asked, "How do you balance it all?" He knew that I had a very busy job with a lot of demands on my time. He also knew that I had a family and, quite possibly, some personal interests as well. How do I balance it all? The answer is I have to be deliberate to make sure I fit it all in.

The best way of framing how to deliberately balance the demands of life and have fun while I am in the Air Force is using the concept of Comprehensive Airman Fitness. Comprehensive Airman Fitness encompasses all aspects of life and is described by its four domains: mental, physical, social and spiritual. Ensuring I take care of the various aspects of life helps me keep it all in balance.