Making Time When There’s No Time: Balancing Life and Mental Health

By: Olivia Kline, EDC Administrative Assistant

It’s a busy time of year. Summer is over, making school back in session, less vacations, and holidays coming in the next couple of months. It can feel overwhelming and hard to balance all of our daily commitments such as school, work, doctors appointments, duties around the house, extracurricular activities, therapy, self-care, and more. It feels like there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done, or as my mom says “drinking from a fire hose.” 

Sometimes we have to prioritize duties or activities over others to get done what we need to, given the limited hours in our days. But what if everything is important? How do we balance it all? Some things may feel easier to put on the back burner than others because it doesn’t seem like a necessity or doesn’t feel like the largest issue. Oftentimes, in the mental health field we see things like self-care and therapy as some of the first things to be put on the back burner. 
​
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

When everything feels urgent, it helps to go back to the basics. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reminds us that our well-being depends on a foundation of essentials: things like sleep, nutrition, safety, and connection. When those needs aren't met, everything else — including work, school, relationships, and personal goals — becomes harder to manage.

Self-care and therapy often fall into the “love and belonging” or even “self-actualization” levels of the hierarchy, but when we consistently ignore those needs, it starts to affect even the more basic ones. Poor mental health can lead to burnout, trouble sleeping, a lack of motivation, or even physical illness. So while therapy or a quiet walk outside might not feel urgent compared to a deadline or a doctor’s appointment, they’re still crucial in keeping us functional and emotionally regulated.


Saying No and Setting Boundaries

One of the most powerful tools for protecting your mental health — especially during busy seasons — is learning to say no. This doesn’t mean you’re letting people down or falling short. It means you’re choosing to invest your limited energy into what matters most, so you can show up fully when it counts.

Saying no might look like:

• Turning down a social event because you need rest
• Delegating tasks when you’re overwhelmed
• Letting go of guilt around skipping a workout or chore to recharge
• Saying no to internal pressure — the voice that says you have to do everything perfectly
  
  

Setting boundaries is another key piece. It means clearly communicating what you can and can’t take on and honoring that line even when it feels uncomfortable. That could be as simple as blocking off time for yourself in your calendar, limiting screen time in the evenings, or not answering work emails after a certain hour.


Final Thoughts

Balancing life and mental health doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly, it means doing what truly matters, and giving yourself permission to let the rest go.
​
Make space for therapy. Prioritize your mental health. Say no when you need to. Rest when your body asks you to. And remember: you don’t have to earn your right to care for yourself. That care is your right, always.

Your well-being isn’t selfish, it’s the foundation for everything else.
​

Interested in therapy at The Eating Disorder Center?

At The Eating Disorder Center in Boca Raton, Florida, our clinicians, Jennifer Rollin LCSW-C, Lauren Levine, MSW, LCSW-C, and Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC provide virtual therapy throughout the state of Florida. Reach out to us via our contact form or call us at 301-246-6856 to get started with a free 15-minute consultation with an eating disorder specialist. We are happy to answer any questions you have and provide more information about our center or the clinicians on the team! 


Interested in additional help beyond therapy?

If you’re looking for more help to supplement therapy, we offer eating disorder recovery coaching. Coaching can be a great addition to your treatment, and it can be a game-changer during recovery! Our coaches, Javoni Cobb, MA and ​Sarah Baginski, MSW are here to help you in your journey to finding freedom from food and body obsession.

---

Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in FL, or recovery coaching worldwide.
​
Click here.

---

Eating Disorder Therapy Boca Raton  is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide virtual eating disorder therapy in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Pinecrest, Parkland, Naples, Miami Shores, and Palmetto Bay. Virtual eating disorder therapy throughout Florida. 
​
References: 
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346