How to Move from Busy to Balanced: The Power of PACE

At a recent full-day Mental Fitness workshop, I posed a challenge: Share one strategy that helps you manage the demands on your time and bring greater balance between your professional and personal life.

It was clear that this challenge hit home.

Ask someone how they are these days, and the most common answer is: “Busy.” Usually said with a sigh, a shrug, or a slight frown—like the weight of the world just got a little heavier. Somehow, busy has become a badge of honour. It signals that we’re important. That people rely on us. That we’re getting things done.

But at what cost?

Too often, we sacrifice our own mental fitness in the name of productivity or purpose. The to-do list grows faster than we can tick things off. For every task we finish, three more appear. And when we finally get a moment to rest—say, collapsing into a Netflix binge—the guilt creeps in. We’re not relaxed. We’re just avoiding.

Why this matters

Martin Seligman’s PERMA model—Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement—reminds us that wellbeing isn’t just about feeling good. It’s about doing work that matters, engaging with people, and achieving meaningful goals. The problem is not that we don’t want to do the task. It’s that we can’t find the time. That’s where PACE comes in. 

Introducing PACE – A Strategy for Balance

The PACE model is a simple, powerful habit: Don’t just list what you have to do. Schedule it. Allocate calendar time to the tasks on your to-do list—just like you would for meetings, appointments, or birthdays.

This subtle shift has a big impact. It moves you from a state of "I don’t know when I’ll do it" to "I know exactly when I’ll do it." That reduces mental clutter and lifts the fog of guilt or procrastination.

Here’s a practical example:

Instead of writing “do tax” on your to-do list, schedule:

Saturday 15th, 9:00 am–10:30 am: Prepare tax documents (Session 1 of 3)

You don’t have to finish it. You just need to start it—with a plan to return. 

Add Colour to Gain Insight

Now, let’s go one step further. By colour-coding your calendar, you can visually assess where your time and energy are going. Think of it as a Mental Fitness Balance Sheet.

Here’s how to apply the zones:

• Blue Zone – Preparation

  Planning, thinking, and preparing for something bigger.

  (e.g. designing a proposal, writing a keynote, prepping resources)

• Red Zone – Administration

  Necessary but uninspiring tasks.

  (e.g. paperwork, inbox clearing, compliance surveys)

• Yellow Zone – Contribution

  Activities involving people, exchange of ideas, and growth.

  (e.g. team meetings, coaching, delivering PD)

• Green Zone – Energisation

  Actions that spark joy and recharge your wellbeing.

  (e.g. exercise, nature walks, catching up with a friend, hobbies)

From Colour to Clarity

Imagine opening your calendar and seeing the balance of your life.

• Too much red? No wonder you’re drained.

• Not enough green? Schedule some recharge.

• Blue missing? There goes your big-picture thinking.

• Yellow heavy? Great—just make sure it energises, not exhausts.

By using PACE and colour-zoning your time, you can shift your mindset from:

• Procrastination to Productivity

• Busy to Balanced

• Overwhelmed to Under Control

Start Today

Look at your week. Choose one task you’ve been avoiding.

Now… schedule it. Colour it. Commit to it.

You don’t need more hours. You need more intention.