Sometimes creating balance in a hectic schedule means doing more, not less. Take it from Jonathan Lund, a 32-year-old investment advisor at TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice in Edmonton. On any given day, you can find him sweating it out on the squash court or strapping on his skates for a weekly game of hockey with the Alberta men’s hockey league — after a 10-hour day in the office.

Add in regular visits to the gym and a handful of snowboarding trips to the Purcell and Monashee mountains in British Columbia, and it’s a wonder Lund has any time to sleep. But for this advisor, being balanced is all about being busy.

“For the most part, my life is fairly balanced out,” he says. “I’m doing all the fun stuff. And it’s hard work, but you come out of it feeling more energized and healthy for it.”

On an average workday, Lund wakes up at 6 a.m. so he can be at his desk 15 minutes before markets open at 7:30 a.m. As a branch manager, his days get off to a brisk start and stay that way throughout. A number of close friends also work in financial services, allowing for impromptu get-togethers over coffee or a quick lunch. Lund finds this a good way to sound off on the markets or laugh off stress.

While many people hibernate in front of the TV on cold winter nights, Lund ends each day with some sort of activity, be it a game of squash or an hour and a half of yoga. The key, he says, is to go straight from work to avoid the temptation of going home and staying there.

Lund sometimes squeezes in an occasional squash game or visit to the gym into his 30-minute lunch break, but more often uses that time to get outside and grab a sandwich. The daily jaunts aren’t a conscious attempt to exercise, but rather a way to remove himself from the office environment.

Lund admits his requisite Black-Berry is a good way to stay on top of things during evenings and weekends, but he’s mindful not to become overly attached: “I look at my BlackBerry once in a while, but I’m not sitting at home grinding it out every night. I like to keep my work at work.”

Still, there are times when five full workdays aren’t enough. Lund comes into the office about two Saturdays a month, clocking between six and seven hours on each visit. Instead of thinking of this as time drained from a much deserved weekend break, Lund thinks Saturdays are the perfect time to catch up without distractions or interruptions. In fact, he says, working the occasional weekend helps him stay balanced.

“When I come in on Saturday, I’m making sure the rest of my week isn’t crazy,” he says, “and it puts my mind at ease when I come back to the office on Monday.”

Putting in weekend hours frees him to leave the office by 5 p.m. most evenings so he can head to the squash court or hockey rink. These days, he can also be found attending a Bikram yoga class with his fiancée. Like regular yoga, the class focuses on breathing and mediation — but in a room in which the heat is cranked up to 42 degrees Celsius.

Lund says the mental workout is as important as the physical one: “Yoga is a great way to have time to yourself and think about nothing at all. It’s all about focusing on whatever you’re doing in the moment,” he says. “It really helps put things in perspective.”

Yoga is good for his body, too. “I’m not a health freak. I don’t count calories or fat grams. But I think about how my joints are going to be when I’m 50,” he says. “Yoga is good for me now, and will be good for me later.”

Still, Lund’s sports are usually more risky than meditative. A long-time snowboarder, Lund takes part in catboarding, a sport named after the large, multi-tracked Sno-Cats that transport skiers to remote areas of a mountain where the powder is fresh and the territory uncharted.

“The ’Cat trips are important to me because they’re challenging, and there’s a bigger risk involved,” Lund says. “You have to be focused on what you’re doing at that particular moment.”

@page_break@When he’s not working or playing sports, Lund likes to cook, watch movies and catch a lot of hockey. He tries to go to sleep between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. most nights, then he starts his routine all over again the next morning.

Lund says his lifestyle isn’t a daily grind — it happens to include some great rewards.

“There is no question that this keeps me in shape and reduces stress, and as I get older those benefits will become more important,” he says. “But it’s really about having good-hearted fun. I’m always having a good time.” IE