So, lately I've been on a mission to simplify my life. If my schedule gets too busy, I feel rushed and can't enjoy my day. That's not how I want to exist. I decided that it is better to cut things out and not fret about accomplishing it all.
Also, I wanted to figure out a way to prevent my life from getting cluttered again. I came up with a list of red flags to indicate that my schedule needs some weeding out. Here it is:
-I rush through things without giving them my full attention
-I get irritated when something/someone is slowing me down
-I ignore people because there are too many tasks
-I am on a mission impossible and you can't stop me
-I can't enjoy my day because I am stressed out -I can't completely focus on what's in front of me
-I get constantly distracted with one thing or another -I start to neglect prayer, personal time and family
-I get sucked into social media -I forget how to savor simple moments
To keep myself on track, from time to time I go through a few tools and bring myself into an alignment again. This can be done in my weekly alone time:
1. Make a list of things that are important to me and that I want to accomplish on a weekly basis, then track my actual activities for a week. If things don't match, make some adjustments.
If I say that family and prayer are important to me, how much time do I spend on them? Do other seemingly urgent tasks take over every waking moment?
2. Ask my spouse, my child or my friend: "Am I too busy?" If the answer is: "Yes!", go back to item #1.
3. In the evening, make a mental list of a few things that I want to accomplish the following day.
Sometimes items like "hug my husband", "spend time with kids", and "give somebody a compliment" need to be put in the phone as a reminder. Certain things like "write a blog" don't get done unless there is a time block on the schedule for it.
4. Once a week take some time away to think and regroup.
If I am constantly on the run, it is easy to loose perspective. It is good to force myself to press a 'Pause' button on a regular basis.
5. If I notice that I am getting rushed or stressed, stop and ask myself: "What is more important right now?"
When I am starting to get pressured for time, I want to be able to take a step back and ask myself the right questions. What is more important right now - to leave the house on time or to be patient with my son? What is more important - to finish the project or to relax?
What are your strategies on staying less busy?