It’s time to slow down.
Trying to keep up with the fast paced world around us is a losing battle. Our constant attempts end in exhaustion, resentment and losing perspective on what really matters in our lives.
There is a better way. Less do, more be.
You might be thinking, “My life is so busy. How can I do less and slow down?” I used to feel the same way. Creating a slower paced life didn’t happen overnight, but there were some shifts that happened almost immediately. Here are three things you can do to opt out of the hustle and put busyness behind you.
1. Listen to this interview I recorded with Women Mean Business.
2. Change your measuring system. If you tend to try to prove who you are (to yourself or others) by what you do or accomplish, looking at a full calendar probably makes you feel good. Then, halfway through the week, you feel over committed and overwhelmed. Measure less by what’s on your calendar and more by what’s on your heart.
3. Create boundaries that you will honor and protect. There is a saying that goes something like, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person.” If you’ve been that busy person, chances are people are giving you their to-do lists. A good sign is if an email starts, “I know you are busy but …” Take a good look at your commitments, and what you really have time for. If you are overextended, or doing work that doesn’t support what matters to you, boundaries will help.
7 Quick Reminders That Will Help You Slow Down
1.
Time for nothing invites you to remember yourself. If you don’t build in a little margin and time for nothing, you won’t be able to listen to your heart or process ideas. After a day of non-stop input, you have to recover, shut down, or numb out. Instead schedule nothing if only to give yourself a minute to remember who you are, what you want, and how you want to live.
2.
Let’s stop telling each other how busy we are. We have better things to talk about.
3.
What if instead of giving 110%, you gave 90%? Would anyone but you even notice? Since over doing it isn’t working for any of us, maybe we could under-do it for a change.
4.
Stop lying to yourself. You are still doing things one at a time but when you call it multitasking, you are scattered and distracted jumping from thing to thing to thing. Save your energy and enjoy what you do by working on one thing at a time.
5.
Use your free time to be free.
6.
Say yes less.
7.
There are at least three things on your to-do list or calendar that don’t matter (or don’t matter more than what you wished you had time for). Let them go.
For other quick reminders on slowing down, reducing stress and living with less, join me here on Instagram.