5 tips to keep sane and know that what you are doing is enough!
It is human nature to want more. If you have 10 pairs of shoes, you want one more. If you have 3 evening dresses, you need another one for the upcoming gala night! Even though your plate is full, you want to add just one more task to your to-do list – ‘baking for charity’ at your child’s school because your friend is doing it!
We as humans make ourselves feel worthwhile by comparing our lives to others – from owning things to doing things. ‘My friend has an investment property, so should I’. ‘My friend has a new Versace dress and I need one too!’ We put the expectation on us that we should always be doing more, to feel useful in our life. If we sit down for a minute, we feel we are wasting time. Not only are we trying to be busy all the time, but if we have children, we expect our children to be like us! So many classes, tuitions, extra-curricular activities!
Phew!
Sometimes doing less is the best way to live and it comes from being aware of all that you do.
Here are my 5 tips to feel sane and know that what you are doing is enough.
Tip 1: Plan your diary in advance – at least by one week. So you won’t have last minute things popping up. This can include cooking/prepping food in advance too.
Tip 2: Make sure you slot anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour everyday as ‘ME time’ in your diary. This is a non-negotiable appointment you make with yourself.
Tip 3: Every time you are running around like a chicken with its head cut off, stop for a minute, take a deep breath and ask yourself if this is something that has been shoved onto your plate or was it on your original ‘list of things to do’. Take action accordingly!
Tip 4: If at any time you find yourself with nothing to do in your ‘ME time’, stop reaching out for your phone and reach out for your partner or child(ren) and spend some time with them having meaningful conversations.
Tip 5: Every weekend, make some time to just sit and observe nature – it could be the trees in your backyard or go to the beach. The main thing is to sit and not do anything. At first, it will be very hard to not fidget, but persist. Maybe have a diary at hand. Within 2 or 3 weeks, your brain will come up with some amazing ideas. Things you didn’t give time to think about – may be solutions will be found to somethings that you wanted.
Here are two simple ways to help you implement the 5 tips.
- Make a list of all that you want to do in your life. Do not, compare with anybody (not even your partner).
- Next write down all that you are doing currently everyday– from work to watching TV to after school pick up/drop off, everything that you do. Ruthlessly cull down everything that you’ve been semi-consciously tricked into doing.
If you feel life is a whirlwind, give these tips a try. Remember, we are all ‘individuals’ – there is no need to try to live someone else’s version of life.
Have you found other ways to feel what you do is enough, then share below. I would love to hear from you.
