A life can be so full that it\u2019s actually empty.<\/h2>\n
I see you there. The lovely one who volunteers for PTO, class parties, and church boards.<\/p>\n
Yes, you, who not only chauffeurs your own kids to volleyball, dance and soccer, but also the neighbor kids and the straggler whose father frantically texts you that he is stuck at work and would you please…?<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, you, the employee who wins teamwork awards and gets promoted for achievements (which may mean more money, but always means more work).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, you, the one who looks at her calendar every night and feels her chest constricting at the rainbow blocks of commitments on deck for tomorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n You can\u2019t remember the last time you had no one to take care of except yourself. The last time you filled a day with only the things that fill you. The last time your mind felt happily still, your body rested and your soul satisfied. And let\u2019s not even mention the ever-growing distance between you and your partner. When\u2019s the last time you talked about the dreams you once shared?<\/span><\/p>\n New research published this year found a significant increase in stress among mid-life people compared to just a decade ago. When did it become normal to be burned-out, stress-out and checked-out? How do you change the course of your life to avoid a full-on breakdown and anxiety diagnosis like mine?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, it\u2019s not by committing to fewer things, it\u2019s by committing to the right things for you and joyfully opening your hands to let the rest of it go.<\/span><\/p>\n I had an \u201cah-ha\u201d moment yesterday as I binge-watched a new Netflix show called The Home Edit where organizing gurus Clea and Joanna tackle rooms in homes of celebrities like Reese Witherspoon alongside ordinary families like mine. There is a method to their magic, and I realized that the way they organize things is similar to the way I\u2019m learning to organize energy and time. Here\u2019s a quick overview of how I\u2019m learning to stop living like life is an emergency and start being intentional about savoring moments of my life. You can do this too!<\/p>\n ASSESS your time<\/span><\/p>\n Ask these key questions about your current commitments. It\u2019s important to dig deep when thinking about the goals you have for your time and energy. Be specific. Consider all aspects of your life as well as your body, mind and spirit. When it comes time to edit your commitments to make your time and energy correspond with your goals, remember that \u201cNo\u201d is a complete sentence. Feel free to consider me your official \u201cNoach,\u201d AKA No Coach. It is not selfish to protect your time! I remember when I was overwhelmed with three part-time jobs. I was literally sick to my stomach when I thought about resigning from one of them, but then I remembered that I work to live. I don\u2019t live to work. I resigned and immediately felt the weight lift.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re worried about hurting feelings of people who depend on you, here are some phrases I\u2019ve learned to use when editing my time. You\u2019ll be amazed at how you empower others when you model the wisdom of editing your schedule. And contrary to what you may believe, you are not the only one who can perform tasks well. Often stepping aside allows someone else to rise to the occasion.<\/p>\n – Thank you for asking me, but I\u2019m carefully protecting the margin of my schedule right now.It’s Time For An Energy Edit<\/h2>\n
– What on your list do you have to do?
– What on your list do you enjoy doing?
<\/span>– What gives you energy?
– What steals your energy?
<\/span>– What makes you feel lighter when you imagine not having to do it?
– What time of day do you feel most energized?
<\/span>– What time of day do you crash?
<\/span>– What tasks could you delegate to someone else?<\/span><\/p>\nwhat are your GOALS<\/h2>\n
– What are your priorities? God? Family? Work? Hobbies?
<\/span>– How much margin do you have? How much do you need?
– Are you scheduling every bit of your time, or do you have margin for when things go wrong (which they will)?
<\/span>– Do you practice a Sabbath? One day a week when you practice downtime and delight. If not, it\u2019s time to fix that.
<\/span>– How are you prioritizing people over projects?<\/span><\/p>\njust say EDIT<\/h2>\n
Steal These Lines For Saying “No”<\/h2>\n
– I\u2019ve really enjoyed serving with you, but I\u2019m editing my time and need to step down from this volunteer position.
<\/span>– I appreciate your faith in me, but adding another responsibility to my schedule will take away precious family time and I am prioritizing that in this season of my life.
<\/span>– No, thank you!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nORGANIZE What’s Left<\/h2>\n
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